Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Nanocomp named DOD nanomanufacturing partner

By Rodney H. Brown

Article updated as of 12:47 p.m., Nov. 16, 2011.

New Hampshire nanomaterials company Nanocomp Technologies Inc. has been chosen to supply its yarn and sheet material made from carbon nanotubes to the U.S. government under a Department of Defense program that helps manufacturing companies meet anticipated federal needs for their products.

Concord-based Nanocomp will supply its nanomaterials under the Defense Production Act Title III program for uses within the DOD and agencies like NASA, according to a release from the company. The DPA Title III program is also intended to help companies move their production capabilities to a level needed for civilian commercial or industrial use. Currently the company has a contract with the Air Force to determine how its material may be used in military aircraft. In addition, its EMshield sheet material, which blocks vital electronics from electromagnetic radiation, was used by NASA in the Juno spacecraft, which launched on a mission to Jupiter in early August.

In the release, Nanocomp notes that it had recently entered into a “long-term lease on a 100,000 square foot, high-volume manufacturing facility in Merrimack, N.H., to meet projected production demand.” Peter Antoinette, president and CEO of Nanocomp, said in a statement, “Our efforts now turn to creating a full-scale production facility that will help the United States maintain its tactical military edge and continue the path towards broad insertion of carbon nanotube-based products across commercial industry.”

Antoinette said in an interview that the DOD award included initial funding, but he couldn’t go into details. “It’s millions but they don’t let us talk about specific numbers right now.” Nanocomp puts in a matching amount, he said. “The company provides matching monies and puts its own skin in the game. It’s a substantial figure and we are matching it.”

According to Antoinette, Nanocomp will be ready to expand into the new Merrimack facility sometime in January or February, and will likely double its head count from the current 47 employees over the course of next year, mostly with high-tech manufacturing jobs. That is just the beginning, Antoinette said: “Our plans call for over the next three to four years we are expecting to add another 200 to 300 jobs, mostly manufacturing jobs."

Nanocomp won a Phase 2 contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory under the Department of Defense’s Small Business Innovation Research program in August 2010 to study how its sheets of thin, super-tough carbon nanotubes can be used in such areas as lightweight aircraft parts and armor.

Antoinette was named a Mass High Tech All-Star in 2009.