TrimTabs partnered with Engsolve an engineering company based in Bridgend, to design and build the new production unit.
Trimtabs upcycles waste plastic and hydrocarbons into a “higher-value product”.
Enabled
Professor Alvin Orbaek White, CEO of TrimTabs said: “The Welsh government grant has enabled a major strategic advancement in our company’s technological capabilities by helping fund this bespoke production unit. This advancement will serve as a catalyst for expanding our product development capabilities and reaching customers both nationally and internationally.
“I am also delighted to be teaming up with fellow Welsh company Engsolve for the design and build of this important production unit, which will be a key step in growing the business into a thriving and sustainable company, creating new high-skilled jobs and helping further develop the rapidly expanding green and deep-tech engineering economy in South Wales.”
Market
Carbon nanotubes have multiple market applications within the battery, supercapacitor, fuel cell, concrete, composites, electricity transmission and superconductor industries.
Trimtabs has reported the most immediate opportunity lies with the battery industry, for which carbon nanotubes, having conductivity orders of magnitude greater than other materials and very low weight, stand out as a breakthrough material enabling present and future batteries to have greater power output and energy storage capacity, longer lifetime, reduced charging time and better recyclability.
As TrimTabs unit uses 15 kW of electrical energy to heat and catalytically convert waste plastic into carbon nanotubes, which is equivalent to boiling just five kettles of water.
Technology
Welsh government economy, energy and Welsh language cabinet secretary, Jeremy Miles, said: “The technology TrimTabs has created is a great example of the world-leading innovation that is being developed and commercialised in South Wales and I will be keeping a keen eye on their progress as the production unit gets up and running.
“Innovation and the green economy go hand in hand, and it’s fantastic to see the Welsh Government’s SMART capital equipment grant programme supporting pioneering products and businesses in this way, ensuring immediate opportunities as well as future solutions are harnessed here in Wales. Our transition into a highly successful and desirable hub for green and hi-tech businesses, ideas and innovation is well underway – good news for our economy, our environment and our communities.”
Read the original article on Letsrecycle.
