OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 5, 2015) - Grafoid Inc. ("Grafoid" or the "Company") - a complete solutions graphene company and Canada's leading graphene applications developer - is pleased to announce it has acquired 100% ownership of analytical services provider MuAnalysis Inc., of Ottawa, Ontario.
MuAnalysis provides analytical expertise and solutions to the electronics, photonics, life sciences, and manufacturing industries and offers expertise in electron microscopy, optical microscopy, materials and failure analysis techniques, and reliability testing to its global customers.
Terms of the acquisition agreement, executed by Grafoid Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner Gary Economo and MuAnalysis' principal shareholders headed by Founder Dr. Martine Simard-Normandin, were not disclosed.
MuAnalysis is Grafoid's third advanced technology acquisition within the last 12 months; joining Braille Battery, Inc., of Sarasota, Florida and ALCERECO Inc. of Kingston, Ontario, as growth contributors to Grafoid's expanding global graphene, advanced materials and technology-related operations. On April 2, 2015, Grafoid announced the Company's planned acquisition of the Ames Rubber Corporation of Hamburg, New Jersey - a global leader in the design, development and production of specialty elastomeric materials and products used in defense, aerospace, personal protection, copiers and printers, and a broad range of industrial proprietary applications and technologies.
Mr. Economo described the acquisition of MuAnalysis as a critically important addition to the Grafoid group of companies. "Quality control and quality assurance are paramount in delivering Grafoid's manufactured materials and products, especially now as we advance to an automated Mesograf™ graphene mass production system," Mr. Economo said.
"MuAnalysis complements Grafoid's existing reach into the broad manufacturing sector with nanotechnology analytical services that support product innovation through to market success," Mr. Economo added. "The tremendous synergies and cross pollination between Grafoid and its group of companies provides for graphene application development at a significantly faster pace. By strategically building Grafoid and its companies on a vertically integrated aligned platform, the resultant cost, time and scientific efficiencies are anticipated to be unrivaled in the industry - providing the Company a formidable and enduring competitive advantage. We believe that no other known graphene technology company can produce graphene and functionalized graphene materials, engineer and develop a particular application, test, analyze, optimize, produce, and commercialize said application as effectively as Grafoid. MuAnalysis will play a key role in accelerating our graphene application development capabilities."
Dr. Simard-Normandin said the closing of the acquisition opens the door to a diverse range of potential new customers in global international markets and those markets already established by Grafoid.
"We see opportunities with Grafoid that otherwise would have been unavailable to us as a small Canadian enterprise," Dr. Simard-Normandin said. "Grafoid's industrial contacts and its global presence bode well for the future growth of MuAnalysis."
In addition to MuAnalysis' services, Grafoid's Grafoid Global Technology Centre (GGTC) in Kingston, Ontario - the world-renowned 220,000-square-foot former Alcan R&D and materials testing facility - is uniquely equipped to offer standards testing services and advanced materials testing services to developers and manufacturers.
About MuAnalysis Inc.
MuAnalysis Inc. is a privately owned professional laboratory and analytical service provider located in Ottawa and was founded in 2002 by Dr. Martine Simard-Normandin, formerly a scientist with Nortel Networks and later with STMicroelectonics.
MuAnalysis supports clients across the manufacturing value chain with testing and analysis of devices and components. Deploying proven techniques in one of the most advanced laboratories of its kind, MuAnalysis provides in-depth technical services to a diverse group of industries - including the renewable energy, electronics/photonics, security and defense, transportation, textile and clothing, and pharmaceutical/biomed industries - working with clients from early prototype design to integration of components into larger systems.
MuAnalysis laboratories operate in strict compliance with global policies concerning environmental protection, health and safety, and with adherence to ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) protection. The company is registered with the Controlled Goods Directorate.
For more information about MuAnalysis, please visit www.muanalysis.com.
About Grafoid Inc.
Grafoid is a complete solutions graphene company. The Company provides expertise as well as product and processes for transformative, industrial-scale graphene applications in partnership with leading corporations and institutions around the world.
A privately held Canadian corporation, Grafoid invests in graphene applications and economically scalable production processes for graphene and graphene derivatives from raw, unprocessed graphite ore. Focus Graphite Inc. (TSX VENTURE:FMS) (OTCQX:FCSMF) (FRANKFURT:FKC) holds a significant interest in Grafoid Inc.
Incorporated in 2011, Grafoid has become the world's largest producer of high-purity, economically scalable few-layer graphene, trademarked globally as Mesograf™.
Grafoid's global enterprise platform includes 15 subsidiary companies engaged in the development of Mesograf™ materials and products, and development services. They include, but are not limited to: Mesograf™ lithium batteries for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and industrial energy storage; additive manufacturing materials including metal alloy and graphene polymer powders for 3D printing; polymers, plastics, rubber, elastomers, and composite materials; fibre science including aluminum alloys; coatings, and lubricants; fire retardant materials; thermal management solutions; EMI/RFI/EMP shielding; solar solutions, and analytical testing and laboratory services.
Grafoid's research is supported through the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) of the National Research Council of Canada. On February 20, 2015, Grafoid received an $8.1 million investment from the SD Tech Fund™ of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to develop a technology that will automate Mesograf™ graphene production and end-product development. SDTC is mandated by the Government of Canada to support clean technology companies as they move their technologies to market.
For more information about Grafoid, please visit www.grafoid.com.
Contact Information:
Mr. Gary Economo
Chief Executive Officer, Director and Founding Partner
+1 613-238-7417
geconomo@grafoid.com
www.grafoid.com