Inframat^® Positioned to Expand with China Ventures

May 12, 2008, The Board of Directors of Inframat has announced the most recent strategic partnerships in their high performance coatings business portfolio.  Inframat’s Equity Joint Venture in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, Zhangyuan Inframat Advanced Materials (“ZIAM”) has completed construction of a 130,000 sq. ft. facility that is capable of producing 600 metric tons of superfine tungsten carbide (“WC”) feedstock for thermal spray coatings.  These coatings are essential for industrial components needing hard surfaces that are wear resistant, such as drill bits and cutting tools.  Inframat has distribution rights for WC outside of China. 

About Zhangyuan Inframat Advanced Materials

Inframat Corp. formed an Equity Joint Venture (“EJV”) with Zhangyuan Tungsten Co. in 2006.  The EJV is a manufacturing operation organized to manufacture superfine tungsten carbide cobalt (WC/Co).  Superfine means the particle size is between 100 – 500 nanomaters.  Nanomaterials are generally agreed to have dimensions under 100 nanometers.  A 130,000 sq. ft. facility has been installed in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province (“the World Capital of Tungsten”).  Operation is anticipated in next few months.  All of the major manufacturing equipment has been designed, built, and installed.  Approximately 80% of the world’s supply of tungsten is mined in China.  Zhangyuan Tungsten has their own large tungsten mine.  The superfine coating feedstock will provide improved performance in terms of wear and toughness in comparison to conventional micron-sized thermal spray feedstocks.  Chief applications include drill bits and cutting tools.

About Zigong Cemented Carbide Co.

Zigong Cemented Carbide Co. is the second largest producer of tungsten and hardmetal products in China.  Inframat has completed a sales agency agreement to distribute tungsten chemicals and finished tungsten products throughout the Americas.  These include tungsten carbide precursors, especially tungsten oxide, ammonium metatungstate, and ammonium paratungstate.

About Inframat^® Corp. 

Inframat Corp. is an emerging technology company founded in 1996 to develop and produce nanostructured materials.  Inframat^® is a leader in the commercial development of high performance nanomaterials for wear resistant and thermal barrier coatings.  The nanoscale grain structure in the coatings imparts extraordinary properties, such as ductility in nanoceramics or enhanced high temperature operation in thermal barrier coatings.  The U.S. Navy is an early adopter of the ceramic nanocoatings on minesweeper propeller shafts for moving parts in a corrosive environment (sea water) where wear resistance and toughness are required.  These ceramic coatings were also developed for orthopaedic applications, including hip and knee joints.  Low-cost thermal barrier coatings are being developed for the hot sections of jet engines and land-based gas turbines.  The World Economic Forum awarded Inframat^® with a three year appointment as one of 30 Technology Pioneers in 2004. Inframat has also received the Deloitte & Touche Connecticut Technology Fast50 Award in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 a first for a “pure play” nanotechnology company.