Enabling Technology for the Commercialization of Graphene

Haydale Graphene Industries plc

 

(“Haydale” or the Group”)

 

Reactor Supply and Collaboration Agreements with Graphit Kropfmuhl GmbH, part of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.

 

 

Haydale Graphene Industries plc (AIM: HAYD), the Group focused on enabling technology for the commercialization of graphene and other nano materials, is pleased to announce a collaboration agreement (“the Agreement”) between Haydale Limited and Graphit Kropfmühl GmbH (“GK”), part of AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (“AMG”, EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: “AMG”) and an affiliate of Alterna Capital Partners LLC (“Alterna”) (together the “Parties”).

 

The Agreement

The Agreement focuses on the development of new value added nano-material products using Haydale’s HDPlas® functionalisation process and certain AMG graphitic feedstock material primarily from its GK mine in Sri Lanka. Through its own source mines and vertically integrated production facilities, GK produces high purity natural graphite that is known for its conductivity, lubrication, heat resistance, and bonding properties.

Haydale will initially supply an R&D reactor (HT60) and a larger capacity reactor (HT200) to GK for use under the Agreement. The specification of the HT60 is similar to that supplied to the Centre for Process Innovation in September 2015 while the HT200 is a scaled up version capable of treating 8 times that of the R&D unit, which can amount to multiple tonnes of certain GK material.

 

The initial contract value for the supply of the reactors is payable to Haydale on the normal machine supply basis. Subject to reaching the agreed milestones, the majority of the revenue is scheduled to be received in the current financial year and is expected to constitute a significant proportion of the Group’s revenues for the year ended 30 June 2016.

 

Once the reactors are installed and commissioned, the Parties will collaborate on various projects aimed at developing “Collaboration Products” for specific industrial customers in the composites, inks/dispersions, energy harvesting and lubricants sectors.  In addition, the Parties have agreed to work together on commercializing certain products that Haydale has developed. Intellectual Property (“IP”) in the Collaboration Products will be owned by the party creating it, or jointly if created jointly, but in any event the parties will cross license each other such foreground IP to allow each of them to make and sell Collaboration Products.

 

Under the Agreement Haydale will grant a non-exclusive license to GK to use its patented process and, on the sale of the Collaboration Products will receive a royalty income based on the net revenue received by GK, the rate and quantum of which is likely to depend on the market size and product pricing.

 

The reactors are expected to be delivered to a specially built GK facility in Hauzenberg, Germany by June 2016. Haydale will undertake site commissioning and provide ongoing maintenance, supply of spare parts and full technical assistance to support the operation of the reactors.

 

Commenting, Ray Gibbs Haydale CEO said:

 

“We have been working with AMG for two years now and developed a close business relationship culminating in this collaboration agreement. For Haydale, this is a significant development because it opens the way for a European Centre of Excellence that can operate at scale with our plasma reactors in situ. It brings a development partner with not only sales reach but crucially a supply chain of exceptional quality and a vast array of high quality carbon based materials for use across our joint target markets. Provided that delivery of the reactors is on schedule, the income from the sale and commissioning of the reactors will underpin the Group’s expected revenue in the current financial year.”

 

Mr. Frank Berger, President of AMG Graphite added:

 

“The collaboration with Haydale will contribute to AMG Graphite’s development of strategic graphene and functionalised graphite products for high end applications. We look forward to working with Haydale to develop processes and work towards producing and selling Graphene products and master batches on an industrial scale.”

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

Haydale Graphene Industries plc +44 (0) 1269 842 946
John Knowles, ChairmanRay Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nomad) +44 (0) 20 7148 7900
Tony RawlinsonEmma Earl
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (Broker) +44 (0) 20 7894 7000
David ForemanDavid Banks

Will Goode

Hermes Financial PR
Trevor PhillipsChris Steele +44 (0) 7889 153 628+44 (0) 7979 604 687

 

 

 

About Haydale

Haydale has developed a patented scalable plasma process to functionalise graphene and other nanomaterials. This enabling technology can provide Haydale with a rapid and highly cost-efficient method of supplying tailored solutions to enhance applications for both raw material suppliers and product manufacturers.

Functionalisation is carried out through a low-pressure plasma process that treats both mined, organic fine powder and other synthetically produced nanomaterial powders, producing high-quality few layered graphenes and graphene nanoplatelets. The process can functionalise with a range of chemical groups, with the level of functionalisation tailored to the customer’s needs. Good dispersion improves the properties and performance of the host material and ensures the final product performs as specified.

The Haydale plasma process does not use wet chemistry, nor does it damage the material being processed; rather, it can clean up any impurities inherent in the raw material. The technology is a low energy user and most importantly environmentally friendly.  The Haydale process is an enabling technology, allowing the Group to work with a raw material producer who seeks to add value to the base product and tailor the outputs to meet the target applications of the end user.

Haydale, based in South Wales and housed in a purpose-built facility for processing and handling nanomaterials, is facilitating the application of graphenes and other nanomaterials in fields such as inks, sensors, energy storage, composites, paints and coatings.

www.haydale.com  Twitter: @haydalegraphene

 

 

About AMG

 

AMG is a global critical materials company at the forefront of CO2 reduction trends. AMG produces highly engineered specialty metals and mineral products and provides related vacuum furnace systems and services to the transportation, infrastructure, energy, and specialty metals & chemicals end markets.

AMG Critical Materials produces aluminum master alloys and powders, titanium alloys and coatings, ferrovanadium, natural graphite, chromium metal, antimony, tantalum, niobium and silicon metal.  AMG Engineering designs and produces vacuum furnace equipment and systems used to produce and upgrade specialty metals and alloys for the transportation, automotive, infrastructure, and energy markets.

AMG produces high purity natural graphite at AMG Graphite. Natural graphite is known for its conductivity, lubrication, heat resistance, and bonding properties. AMG Graphite produces the highest quality graphite through its own source mines and vertically integrated production facilities.

 

With approximately 3,000 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, United States, China, Mexico, Brazil and Sri Lanka, and has sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan

www.amg-nv.com

 

About Alterna

Alterna is a private equity firm that invests in capital assets and companies with significant involvement in the ownership, operation or financing of capital assets.  Alterna seeks to make investments within the energy, industrial, power, transportation and related sectors.  Alterna was founded in 2008 and manages over $1.25 billion across two funds and co-investments.

www.alternacapital.com