1 April 2019
Versarien plc
("Versarien" or the "Company")
Completion of Verified Graphene Producer Programme
Versarien plc (AIM: VRS), the advanced materials engineering group, is pleased to announce that the Company is the first graphene company in the world to successfully complete the Graphene Council's "Verified Graphene Producer" programme (the "Programme").
The US-based Graphene Council's Programme is an independent, third party verification system that involves a physical inspection of the production facilities, a review of the entire production process, a random sampling of product material and rigorous characterisation and testing by a leading, international materials laboratory. The Programme is based on the most recent developments in globally recognised graphene standards, surveys of graphene producers, researchers and users, as well as analysis of commercially available graphene products.
The Graphene Council have designed the Programme to be an important step in providing customers and end-users with a degree of confidence, that has not existed before, that they are sourcing material from a reputable supplier, bringing transparency and clarity to a rapidly changing and opaque market for graphene materials.
Terrance Barkan, Executive Director of The Graphene Council, commented: "Successful commercialisation of graphene materials requires not only the ability to produce graphene to a declared specification, but to be able to do so at a commercial scale. It is nearly impossible for a graphene customer to verify the type of material they are receiving without going through an expensive and time-consuming process of having sample materials fully characterised by a laboratory that has the equipment and expertise to test graphene.
"The Verified Graphene Producer programme developed by The Graphene Council provides a level of independent inspection and verification that is not available anywhere else.
"We are pleased to have worked with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the UK, regarded as one of the absolute top facilities for metrology and graphene characterisation in the world. They have provided outstanding analytical expertise for the materials testing portion of the Programme."
Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien, commented: "We are delighted that Versarien is the first graphene producer in the world to successfully complete the Graphene Council's Verified Graphene Producer programme.
"This is a huge validation of our technology and will enable our partners and potential customers to have confidence that the graphene we produce meets globally accepted standards.
"There are many companies that claim to be graphene producers, but to enjoy the benefits that this material can deliver requires high quality, consistent product to be supplied. The Verified Producer programme is designed to verify that our production facilities, processes and tested material meet the stringent requirements laid down by the Graphene Council.
"I am proud that Versarien has been independently acclaimed as a Verified Graphene Producer and look forward to making further progress with our collaboration partners and numerous other parties that we are in discussions with."
Enquiries:
Versarien Neill Ricketts, CEO Chris Leigh, CFO |
+44 (0)1242 269 122 |
Canaccord Genuity (Nominated Adviser and Broker) Bobbie Hilliam Emma Gabriel |
+44 (0)20 7523 8000 |
IFC Advisory (Financial PR and IR) Tim Metcalfe Graham Herring Heather Armstrong |
+44(0)20 3934 6630
|
About Versarien
Versarien plc (AIM:VRS), is an advanced engineering materials group. Leveraging proprietary technology, the Group creates innovative engineering solutions for its clients in a diverse range of industries. Versarien has six subsidiaries operating under two divisions:
Graphene and Plastics
2-DTech Ltd, which specialises in the supply, characterisation and early stage development of graphene products. www.2-dtech.com
AAC Cyroma Limited, which specialises in the supply of vacuum-formed and injection-moulded products to the automotive, construction, utilities and retail industry sectors. Using Versarien's existing graphene manufacturing capabilities, AAC will have the ability to produce graphene-enhanced plastic products. www.aaccyroma.co.uk
Cambridge Graphene Limited, supplies novel inks based on graphene and related materials, using patented processes to develop graphene materials technology.
Gnanomat S.L. ("GNA"), based in the Parque Cientifico Madrid, Spain, is a company capable of utilising Versarien's graphene products in an environmentally friendly, scalable production process for energy storage devices that offer high power density, almost instant recharging and very long lifetimes for use in electrical vehicles and portable electronics products.www.gnanomat.com
Hard Wear and Metallic Products
Versarien Technologies Limited has developed an additive process for creating advanced micro-porous metals targeting the thermal management industry and supplies extruded aluminium. www.versarien-technologies.co.uk
Total Carbide Limited, a leading manufacturer in sintered tungsten carbide for applications in arduous environments such as the oil and gas industry. www.totalcarbide.com