Nanoco Group plc (LON:NANO), a world leader in the development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other specific nanomaterials emanating from its technology platform, will today launch its new Fab at its Runcorn headquarters. Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram will attend in celebration of the Company’s status as a globally significant science-based business located in the region.
· Will significantly accelerate the product development cycle for customers
· Allows demonstration of the superior performance of Nanoco’s nanomaterials
· Latest expansion keeps the company at the forefront of commercial nanotechnology
At its Runcorn facility, Nanoco is one of a few companies in the world that can develop nanomaterials at the volumes required for mass market consumer electronics applications. The new Fab is a state-of-the-art wafer device facility and represents a significant step forward in the Company’s ability to deliver high performing materials for use in infra-red sensing applications.
Nanoco will use the Fab to coat its quantum dot materials and other conductive layers on silicon wafers and coupons. This will accelerate prototyping and testing of new materials in-house, enabling faster innovation and market readiness for prospective clients. Nanoco previously had to send materials to various parts of the world for deposition and testing, and the Fab will allow the Company to complete these processes in-house in the UK, significantly reducing the time to provide performance feedback.
The Fab will provide clear data on the performance of materials within the final product stack. This capability is crucial for engaging new customers by showcasing the tangible benefits of our nanomaterials. The Fab is designed to feed into 300mm CMOS semiconductor facilities, which are the industry standard for high-volume semiconductor chip production.
Nanoco has been committed to the North-West of the UK since the Company’s establishment in 2001, when it spun out of the University of Manchester, establishing research and manufacturing headquarters in the city. The Company commissioned a scale-up facility in Runcorn in 2011 and has since expanded the facility to become the largest tenant of the Heath business and technical park, described by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram as one of the City region’s “Beacon Projects”. The business employs 52 people of many nationalities, with 28% holding PhDs or being named inventors.
Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Nanoco, Nigel Pickett, said:
“Little did I know at the time I moved to the region in 2000 that the research that I had undertaken over my academic career would lead to the establishment of this business and its contribution to the development of nanomaterials from scale up and then mass commercial production. I am immensely proud of our people and the work they deliver for customers. These new testing and analytical capabilities strengthen our position further and keep us at the cutting edge of nanotechnology.”
