May 27 2010
NANTO PROTECTIVE COATING srl has been established. The newco won last November the grand prize of 300.000 Euro sponsored by the Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo Bank Foundation. Nanto is owned by the winning team and Veneto Nanotech, Italian Cluster of Nanotechnology, that has invested in it through the prize.
The team is now a real start-up in the Veneto Region. Nanto Protective Coating has its headquarter in Padua and an operative branch at VEGA, the Venice Scientific and Technological Park of Venice and Trieste. The choice of Padua is due to the presence of Veneto Nanotech main site and other two start-ups created thanks to Nanochallenge (QID Nanotechnologies and Bilcare-SingularID), while the decision to have an operative branch at the Scientific Park of Venice is due to the presence of Nanofab, the nanofabrication facility of the Cluster. Nanto can now exploit the advanced instruments and machineries of the lab to speed up research and development.
Nanto Protective Coating informed that the production has already started and is located in different sites. So far Nanto can produce 10 tons of coating per day, and the quantity will increase thanks to the strategic partnership with other producers both in Italy and abroad and thanks to the international commercial strategies that the company is launching.
Nanto Protective Coating uses patented systems based on nanoparticles composites which are used for the development of new innovative anticorrosion coatings with enhanced barrier properties. These new coatings can be used in the heavy industry, such us naval constructions, bridges and pipelines where corrosion problems are always critical and cost, according to the American Association of Corrosion Engineering, 300 billion dollars per year in the USA market and 200 billion in the European market. This coating offers also an improvement of the heat resistance which allows the application in the petroleum sector. "With our coatings - underlines the founder of Nanto Protective Coating, Roberto Cafagna - it is possible to realize coverings using 20% less product compared to classical coatings or, if the quantities of coating are equal, it results in a 20% better performance".
Nanto Protective Coating won the regional round for north east Italy "Talento delle Idee" and has been selected to attend the final round of this prestigious business plan competition, organised by Unicredit Bank and the youth branch of Confindustria - The Italian Industrial Federation. The next appointment if for June 11th in Santa Margherita Ligure (Genova).
The road-show for the second financial round and the definition of some strategic industrial partnerships in Europe and in the new emerging countries will be launched very soon.