Feb 6 2008
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (“CFCL”), a global leader in fuel cell development, has signed a Co-operation and Supply agreement with CeramTec AG of Germany to secure a high volume supply of fuel cell components.
CeramTec is a world leader in producing high-quality industrial ceramic products for a wide range of applications in the automotive, electronic, medical and machine and plant construction industry.
In line with CFCL’s commercialisation strategy the partnership will combine CFCL’s and CeramTec’s expertise in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) with CeramTec’s manufacturing capabilities and expertise, securing the supply chain for mass manufacture of high quality fuel cells at commercially viable unit costs.
Under the agreement, CFCL and CeramTec will collaborate to produce advanced solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) components, in particular anode supported cells. CFCL will license its relevant intellectual property to CeramTec and provide ongoing assistance to optimize the performance of the cell against CFCL’s rigorous specifications. CFCL and CeramTec will also collaborate to continually improve cell performance and manufacturing processes and to reduce unit costs.
CFCL will also supply a range of high quality ceramic powders to CeramTec, including from CFCL’s powder plant in Merseyside, UK. CeramTec will use these powders to make fuel cell components for re-supply to CFCL and potentially other customers.
Once optimised, CeramTec will supply fuel cells to CFCL at pre-agreed prices until December 2011, securing long term cost visibility for CFCL. Supply of the fuel cells is expected to commence in the second half of 2008, with increases in forecast volumes from 2009.
CeramTec manufactures fuel cells at its plant in Marktredwitz, Germany. CeramTec’s world class manufacturing facility is fully equipped to produce high quality fuel cells, with additional plans to invest in new equipment to increase its capacity to 400,000 fuel cells per year from 2009. CeramTec’s manufacturing processes are certified to ISO standards 9001 and 14000.
CFCL will continue to produce fuel cells at its Melbourne R&D and pilot manufacturing facility, leveraging its 15 years of development expertise to drive continued improvements in cell performance.
This follows a similar agreement CFCL announced with H.C. Starck of Germany on 29 January 2008.