In a recent study, World Carbon Nanotubes Market, Frost & Sullivan highlighted Nanocyl S.A. as an emerging company with a great vision. Nanocyl has been enabling an emerging technology while making sure that it grows with the technology, overcoming numerous hurdles that confront a small company.
Nanocyl specializes in the production and functionalization of nanotubes, enabling it to integrate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into polymers, metals, and biomaterials. Intellectual property (IP) is a valuable asset in a promising technology area such as CNT and Nanocyl is fully aware of this. With 2004 being declared primarily an IP year, Nanocyl is set to significantly increase its already impressive IP portfolio.
Based in Belgium, Nanocyl is a young spin-off company formed from Prof. Janos.B. Nagy's laboratory at the University of Namur in February 2002. Nanocyl's product portfolio offers a complete range of CNTs ranging from singlewalled nanotubes (SWNTs) to double-walled (DWNTs) and multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) and functionalized nanotubes to its research clients. Besides offering standard products to commercial customers, it has developed specialized CNTs for specific applications such as field emission devices (FED) and polymer composites.
“The DWNTs that Nanocyl offers are in between those of SWNTs and MWNTs and offer the best of both worlds,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Swaminathan Srinivasan “While proprietary purification methodologies enable over 95 percent pure CNTs, Nanocyl continues its pursuit to develop new processes for producing high-quality CNTs in a mass scale at a non-prohibitive cost.”
Nanocyl has had fair success in this endeavor, which is likely to stand the company in good stead as nanotube-based applications start becoming available in the commercial market. It will start mass production of CNTs in ton quantities this year and has concrete plans to make another major jump in production in 2006. The potential applications for CNTs are huge and Nanocyl, with its excellent research and management, is all set to reap the benefits in the near future.
For its excellent entrepreneurial skills, proactive business model, and accurate understanding of the industry, Nanocyl is the recipient of the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Entrepreneurial Company Award.
The award is given each year to the company that has demonstrated superior entrepreneurial ability in its industry. This award signifies the company's identification of a unique and revolutionary product solution with significant market potential. Additionally, it certifies that the company's marketing strategy is sound and poised for success.
Nanocyl’s sound technical knowledge of CNTs coupled with strong management skills has enabled it to build successful partnerships with key industry participants. In 2003, Nanocyl collaborated with cable manufacturer Kablewerk Eupen, Belgium to manufacture the first prototype of a two-kilometer-long electrical cable shielded with a fireproof layer of a nanotube nanocomposite.
Besides building relationships through European Union (EU) and national programs, it is also the main supplier for several EU projects. Asia remains a key market for CNT and Nanocyl has clear plans to collaborate with key Asian companies and establish distribution networks there. More than 80% of its current sales are done outside the EU, mainly in the United States and Japan.
Nanocyl’s advantage lies in its continuous innovation, flexibility, and smart business methods. Together with an experienced and dedicated research team, this seems to spell a very bright future for the infant enterprise.
For more information on nanotubes, click here.
Posted 25th, 2004