Fraunhofer USA Transfers Its Metal Foam Technology to Alulight of America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Frances Roland-Lee
Tel: 734/354-4333
Fax: 734/354-9711
froland@fraunhofer.org
www.fraunhofer.org

Plymouth, Michigan, January 25, 2005 - Fraunhofer USA, Inc. has transferred its metal-foam technology to Alulight of America, L.P. Developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Bremen, Germany and the Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing and Advanced Materials (CMAM) in Newark, Delaware, the technology will result in products for the industrial and defense sectors.

CMAM, supported by Fraunhofer USA, Inc. and the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO) specialized in adapting aluminum foam to applications, such as absorption of blast energy in armored vehicles and impact energy in high-speed trains.

Alulight is a subsidiary of Ecka Granules Velden, GmbH of Germany through its mother company Alulight International of Austria. Dr. Thomas Trendelenburg, President of Ecka Granules of America stated “We are excited about expanding our research base in metal-foam technology and we look forward to creating a production facility in Delaware”. The company intends to continue research activities in the Delaware Technology Park, and has a working relationship with Lightweight Solutions, Inc., a company owned by former CMAM director Dr. Dennis Claar.

“This effort is especially positive since it commercializes technology developed here in Delaware
and leverages the business and talents of those in and around the Delaware Technology Park. We are pleased that production for this technology will occur in Delaware. We enthusiastically
welcome Alulight as a new corporate citizen in Delaware,” stated Judy McKinney-Cherry, the
Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office.

Dr. William Hartman, Vice President of Fraunhofer USA, Inc. recently announced the completion of a complementary collaboration agreement between Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Materials (IFAM) located in Bremen, Germany and Alulight International. Both parties have patents in metalfoam technology.

With the transfer of the metal-foam technology to Alulight, CMAM completes the commercialization of its technologies, which also included special capabilities in nanotechnology. Fraunhofer USA collaborated with Ultrafine Technologies, Inc. for the development of a reactor system that produces nanoparticles. Ultrafine is a current tenant in the Delaware Technology Park.

For more information on Fraunhofer USA, Inc., visit www.fraunhofer.org.

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