Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, has received $7.83 million in collaboration with Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center since 2007 to design improvements and upgrade equipment on a linear accelerator (LINAC) that will be used at the Cyclotron facility to test the effects of radiation on Department of Defense space and missile systems.

A linear accelerator in use more than 20 years at Crane no longer meets modern technological standards.

As the new Advanced LINAC Facility (ALF) supports the Defense Department's needs to ensure the survivability and reliability of space and missile systems in the radiation environment encountered in space, the project also will directly support a variety of IU research initiatives with access to a high brightness, fast pulsed X-ray source that can provide fluxes well in excess of those available in the most advanced university-based facilities.

"It's a win-win project and an unbelievably important partnership," said IU Provost Karen Hanson. "And it clearly satisfies IU's primary three-fold mission of providing opportunities for enhancing research, teaching and service."

IU researchers expect the facility to support development of innovations in the life sciences, including the rapidly expanding area of inquiry into nanobiological systems, and specifically, nano- and micro-fabrication to build devices for studying biosystems. The ability to organize matter in complex, communicative, non-equilibrium environments, across length scales from atoms to organisms, make biological systems the ultimate working example of nanotechnology.

The facility, which is expected to become fully operational in about two years, also will make important contributions to the study of energy related problems. The ALF will provide unique capabilities to study and possibly make critical contributions to new technologies addressing solar and biofuel energy generation, energy storage connected to nanotubes and hydrides, and energy systems like LED-based lighting designs.

A linear accelerator is an electrical device that accelerates subatomic particles. Most commonly used to deliver radiation treatments to cancer patients, the LINAC at the Cyclotron will deliver X-ray fluxes 10,000 times greater than those available in the most advanced university-based facilities and, in turn, will allow for dynamic life science research like protein folding to be studied.

"This is a prime example of the value that can be added by collaborations between the university and other agencies," said IU physicist Paul Sokol, principal investigator on the project. "Crane will end up with the access to a world class testing facility, and IU will have world class research facilities."

All U.S. Defense space and missile systems are required to survive radiation effects found in space, and prompt dose rate effects also arise from nuclear weapons. LINACs are a fundamental tool used to characterize the response of electronics in these types of environments, said Crane commander Captain Charles LaSota.

"These are high reliability systems that have to operate perfectly the first time and every time," he said. "And it's the men and women of Crane and here at IU that carry out this work that we rely on, and this tool will allow them to continue that work.

Federal support for the project began in 2007 with a $1.63 million appropriation, followed by $3 million in 2008 and $3.2 million in 2009. A congressional request for an appropriation of $1.17 million is currently pending for 2010.

Sokol said the next phase of work on the LINAC will be the installation in coming weeks of four 17-ton magnets that will form the core of the storage ring for the accelerator.

Russians Buy Big Stake in Canada's Nanotechnology

A state-owned Russian venture capital fund is poised to pump millions of dollars into Canada's fledgling nanotechnology industry, Canwest News Service has learned.

Senior officials from the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies — which calls itself RUSNANO — were in Windsor, Ont., Toronto, and Ottawa meeting with scientists and entrepreneurs as well as provincial and federal officials as part of their global search for promising nanotechnology companies that need some seed money.

"What we saw we liked," said Alexander Losyukov, RUSNANO's deputy director general for international co-operation, in an interview in Ottawa. "Scientists are getting engaged."

Losyukov and other senior RUSNANO officials have also travelled to Germany, Israel, Finland, the United States and elsewhere as they look for startups in which to invest. With $5 billion U.S. to work with, RUSNANO is one of the largest technology capital funds on the planet.

Losyukov said it has identified more than 100 Canadian firms involved in commercial development of nanotechnology. Later this spring, RUSNANO officials in Moscow will decide which firms or startups it wants to fund. RUSNANO's minimum investment in any of these firms will be $10 million U.S.

The Russians will provide no details about potential Canadian investment targets. Any detail — location, province, or sector of a potential target — could provide a strong hint as to who they're looking at because the pool of potential Canadian companies is so small.

Still, based on his discussions so far, Losyukov believes RUSNANO will be able to successfully negotiate an investment in more than a few Canadian companies.

"It was very refreshing to see activities like this," said Nils Petersen, director general of Canada's National Institute of Nanotechnology and one of those who met with the Russian group. Petersen's Institute, based at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, has a $20-million annual budget partly funded by the federal government.

"I think the other thing (RUSNANO's interest) illustrates is that there (is), across the world, an increased understanding of the fact that nanotechnology will underpin the next industrial revolution. This is obviously why they're investing."

Unlike some private sector venture funds, RUSNANO is prepared to be patient with its investment. Losyukov says its investment horizon could stretch to 10 years.

"In certain cases, we don't need profit at all," he said. "There are projects of social significance, like producing medicines which is badly needed by the population. We are not quite a normal investment fund."

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter at the atomic or molecular level. Advances in nanotechnology have the promise to revolutionize medicine, agriculture, materials science and many other endeavors.

Already, nanotechnology has been used to manufacture products as varied as wrinkle-free pants, self-cleaning windows, better tennis racquets and lighter, stronger auto parts. The federal government estimates the worldwide market for nanotechnology-derived goods and services could be $1.5 trillion by 2015.

The public policy imperative behind RUSNANO, which is only a year old, is to help Russia quickly build nano-production capacity to catch up to other powers, notably Japan and the United States, that have developed capacity in this area.

"We lost a bit when our scientists when we were engaged in resolving our political problems and now we have to catch up rapidly," said Losyukov, who spent a career as a diplomat, joining the government of the former Soviet Union in 1968 and only recently retiring. He was asked to join RUSNANO because of his contacts with scientists, government officials and businesspeople in other countries.

Albany NanoTech Complex Expands, Add 600 Jobs

Some 600 new high-tech jobs will come to New York State by 2013 through a $150 million expansion at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) University at Albany NanoTech Complex.

The expansion will also support more than $1 billion in new investments and will see IBM extend its R&D partnership with CNSE through 2013. At that time, the company will have invested more than $1 billion in CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex, according to a statement from the office of NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

"The strategic partnership between New York State, CNSE, and IBM, developed and supported by our state government leaders, has helped make New York the world leader in nanotechnology," said John E Kelly III, IBM senior VP and director of research, in the statement. "The success of this alliance, both in driving regional economic development and in its powerful advancements in technological innovation, is why IBM is extending its participation through 2013."

IBM has taken full advantage of its CNSE alliance. In February, IBM said it had jointly developed process modeling technology for manufacturing 22-nm logic and memory chips with CNSE and Applied Materials. IBM in August 2008 claimed that it and its partners including CNSE had developed the world’s first working 22-nm SRAM. And in April 2008, IBM boasted positive early results for a gate-stack advance that it and its partners said provided significant improvements in performance and power consumption at the 32-nm technology node through the CNSE.

With the $150 million expansion's additional buildings and labs, the UAlbany NanoCollege now covers more than 800,000-square feet, including 80,000-square feet of Class 1 capable cleanroom space. The opening of the NanoFab East (NFE) office and laboratory building and NanoFab Central (NFC) cleanroom building at CNSE will add more than 350,000-square feet of office, laboratory, and Class 1 cleanroom space to CNSE's Albany NanoTech, according to the statement.

The new buildings will host nanoelectronics R&D programs, business deployment, and commercialization outreach initiatives for a number of companies, including IBM, International SEMATECH, and Vistec Lithography.

Masscal Scientific Instruments and NanoSpective Create Partnership to Advance Nanotechnology

Masscal Scientific Instruments, Inc., and NanoSpective, Inc., announced the collaborative partnership recently. Masscal manufactures and markets laboratory instruments and products to detect and analyze synthetic, natural and biologically produced materials. Masscal focuses on the development, production and quality control of thin films, coatings and nano-scale products that cannot be measured by traditional methods.

NanoSpective specializes in advanced analyses of materials using Focused Ion Beam, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry.

"NanoSpective scientists possess technical expertise that is a perfect complement to the unique capabilities of Masscal technology for characterizing nano-scale material properties," said John Furry, chief executive officer of Masscal Scientific Instruments. "Our collaborative partnership will facilitate continued growth of both companies despite the current economic climate," he added.

The firms' collaborative partnership enables NanoSpective to expand their services to offer unique analytical capabilities for characterizing thin films and coatings.

"We can offer complete materials solutions serving markets in semiconductor, aerospace, civil engineering, optics, biomedical, intellectual property, and defense," said Brenda Prenitzer, chief executive officer of NanoSpective. "We are enthusiastic about the collaboration. Their scientists and instrumentation are a perfect complement to our core competencies," she said.

Both companies are University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program clients at the Technology Incubator in Research Park.

TI's Philippine Building Receives LEED Certification

Texas Instruments Inc.'s newest building in the Philippines is now Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified. This makes TI's new Phase V building, located in Baguio City, the first LEED-certified building in the country. The Phase V building, which will assemble and test products, received a LEED Silver rating. This latest high-efficiency TI building follows the completion of TI's wafer fabrication facility in Richardson, Texas, which was the world's first LEED Gold-certified wafer fabrication facility.

"Achieving the first LEED certification in the Philippines further demonstrates TI's commitment to implementing good energy and environmental principles at our manufacturing sites," said Paul Westbrook, sustainable development manager for TI. "The existing facility in Baguio has an excellent history of environmental, safety and health performance, which provided a great platform for building up to achieve LEED Silver certification at the new facility."

The building has several features that enable it to operate more efficiently and with less environmental impact when compared with similar manufacturing facilities. It is oriented with respect to the sun path to minimize unwanted heat gain and maximize natural daylighting. The building is well insulated with a reflective roof to further reduce heat gain. The efficiency measures resulted in a 24 percent reduction in energy use. Extensive water reuse and recycling resulted in a 70 percent reduction in water consumption. More than 85 percent of the employees at the site ride in local or TI-provided mass transportation to the facility.

LEED is developed by the United States Green Building Council and is a third-party certification program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED is the predominant green building rating system in the U.S. and is used around the world. TI is working with other semiconductor manufacturers through the International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative to develop LEED application guides for complex semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

Express Manufacturing Announces ISO 13485 Compliance Program

Express Manufacturing Inc. (EMI), a provider of electronics manufacturing services, announced its ISO 13485:2003 Compliance Program. The ISO 13485:2003 standard is a part of the international ISO organization and sets standards for design and process control including environmental requirements, traceability, record retention, regulatory audits and management practices for medical devices.

This standard ensures product quality and safety. The medical electronics industry has been growing steadily, with more and more medical electronics products demanding the ISO standard. For the past 27 years, EMI has provided world-class services to many market segments including telecom, computer, medical, industrial control, defense/ aerospace and instrumentation. ISO 13485:2003 status will help EMI further expand its medical electronics segment. EMI has gone through extensive efforts to achieve the ISO certification, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2009.

Additionally, EMI provides medical electronics turnkey services which have helped many customers achieve cost savings through improved process efficiency. Most electronics manufacturing service companies provide only manufacturing support.

After the products are built, they are shipped to the customers for warehousing and shipment. EMI's Turkey Services help customers eliminate many of these steps, by warehousing the finished products and drop-shipping to end users or OEM customers as instructed. In some cases, these medical electronics products are shipped directly to home-bound patients.

When return or repair is needed, the products can be returned by the end users or patients directly to EMI for repair and refurbishment. By using the EMI Turkey Services, customers can completely eliminate the need for product manufacturing/assembly lines, warehousing and repair departments.

"Our customers have really enjoyed the Turnkey Services," commented C.P. Chin, President of Express Manufacturing, Inc., "One of our top medical electronics customers has been using this service for many years. Because of our direct drop-ship process, our customers can devote their energy towards innovation and marketing."

For more information please visit www.eminc.com

STS Receives Multi Tool Order from Turkey's New Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (UNAM)

Surface Technology Systems plc (STS), a leader in plasma process technologies for manufacturing MEMS and advanced semiconductor devices, announced that they have sold two ICP systems to the UNAM, a new Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, based at Bilkent University in Turkey (http://www.nano.org.tr). The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) etch tools will be used for a wide range of applications including deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon, plus dielectric, compound semiconductor and metal etching.

Bilkent University is one of the most well regarded universities in Turkey for high technology and UNAM has been formed as the first national centre of excellence to lead nano/micro technology research, and will provide world-class facilities for users from all universities and research centers in Turkey.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bayindir, Assistant Director of UNAM stated, "We selected STS tools for our institute because not only are STS acknowledged market-leaders in DRIE of silicon, but their equipment offers very flexible processing capabilities for other materials that our researchers will be working with. STS has demonstrated an excellent depth of knowledge in a diverse range of etch applications."

Eizo Yasui, CEO of STS replied, "We are very happy to have placed STS tools in this national centre giving users from all over Turkey exposure to our technologies and equipment. We are looking forward to working with UNAM, as they establish themselves in the international nanotechnology research arena."

About Surface Technology Systems plc

STS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd designs and manufactures a range of highly specialized systems incorporating innovative technology used in the production of semiconductors and related devices and is a leader in plasma based etch and deposition technologies for processing non 'mainstream' semiconductor devices. STS serves a range of applications in several sectors within the telecommunications, data storage, advanced packaging, MEMS and Nanotechnology.

STS is the market leader in deep silicon etching for the growing advanced packaging and MEMS market, where it offers patent-protected technology. In addition, STS has a strong presence in each of its other served markets and distributes its process solutions worldwide through an experienced sales and service operation. The Group currently markets in over 30 countries and has an installed base of over 900 systems.

For more information about STS please see http://www.stsystems.com.

Nanotech Opportunities Abound in Oklahoma

Researchers across Oklahoma and the United States are focusing on creating new nanotechnology applications in today’s market. Nanotechnologies are products that focus on control, synthesis and characterization of particles less than 100 nanometers.

Some applications of nanotechnologies in our great state include the manufacture of carbon nanotubes, use of nanoscale titanium dioxide in the cosmetics industry and use of hydrophobic (water hating) nanoparticles in prosthetics. These applications have the ability to revolutionize sectors of science and technology.

National Nano Week, marks a historic event in Oklahoma’s science and technology industries. Oklahoma will host the National Nanotechnology Initiative NanoRegional workshop, "Regional, State and Local Initiatives in Nanotechnology” bringing nationally recognized leaders of nanotechnology to Oklahoma. These leaders will have the opportunity to tour Oklahoma nanotechnology companies and view the premier of "Molecules to the Max,” an IMAX RPI movie about nano at the Science Museum Oklahoma. This is exciting because Oklahoma is the first to show this film in America on an IMAX screen.

In three years, Oklahoma has grown from six to 41 nano-companies, resulting in a 683 percent increase of nano-companies in our state. It is phenomenal to see this area of growth in Oklahoma not only to companies emerging from universities, but also within the private sector. This relates to high-paying jobs ultimately resulting in taxpayers stimulating the economy.

Oklahoma is the first state in the nation to implement an incentive program helping companies use nanotechnology to create product applications. This incentive program, the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Sharing Incentive Act of 2006, is made possible by the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Applications Project funded through the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology.

Oklahoma is fast becoming recognized as a leader in several technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and wind, oil and gas technologies. The state is seeing the benefit of investment in technology, demonstrated by being voted as the most recession proof state by Fortune magazine in 2008 and our current low unemployment rate.

Bulgaria to Allot E25 M to Set up Nanotechnology Company

Bulgaria’s cabinet decided to set up a state-owned company dealing in nanotechnology. The venture will be called Bulgarian Centre of Nanotechnology JSC and its capitalization will amount to 25 million Euros. “The creation of this company is a significant step towards building a research and industrial capacity in the fields of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, nanoproduction and micromachinery, which, undoubtedly, is going to have a positive overall effect on the economy of our country,” reads the rationale for founding the company. Expectations have it that by 2015, nanotechnology would be generating revenues of 2.95 trillion dollars. IBM will be a major partner in Bulgaria’s project.

First Nanotechnology Company Launches in Saudi

Desalination techniques used to produce drinking water will be improved using nanothechnology. The first company in Saudi Arabia to specialize in the manufacture of nanomembranes , used in the petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, desalination and agricultural industries, was recently launched.

Opening the Saudi Nanotechnology Company, chairman Prince Bader Bin Saud said the firm would provide the Kingdom with a means of keeping pace with worldwide developments in nanothechnology, rather than it having to rely on foreign research.

It had taken three years to set up, and would be run in partnership with global leaders in the field, investors and nanotechnology specialists, the Prince added.

“The technique, which relies on the separation of materials into very small parts, can be of great benefit to industries, such as, desalination, water treatment, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical, and agro-industrial,” he said.

Desalination of water would be one of the most important areas of work for the company - especially as Saudi, which had been the first country in the world to master large-scale desalination, was seeing a rise in demand for water, he pointed out.

“The Kingdom is first in the world in the production of desalinated seawater, and we must be the first in terms of the operational requirements associated with the use of nanotechnology in the water sector - especially since the current cost of production of desalinated water is very high and there is an increase in the volume of consumption.”

The company would also provide services in other scientific techniques that can be used in the fields of chemical and mechanical engineering, added Al-Sharifa Zahra Idrees Bin Ali, a company researcher and member of the scientific team.

The company’s headquarters will be located in Jeddah with several offices in different regions of the Kingdom.

Nano Fab East Opens in New York

A ribbon-cutting on the future of the Capital Region was held recently. It was all about Nano-Fab East, a new $150 million building at the NanoTech Complex near Washington Avenue Extension and Fuller Road in Albany, New York.

UAlbany and IBM announced the $1 billion investment that promises 600 new jobs created over the course of five years. The cutting was seen as a symbol of a major investment at the UAlbany NanoTech Campus and in the Capital Region.

"I'm proud to announce that IBM will continue its R & D here at the College of [Nanoscale] Science and Engineering into the middle of the next decade to 2013," said Dr. John Kelly of IBM.

"The companies that are part of this expansion, and are investing here, are the world's leaders in nanotechnology," said UAlbany College of Nanoscale Science's Steve Janack.

Those investing companies include IBM, International Simitech and Vistech Lithography. Their new workspaces in Albany need to be staffed with hundreds of scientists, researchers, engineers, students and faculty.

Janack continued, "It also important to recognize that those jobs come at many different levels. Certainly their scientists and researchers, but there are also engineers, technicians, and people in just about every walk of life.

By 2013 we expect 600 new jobs as a result of this expansion and, certainly, the more tools we put in place here with new facilities, new space for the companies, makes it more advantageous for new companies to look at this facility and decide to locate here as well."

Nano Groups Join Forces in Applications

NanoHorizons Inc., the developer and manufacturer of SmartSilver nanoscale antimicrobial additives for textiles, health care, and industrial applications, has joined with four other companies to create the Silver Nanotechnology Working Group under the sponsorship of the Silver Institute and the Silver Research Consortium. The group's purpose is to collect and generate data that more completely document the performance benefits of silver nanoparticles in consumer and industrial applications.

"As conscientious scientists, we thrive on intensive research and peer review of our findings," says Dr. James Delattre, VP Global Marketing at NanoHorizons Inc. "Collaboration with other like-minded companies through the Silver Nanotechnology Working Group will allow us to more quickly advance silver nanoparticle science and bring additional beneficial products to market."

"We are excited to have NanoHorizons' participation in this important industry endeavor," says Dr. Rosalind Volpe, Executive Director of the Silver Nanotechnology Working Group. "NanoHorizons' scientists have done extensive work to ensure the safety of their SmartSilver antimicrobial technology and we are pleased that they are willing to share their expertise for the industry's benefit."

The Silver Nanotechnology Working Group will initially focus on increasing scientific, regulatory, and public understanding of silver nanotechnology with concentration on the environmental and human health aspects. "Silver has been revered as an effective antimicrobial since ancient times," continues Delattre. "The application of modern nanotechnology to silver enhances its natural antimicrobial benefits and greatly increases the breadth of its useful applications." For example, NanoHorizons' SmartSilver additives are used to effectively control bacteria in apparel, medical devices and textiles, as well as coatings and plastics.

Prior to joining the Silver Nanotechnology Working Group, NanoHorizons worked with the EPA to ensure that its SmartSilver antimicrobial additives pose no risk to the environment when used in fibers, coatings, and polymer applications. NanoHorizons also obtained approval from the International Oeko-Tex Association to confirm that the additives do not contain harmful levels of substances believed to be dangerous to human health. Silver is not included on Oeko-Tex's list of restricted substances.

"We are excited to be part of this new research group and look forward to expanding the existing body of scientific knowledge about silver nanotechnology's many benefits," says Delattre.

Brookhaven Laboratory Receives $184 Million in Stimulus Money

Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Synchrotron Light Source II, when completed, NSLS-II will be the world’s leading storage-ring-based synchrotron light source. It will be used for nanotechnology and biotechnology.

The federal and state governments are lending aid to The Brookhaven National Laboratory on the East End of Long Island in the forms of money and power. That is, Recovery Act funds and hydropower.

The Lab, one of 10 supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, is undergoing expansion; most notably the construction of the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a high-intensity light beam project expected to create hundreds of jobs for Long Islanders. Abbreviated NSLS II, the facility will be the brightest x-ray source in the world. The original National Synchrotron Light Source, built in 1987, has resourced its practical use to the scientists. It is estimated that the NSLS II will cost $912 million after its completion in four or five years.

Brookhaven Laboratory is receiving $184.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, part of the economic stimulus package passed by Congress last month. The majority of the funding, $150 million is for the NSLS II facility alone. The money is part of $1.2 billion in Office of Science stimulus funding for building construction, laboratory infrastructure and research projects across the country.

The construction of NSLS II is expected to begin in the next couple of months, thanks to the federal stimulus money.

"By getting that money sooner, it’s going to allow us to accelerate the construction of this building," said Peter Genzer, a Brookhaven Laboratory spokesperson.

He said the facility will be completed up to a year sooner, from the original completion date of 2015 to 2014. This means that the projected 1,000 construction jobs will be taken up sooner, including 200 jobs this year alone. Brookhaven National Laboratory’s expansion plans will also save the jobs of scientists and researchers already employed, Genzer said. The new facility is highly anticipated because the X-ray light beam will provide insight into making advancements in clean, affordable and sustainable sources of energy.

On top of the millions of dollars in federal stimulus, Gov. David Paterson has announced state aid in the form of electrical power for the completion of the light source project, as part of his “45 by 15” plan to increase the state’s energy efficiency and clean energy sources by 45 percent by the year 2015. The New York Power Authority (NYPA), the nation’s largest non-federal public power agency, will be working with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to provide low-cost electricity to Brookhaven Laboratory for construction of the light source project. The low-cost energy in the form of hydropower is a key element to the construction of NSLS II.

NYPA is acutely sensitive to the development of new energy sources for the state, and the scientific implications of what the new facility will be able to do are far reaching. "This is a very significant state facility, and obviously there are significant benefits for Long Island," said Michael Saltzman, director of media relations at NYPA. "But this new facility the lab is undertaking transcends Long Island as far is importance and value to the entire state."

Partner Deal to Go on between Albany and IBM

IBM is expected to announce a five-year extension of its research and development partnership with the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

The announcement will come at the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the $150 million expansion to the Albany NanoTech Complex, according to a source close to the move.

IBM's extension means that it will have invested more than $1 billion into the NanoCollege by 2013.

The nearly completed NanoFab East Office and Laboratory Building and NanoFab Central Cleanroom Building are expected to generate $1 billion in new investments and 600 new jobs. They will add more than 350,000 square feet of office and laboratory space. The two new buildings also will bring the total cleanroom space at the college to 80,000 square feet, giving UAlbany the largest such state-of-the-art complex of any university in the world.

The new buildings will house nanoelectronic research and development programs, including work on creating a zero-energy house, for a number of international companies.

Sematech, the international semiconductor consortium that helped turn Austin, Texas, into a computer chip manufacturing powerhouse in the 1980s, will have a headquarters in the new facility.

The state and private industry have steered billions of dollars into the nanotechnology operation at UAlbany during the past decade.

Silicon Border, First Eco-Friendly, Green Science Park Located in North America, Completes Phase One of Infrastructure Development

Silicon Border, partnered with Design and Construction Firm Grupo Maiz of Monterrey, Mexico to meet LEED Standards for Green Construction.

Silicon Border, a science and technology park located in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, has completed the infrastructure necessary to support phase one of its manufacturing development targeted for green technology companies. Phase one is more than 500 acres of developed land, and is ready for its current and future tenants to begin construction of their manufacturing facilities.

The infrastructure build-out, financed by ING Clarion, consists of potable water plant and distribution, fiber optic telephone and data cable, power substations, waste treatment facilities. Silicon Border not only provides manufacturing space to companies creating “green” products, but does so in an environmentally conscious manner.

The water treatment plant has been designed to recycle up to 90% of the water used within the park. The other 10% will be dedicated to irrigation and other uses within the park. This water treatment plant is considered state-of-the-art and will meet or exceed the exacting standards for water demanded by high technology manufacturing. In addition to a world-class water treatment facility that recycles virtually all the water within the Park, Silicon Border is the first Science Park in the world to exclusively use LED lighting for 100% of its roadways and parking lots. Silicon Border conforms to the strict LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System criteria.

Silicon Border partnered with Grupo Maiz in November 2007, who was chosen as the preferred contractor to design and manage the physical attributes of the science park. The park’s total investment for the complete build-out will exceed $150 million. Grupo Maiz will also be recommended by Silicon Border to all of the park’s tenants and customers as the preferred contractor. Grupo Maiz is a good fit for companies whether they already have a design and only want a contractor, or wish to pursue a turnkey solution.

“Grupo Maiz has been a leader in providing quality design and construction for nearly 50 years,” said Daniel J. Hill, CEO of Silicon Border. “With their help, Silicon Border is well on its way to providing the technology industry with a strategic manufacturing alternative to Asia. The build-out of phase one is a milestone for both Silicon Border and Mexico, who, in the end, will together create a viable opportunity for job creation and growth throughout North America.”

Construction of the infrastructure to support phase two will provide guaranteed and redundant sources of power and water for all park tenants in order to maximize the probability of uninterrupted, continued operations needed to support today’s high technology manufacturing environment. This phase of the build-out, which will be an additional 900 acres, is projected to be completed in 2011.

Guided by semiconductor industry veterans, Silicon Border is a cost-effective, manufacturing alternative in North America for the world’s most advanced technologies, such as semiconductor, solar cell, telecommunications and flat-panel display manufacturers. It provides 10,000 acres of land for business space, and is supported by a world-class, industrial infrastructure and a significant Planned Urban Development Community. The Science Park is in close proximity to three major area universities, and will be home to the Baja California State University campus of engineering.

Silicon Border Development is currently in discussion with a number of additional companies looking to grow their global operations.

McIlvaine Company,

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

Tel: 847-784-0012; Fax: 847-784-0061;

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