Oct 27 2010
Nanogate AG (ISIN DE000A0JKHC9), a leading international nanotechnology enabler, is to unveil its first new application developed together with Gesellschaft für Oberflächentechnik GmbH (GfO), the company it now holds a majority stake in. Sicralan AP® is a transparent scratchproof coating with anti-fingerprint properties for use on stainless steel surfaces and plastics.
The application is being presented today for the first time at the world's largest trade fair for plastics and rubber, K 2010, in Düsseldorf. It is particularly suitable for designer surfaces in car interiors, households and buildings. Nanogate expects this application to generate sales with a mid-six-figure euro amount in the medium term.
Nanogate and GfO are focusing on high-performance surfaces for plastics and metals - a fast-growing market with strong margins and an annual volume of around EUR 800 million across Europe. Their first joint product Sicralan AP® exemplifies the wide array of opportunities available in this market of the future. The solutions devised are based on Nanogate's extensive knowledge in the field of materials and GfO's many years of process and coatings expertise.
Michael Jung, COO of Nanogate AG and Management Board member at GfO mbH, explains: "Intelligent surfaces, which appear to 'invisibly' add to and improve on existing product qualities, are an important distinguishing feature in competitive markets. Multifunctional surfaces provide this advantage in quality and pave the way for further uses of plastics in industry." Thanks to Nanogate's acquisition of a majority stake in GfO, which was announced in August 2010, customers now have access to a complete range of services from a single source - from purchasing raw materials to formulating the material systems right through to coatings for surfaces. This speeds up development and market launch times while at the same time creating significantly more potential for international growth.
Integration successfully commenced
"The unveiling of our first joint application only two months after acquiring the stake and commencing the partnership is evidence of the huge potential for synergies between Nanogate and GfO," comments Michael Jung. "Our collaboration is forging ahead: we are working together on projects in the area of high-performance surfaces in sophisticated market segments such as cars and white goods," he adds. As the world's largest trade fair for plastics and rubber, the K trade fair is the ideal place to present the transparent, scratchproof coating with anti-fingerprint properties to the wider public. The companies' combined broad distribution network can now be systematically used to open up the market for high-performance surfaces in industry, a market characterised by high volumes and strong margins.
GfO is a market leader in the area of transparent functional coatings and the electroplating of plastic mouldings. Using its outstanding GfO inkjet technology recognised across Europe, GfO specialises in enhancing sophisticated design elements for mass production. It does this with precision and to the highest quality standards. The multifunctional surfaces with scratchproof coatings or with anti-fog or anti-fingerprint properties that are already on offer today illustrate the broad range of product variations that will be seen in this market of the future.
Innovation drive successfully completed
As part of its efforts to focus on high-performance surfaces for industry, Nanogate has combined all of its expertise and activities in this area into Nanogate Industrial Solutions GmbH (NIS), formerly called Nanogate Advanced Materials GmbH. This measure resulted from the successful conclusion of many development projects from Nanogate AG's previous innovative drive. Applications in promising new specialist areas such as energy efficiency and air filtration have also been incorporated into operating units so that they can be implemented further on the market.