Posts Tagged ‘Advanced Materials’

ASX Company News: Anteo Diagnostics Granted Japanese Patent

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Anteo Diagnostics Limited (ADO) announced that the Japanese Patent Office has granted the “Use of Metal Complexes” patent for Mix&GoTM. It is unusual that patents are granted in Japan as quickly as this. Its granting provides Anteo with further confidence in the quality of the science and security over the intellectual property (IP) in a commercially large jurisdiction.

There are many commercially important reasons to bind biological molecules onto synthetic materials. These molecules are often fragile and do not react well when exposed to non-biological conditions. Mix&GoTM has been demonstrated to allow them to retain their activity when bound. The “Use of Metal Complexes” patent covers the IP for the use of Mix&GoTM to facilitate this important binding process. Anteo has demonstrated that the benefits of Mix&GoTM over existing methods are both numerous and significant from technical and commercial perspectives. Further, the Mix&GoTM technology has broad applications in non-biological markets. This is another important patent to be granted to Anteo in a key market and marks another critical step in the continued effort to strengthen the IP of the Mix&GoTM technology.

Anteo’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Geoff Cumming commented “Anteo is extremely pleased to be granted the “Use of Metal Complexes” patent. In particular we were pleased with the outcome given the relative difficulty of achieving such grants in Japan.  “As we continue to advance negotiations for new licensing agreements, protecting the Mix&GoTM technology is of critical importance for Anteo.” Anteo is also pleased to inform shareholders that the company has progressed dialogue with potential customers in recent months. As previously explained, these negotiations take a significant amount of time due to the due diligence considered necessary by interested parties before incorporating Mix&GoTM into their commercial products.”

www.anteodx.com

http://www.traderdealer.com.au/fundamentals/ado

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ASX Company News: Alexium International Enters Joint Venture With International Textile Group

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Leading US Diversified Textile Manufacturer with worldwide operations in Perth, Western Australia, Greer, South Carolina, Alexium International (AJX) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Agreement with the International Textile Group (ITG).  The Agreement sets out terms for ITG and Alexium to work collaboratively on several product development initiatives and establishes ITG as Alexium’s preferred fabric supplier to satisfy current and future bids in commercial and defense markets. ITG is an industry-leading fabric manufacturer and finisher with worldwide operations, including Burlington Worldwide, Carlisle Finishing, Cone Denim & Decorative Fabrics, Narricot, and Safety Components. ITG and subsidiaries shave operations in United States, Mexico, China, Nicaragua, Vietnam and India. This agreement with ITG will leverage capabilities and resources, and accelerate the adoption rate of RST technology in the textile market.

Stefan Susta, Executive Director and COO of Alexium International noted, “In addition to being a well-established worldwide supplier of quality fabrics, we view ITG as a strategic partner for developing new product lines that incorporate RST (Reactive Surface Treatment) technology, ultimately leading to a licensing deal.  We see a lot of synergy between the two companies moving forward, and appreciate their interest to develop innovative products with our process.”
Alexium  International  Group  Limited  (AJX)  holds  proprietary  patent applications for a process developed initially by the US Department of Defense , which allows for  the surface  modification  and  attachment of  nano particles  or multiple  chemical  functional groups to surfaces  or substrates to provide functions such as water proofing, oil proofing, anti-microbial,  non-stick  and  UV  protection.  International Textile Group Inc., majority owned by WL Ross & Co LLC, is a diversified textile manufacturer. It operates in five primary business segments: Automotive Safety,  Apparel  Fabrics,  Government Uniform Fabrics, Interior Furnishings and Commission Finishing. The  company  also  has  a  commercial partnership for  denim fabrics with RSWM Limited,  part  of the  LNJ  Bhilwara Group, based in New Delhi, India.

www.alexiuminternational.com

http://www.traderdealer.com.au/Fundamentals/ajx

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ASX Company News: Anteo Diagnostics Awarded European Patent

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Anteo Diagnostics Limited (ADO) is pleased to announce that the European Patent Office has issued confirmation that it intends to grant the “Generation of Surface Coating Diversity” patent to the Company. This means that a patent will shortly be granted to Anteo to protect the intellectual property that led to the discovery of the Mix&GoTM technology.

This ensures that the process that was used to bind antibodies to more than 8,000 different types of surfaces cannot be copied in the European market. Also, additional screening exercises that could be initiated to identify new “glues” for a broad range of other industries and sectors will also be covered under this patent which has a 12-year life. The patent was filed in 2003, and given a 20-year life, is due to expire in 2023. The patent has already been granted in Australia and Anteo is currently waiting on it being granted in additional markets.

Anteo’s Managing Director Dr. Geoff Cumming said: “This is a very pleasing and important development for the company, and it underpins the value of the intellectual property that led to the discovery of our Mix&GoTM technology.

www.anteodx.com

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ASX Company News: Quickstep Holdings To Supply Sikorsky

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Australian advanced materials company Quickstep Holdings Limited (QHL) has secured a further opportunity for aerospace/defence manufacturing work in Australia, announcing it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with global helicopter company, Sikorsky International Operations Inc, aimed at enabling Quickstep to become a recognised supplier to Sikorsky’s global supply chain. The MOU is contingent on Sikorsky securing a contract for the purchase of its MH-60R helicopters under the Australian Department of Defence’s Air 9000 Phase 8 program. Sikorsky is one of two helicopter suppliers that have tendered for the program, which is the Australian Department of Defence’s acquisition program for a new navy tactical helicopter fleet. The contract is expected to be awarded in the Third Quarter of 2011.

If Sikorsky is successful in winning this contract, the MOU is intended to lead to Quickstep becoming a  participant in Sikorsky’s Australian Industry Participation Program. Under the terms of the MOU, the two companies will work together firstly to enable Quickstep to become a recognised supplier to Sikorsky’s global supply chain, and secondly to conduct joint development work aimed at preparing Quickstep’s patented manufacturing technology – the Quickstep Process – for use in Sikorsky supply chain work as the Quickstep Process demonstrates competitive advantage. The MOU is in keeping with Quickstep’s two pronged strategy to secure manufacturing business – firstly through the promotion of the patented Quickstep Process as a viable new technology for the manufacture of high performance composites, and secondly by facilitating composite contracts that can be completed at the Company’s Australian manufacturing facility using the Quickstep Process or traditional composites manufacturing techniques such as autoclave. It is expected that Sikorsky would assist Quickstep to prepare to enter the Sikorsky supply chain to gain contracts for manufacture in Australia.

Managing Director of Quickstep, Mr Philippe Odouard, said the agreement represented another opportunity for Quickstep to secure additional large-scale aerospace manufacturing contracts.  “Sikorsky is a major manufacturer of helicopters globally, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to work with them to join their supply chain. The potential to secure substantial contracts through the  Sikorsky Supply Chain represents a further step for Quickstep to build its contract based business on the back of last month’s announcement of a Long Term Agreement with Northrop Grumman for the supply of parts under the international F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program,” Mr Odouard said.

Quickstep is an Australian-based company at the forefront of advanced materials manufacturing and  technology transfer for the global aerospace and defence industries. The Company has a fully commissioned aerospace-grade manufacturing facility located in North Coogee, Western Australia, and recently announced plans to relocate its manufacturing operations to Bankstown, New South Wales, to a new facility that offers the scale, resources and utilities necessary to undertake large-scale, long term aerospace manufacturing contracts. In addition to its Australian operations, Quickstep also has facilities in strategic global locations including North America, Europe and the UK. The Company is currently partnering with some of the world’s largest aerospace/defence companies, including the US Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Airbus and EADS.

www.quickstep.com.au

http://www.traderdealer.com.au/Fundamentals/qhl

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ASX Company News: Quickstep Holdings Passes Key Review By Northrop Grumman

Monday, November 15th, 2010

Australian advanced composite component and solutions provider Quickstep Holdings Limited (QHL) is pleased to advise that it has achieved a key milestone with production preparations relating to the international Joint Strike Fighter program, announcing that it has successfully passed the key “Toll Gate” review set by global aerospace corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation.

This Toll Gate is for Manufacturing Readiness for Group 1 composite parts at Quickstep’s Coogee site in Western Australia and was required for Quickstep and Northrop to progress to final negotiations prior to signing the LTA.

It was held on-site between 18 and 20 October 2010 and was adjudicated by a Review Panel comprising key members of the Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin team.

The review process required Quickstep to demonstrate that it has processes, procedures and a trained workforce in place and to provide detailed evidence of the readiness of its equipment and facilities as well as an operational demonstration. Quickstep managers and personnel were questioned in detail by the Review Panel during the presentation.  The Toll Gate Criteria were divided into 13 different categories, with a total of 160 items of evidence presented during the Review.

Quickstep Chief Executive Mr Philippe Odouard said the first Toll Gate review had been highly successful, with the Company achieving an overall rating of 80% with no categories below 50% and most in the 70-90% range.  “For a start-up manufacturing facility this is an outstanding result, which has been achieved in exactly 12 months and on the date we said we would pass it – a great achievement by our staff and a reflection of the enormous dedication and hard work within our organisation,” Mr Odouard said. “Typically, a review of this complexity and stringency would take a lot longer and it is a credit to our team that we have been able to meet all the key criteria on time in such a short space of time.”

Mr Odouard said the completion of the Toll Gate review effectively gave the green light for the Company to move to the next stage by starting production of Qualification Panels and “building block” activity – that is, production of actual production parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter using tooling provided by Northrup Grumman to demonstrate production-readiness.

“This is a significant milestone for Quickstep as it demonstrates to Northrop that we are ready and able to deliver the first of the F-35 components and is the last of the capability barriers that stood in front of Quickstep and the signing of the LTA,” he continued.

In addition to the Toll Gate Review, Quickstep has hosted multiple site visits by various Northrop Grumman staff and experts to assist in guiding the review and qualification process. Quickstep personnel have also successfully completed a Technical Assistance Training course in California at key Northrop Grumman sites for composite manufacture involving a number of Quickstep team members over two weeks.

The overall Development Program for the JSF manufacturing contracts continues to progress on schedule with agreed deadlines, milestones and now Toll Gates met. Discussions are scheduled to recommence shortly leading to signing of the final Long Term Agreement, with delivery of production parts for Quickstep on schedule in Q1 of 2012. This date has not moved in the past 12 months.

www.quickstep.com.au

http://www.traderdealer.com.au/Fundamentals/qhl

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ASX Company News: Quickstep Holdings Enters JV Agreement with Vector Composites

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Vector Composites, Inc. (“Vector”) and Quickstep Composites LLC (QHL) are pleased to announce the signing of a strategic teaming agreement under which the companies will jointly promote the Quickstep Process for system applications and customers in the aerospace and defense industries of North America.

The Quickstep Process is an Out-Of-Autoclave (“OOA”) polymer composite curing process using lower cost material technologies for the high speed manufacture of advanced composite, bonded metal, and fiber metal laminated structural components.  Under the terms of the agreement, Vector and Quickstep will collaborate to create business opportunities in funded research and development (R&D), prototype development and demonstration of advanced composite structural components, and aerospace production programs. The activities will include joint presentations to potential customers and participation at industry trade shows, plus development of comparative material properties via the Quickstep Process for comparison to other processes, leading to prototype and commercial production contracts.

The teaming agreement resulted from Vector and Quickstep’s success in winning a major United States Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) Phase II program, expected to total about US$4 million in funding over a 27-month period. Vector is the lead contractor and Quickstep is the principal subcontractor to conduct the joint research program, which will focus on process qualification of bismaleimide and epoxy resin carbon fiber reinforced composite materials using the Quickstep Process for application to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.  Industrial partners supporting the research program include Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and ITT Integrated Structures.

Vector has also recently been granted a license to use the Quickstep Process in North America for aerospace and defense production applications, which will ultimately result in the purchase of a Quickstep production machine and associated services.

Commenting on the teaming agreement, Dale Brosius, President of Quickstep Composites and a Director of its Australian parent company Quickstep Holdings Ltd, said: “Based on our close working relationship with Vector, and the increasing range of opportunities to demonstrate and commercialize the Quickstep Process in the U.S. and Canada, we are excited to formalize our collaboration.  Not only will the two companies work together on curing of traditional autoclave qualified and new out-ofautoclave prepregs, we will also advance the pairing of the Quickstep Process with infusion technologies brought forward by Vector.”

www.quickstep.com.au

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Quickstep Holdings Secures $500,000 Aerospace Contract

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Australian advanced materials company Quickstep Holdings Limited (QHL) is pleased to advise that it has secured new Development contracts with a total value of over $500,000 including further collaborative work with a large European aerospace company. The projects include paid development work on the manufacture of integrated parts in one cure cycle; and Composite repair solutions. These externally funded and partnered development programs will be undertaken in Quickstep’s wholly own German development facility and are focused on individual commercially confidential programs. The programs are in keeping with Quickstep’s 3-part Business Strategy, which comprises contract manufacturing work, paid Quickstep Process development work and Quickstep Process technology transfer. These technology developments run in parallel to Quickstep’s defence contract programs with Northrop Grumman Corporation, a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin Corporation, to manufacture doors and panels for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

Commenting on the new contracts, Quickstep CEO, Mr Philippe Odouard, said the development initiatives had excellent potential to unlock significant new business opportunities for the Company and form part of its strategy to commercialise its patented Quickstep Process in a range of aerospace, defence and automotive applications. “We are very fortunate to now have a number of development projects running simultaneously, all of which provide us with valuable revenue and exposure to a wide range of potential new commercial partnerships and commercially focused development programs,” he said. “The Quickstep Process is continuing to gain momentum in the world of composites,” he said. “This is the fruit of many years of refinement – not only the Quickstep Process itself, but also of our broader marketing strategy and business plan. We expect further high-end partnered Quickstep Process development programs to be announced over the following months,” Mr Odouard continued.

Quickstep Holdings Limited (QHL) is an Australian-based company which is at the forefront of advanced materials manufacturing and technology transfer for the global aerospace and defence industries. The use of advanced composites is rapidly growing with carbon material usage planned to increase at an average rate of 20% per annum for the next 10 years, underwritten by the emergence of high-use carbon fibre commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. Light weighting of vehicles is the prime driver with commercial aircraft and military equipment leading the charge.  Quickstep has significant capabilities and expertise in the production of aerospace-grade composite components using both conventional autoclave-based manufacturing and leading edge out-of-autoclave production technologies, including its proprietary Quickstep Process.

www.quickstep.com.au

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Quickstep Holdings Secures US Defence Contract

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Australian advanced materials company Quickstep Holdings Limited (QHL) has taken another key step towards securing manufacturing contracts under the international Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, today announcing that it has signed a Manufacturing License Agreement (MLA) with global security company Northrop Grumman Corporation, a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin Corporation in the design and manufacture of the centre fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. Quickstep signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in November 2009 to finalise a Long Term Agreement (LTA) for the manufacture of up to A$700 million worth of contracts for JSF. The signing of this MLA provides Northrop Grumman with export approval from the U.S Department of State to begin transferring to Quickstep technical information necessary for the manufacture of the parts to be produced under the MOU.

Under the terms of the MOU, Quickstep would supply 21 different F-35 components. The parts would then be exported to the United States for incorporation into F-35s globally. The manufacturing program is planned to last between 20 and 30 years and generate annual turnover of up to $50 million by 2015.  Preparations for the start of manufacturing are progressing in line with the timetable agreed to with Northrop Grumman, with Quickstep proceeding well with the employment of new key staff members and the acquisition of necessary equipment to be able to commence production as planned in 2012. Preparation for parts and process qualification prior to production is also proceeding on schedule.

Commenting on the announcement, Quickstep Chief Executive Philippe Odouard said: “The signing of this Manufacturing License Agreement will establish an essential transfer of data between Quickstep and Northrop Grumman to enable Quickstep to complete the final preparations for the planned signing of the Long Term Agreement for F-35 manufacturing in the second quarter of 2010. This is a key step for Quickstep along the road to aerospace manufacturing.”

www.quickstep.com.au

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