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Asahi Kasei Chemicals completes Kawasaki Innovation Center
NEWS
ItN Nanovation arranges E2mn short-term loan
I
tN Nanovation AG has secured a further loan of E2.0 million from one of its major shareholders. The company’s management board considers the short-term financing to be a necessary bridging measure until liquidity can be generated by incoming orders for its water filtration products particularly from Saudi Arabia. The loan will expire at the end of 2014.
and advance technology to support the further expansion of its current operations and accelerate the creation of new businesses. Under the Asahi Kasei Group’s “For Tomorrow 2015” mid-term management initiative, Asahi Kasei Chemicals is focusing on creating new environment and energy businesses by concentrating on R&D in catalyst and polymer design, surface control and membrane systems. For further information, visit www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
For further information, visit www.itn-nanovation.com
Aquaporin readies to launch membranes next year
Sartorius places E100mn note loan
2
G
ermany’s Sartorius has successfully placed a E100 million note loan. Arranged by Landesbank BadenWürttemberg and Deutsche Bank AG, the note loan was increased from E75 million to E100 million due to strong demand from debt investors. The proceeds from the issue will be used for general corporate financing purposes. “By issuing a note loan for the first time, we are broadening the Sartorius Group financing while securing attractive longterm conditions for our company,” said Jörg Pfirrmann, chief financial officer and a member of the Sartorius AG executive board. For further information, visit www.sartorius.com
Asahi Kasei Chemicals completes Kawasaki Innovation Center
A
sahi Kasei Chemicals has finished building its new ¥2 billion integrated R&D facility at the company’s Kawasaki Works in Kanagawa, Japan. The Kawasaki Innovation Center brings together a number of Asahi Kasei Chemical’s R&D organisations in a single shared facility. The new R&D centre will help Asahi Kasei Chemicals to integrate
December 2012
013 is set to be a transforming year for Denmark’s Aquaporin A/S, as the company scales-up production of its Aquaporin Inside technology and launches its first commercial biomimetic membranes for water filtration. Aquaporin will be investing in a high-tech automated pilot production unit for delivery at the beginning of 2013. This equipment will streamline membrane production, reduce production costs and secure a consistent and high product quality. Chairman Søren Bjørn Hansen says that Aquaporin needs to move from a pure R&D focused company to a global, commercial organisation rooted in R&D and ground-breaking innovation over the coming year. “This is a huge task, but the market potential for our revolutionising, patented technology is enormous and we have all the opportunities of becoming a commercial success,” said Bjørn Hansen. Key achievements for Aquaporin in the year to 30 September 2012 include the successful testing of the Aquaporin Inside technology by a number of industrial test partners around the world, the sale of test membranes to NASA, and the approval of additional patents. Aquaporin says that the partnership with Germany’s Membrana GmbH continues to develop very satisfactorily, as does the company’s collaboration with Singapore institutes. “We are experiencing significant success with our numerous test partners in Europe, US and Asia, who provide valuable feedback on the membranes they are testing. We use the feedback to
optimise on our future product and adjust membrane specifications according to individual needs. The next year we will be focusing on product maturation, customer relations and further development of our ground-breaking technology,” said Aquaporin CEO Peter Holme Jensen. While Aquaporin realised a loss of DKK6.1 million in 2011/2012, the company’s capital base was strengthened during the year by its major shareholder. As part of the company’s global strategy, Aquaporin Asia Pte Ltd, a Singapore subsidiary, will be operational from early 2013, giving the Danish company access to major markets in Asia including India, China and Japan. Following the implementation of a warrant program for all employees, every Aquaporin employee now owns a share of the company. “We regard ownership as the ultimate recognition of a fantastic effort by all Aquaporin employees throughout the recent years. The skilled employees are the ones who will secure our success, and when this happens everybody will benefit,” said Bjørn Hansen. For further information, visit www.aquaporin.dk
Bluewater Bio wins cleantech award
B
luewater Bio International has been recognised as the ‘One to Watch’ at this year’s Annual Cleantech Connect awards, celebrating Europe’s fastest growing cleantech companies. The awards, organised by investment bank GP Bullhound, recognise growth, leadership and potential. The judges recognised Bluewater Bio’s growth potential and commitment to innovation, as well as the growing market acceptance and roll-out of its low energy and low footprint portfolio of technologies. Founded to develop its patented HYBrid ACtivated Sludge process (HYBACS), the company has since added Water Innovate, a technology spin-out from Cranfield University, and FilterClear Ltd’s portfolio of advanced multimedia filtration technologies. Current clients include Scottish Water, Northumbrian Water, Diageo, Saudi Aramco and Michelin. For further information, visit www.bluewaterbio.com
Filtration Industry Analyst
5
ItN Nanovation arranges E2mn short-term loan
I
tN Nanovation AG has secured a further loan of E2.0 million from one of its major shareholders. The company’s management board considers the short-term financing to be a necessary bridging measure until liquidity can be generated by incoming orders for its water filtration products particularly from Saudi Arabia. The loan will expire at the end of 2014.
and advance technology to support the further expansion of its current operations and accelerate the creation of new businesses. Under the Asahi Kasei Group’s “For Tomorrow 2015” mid-term management initiative, Asahi Kasei Chemicals is focusing on creating new environment and energy businesses by concentrating on R&D in catalyst and polymer design, surface control and membrane systems. For further information, visit www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
For further information, visit www.itn-nanovation.com
Aquaporin readies to launch membranes next year
Sartorius places E100mn note loan
2
G
ermany’s Sartorius has successfully placed a E100 million note loan. Arranged by Landesbank BadenWürttemberg and Deutsche Bank AG, the note loan was increased from E75 million to E100 million due to strong demand from debt investors. The proceeds from the issue will be used for general corporate financing purposes. “By issuing a note loan for the first time, we are broadening the Sartorius Group financing while securing attractive longterm conditions for our company,” said Jörg Pfirrmann, chief financial officer and a member of the Sartorius AG executive board. For further information, visit www.sartorius.com
Asahi Kasei Chemicals completes Kawasaki Innovation Center
A
sahi Kasei Chemicals has finished building its new ¥2 billion integrated R&D facility at the company’s Kawasaki Works in Kanagawa, Japan. The Kawasaki Innovation Center brings together a number of Asahi Kasei Chemical’s R&D organisations in a single shared facility. The new R&D centre will help Asahi Kasei Chemicals to integrate
December 2012
013 is set to be a transforming year for Denmark’s Aquaporin A/S, as the company scales-up production of its Aquaporin Inside technology and launches its first commercial biomimetic membranes for water filtration. Aquaporin will be investing in a high-tech automated pilot production unit for delivery at the beginning of 2013. This equipment will streamline membrane production, reduce production costs and secure a consistent and high product quality. Chairman Søren Bjørn Hansen says that Aquaporin needs to move from a pure R&D focused company to a global, commercial organisation rooted in R&D and ground-breaking innovation over the coming year. “This is a huge task, but the market potential for our revolutionising, patented technology is enormous and we have all the opportunities of becoming a commercial success,” said Bjørn Hansen. Key achievements for Aquaporin in the year to 30 September 2012 include the successful testing of the Aquaporin Inside technology by a number of industrial test partners around the world, the sale of test membranes to NASA, and the approval of additional patents. Aquaporin says that the partnership with Germany’s Membrana GmbH continues to develop very satisfactorily, as does the company’s collaboration with Singapore institutes. “We are experiencing significant success with our numerous test partners in Europe, US and Asia, who provide valuable feedback on the membranes they are testing. We use the feedback to
optimise on our future product and adjust membrane specifications according to individual needs. The next year we will be focusing on product maturation, customer relations and further development of our ground-breaking technology,” said Aquaporin CEO Peter Holme Jensen. While Aquaporin realised a loss of DKK6.1 million in 2011/2012, the company’s capital base was strengthened during the year by its major shareholder. As part of the company’s global strategy, Aquaporin Asia Pte Ltd, a Singapore subsidiary, will be operational from early 2013, giving the Danish company access to major markets in Asia including India, China and Japan. Following the implementation of a warrant program for all employees, every Aquaporin employee now owns a share of the company. “We regard ownership as the ultimate recognition of a fantastic effort by all Aquaporin employees throughout the recent years. The skilled employees are the ones who will secure our success, and when this happens everybody will benefit,” said Bjørn Hansen. For further information, visit www.aquaporin.dk
Bluewater Bio wins cleantech award
B
luewater Bio International has been recognised as the ‘One to Watch’ at this year’s Annual Cleantech Connect awards, celebrating Europe’s fastest growing cleantech companies. The awards, organised by investment bank GP Bullhound, recognise growth, leadership and potential. The judges recognised Bluewater Bio’s growth potential and commitment to innovation, as well as the growing market acceptance and roll-out of its low energy and low footprint portfolio of technologies. Founded to develop its patented HYBrid ACtivated Sludge process (HYBACS), the company has since added Water Innovate, a technology spin-out from Cranfield University, and FilterClear Ltd’s portfolio of advanced multimedia filtration technologies. Current clients include Scottish Water, Northumbrian Water, Diageo, Saudi Aramco and Michelin. For further information, visit www.bluewaterbio.com
Filtration Industry Analyst
5