MicroConstants of Salt Lake City, Utah, a GLP-compliant contract research organization (CRO) specializing in bioanalytical and pharmacokinetic analysis, has acquired access to a new nanosizing technology that transforms water insoluble compounds into nanoparticles, making formulation preparation and dosing for toxicology studies easier. The method has been proven to increase the gastro-intestinal absorption of highly insoluble compounds ensuring maximal oral exposure for toxicology studies.

Many commercially available medications and a large majority of New Chemical Entities (NCEs) produced are poorly soluble. For existing medications, this leads to costly and poorly absorbed medications that are minimally effective. For poorly soluble NCEs, higher doses, poor efficacy results, and increased production costs often make them non-commercializable. Nanotechnologies have been proven as a valuable adjunct to the development of new therapeutics. Nanoparticles provide a much larger surface area thereby increasing the dissolution rate resulting in enhanced absorption. Nanosizing a compound elicits improved drug loading, exposure, and bioavailability, and faster onset (earlier Tmax).

The patented, proprietary nanosizing process used at MicroConstants does not involve water or mechanical shear, so it is faster and more efficient than aqueous-based technologies. Furthermore, the process typically does not require the addition of excipients, leaving the pure active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) ready for easy dispersion as a convenient suspension formulation. The technique provides higher dose loading (50-60%), and is amendable to all routes of extra-vascular administration. The particle size is reproducible and the process is completely scalable.

Graham Packaging Poised to Break into China

Graham Packaging Company Inc said it is poised to break into the China after signing an agreement to acquire a Chinese firm.

The US outfit said it expects to buy China Roots Packaging PTE Ltd., a plastic container manufacturing company located in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, from PCCS Group Berhad of Malaysia.

The plant makes plastic containers and closures for food, health care, and petrochemical products. Its customers include several global consumer product marketers, said Graham Packaging.

"The purchase will open a new door for our company," said company CEO Mark Burgess. "China is undeniably a major market and the opportunity to participate in its growth is very exciting for us."

Tetra Pak Unveils China Technology Centre

Tetra Pak inaugurated its newest technology center in China today as part of its on-going strategy to consolidate its position in the domestic processing and packaging sectors.

The processing and packaging giant officially opened the 37,000 sq. meter (398,120 sq. ft.) site in Pudong, near Shanghai.

“The center, which brings together resources from product development and engineering, technical service, training, sourcing and distribution, provides Chinese customers with a one-stop service in food processing and packaging solutions,” said Tetra Pak spokeswoman Linda Bernier.

While the Shanghai Centre will not customize processing and packaging systems, a special feature of the facility will be to gear engineering solutions specifically to the China market. As part of this, the centre will include the first Chinese road condition analysis lab. Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that accurately records road conditions across the country, it will provide simulation data that customers can use to reduce potential transportation problems.

The center has 450 employees and began operations in December 2009.

“The Technology Centre in Pudong creates a world-class resource for customers, ideally placed to address the unique challenges of food and beverage packaging, processing and distribution in China,” said Dennis Jönsson, company president and CEO.

“This facility will make us more responsive to local needs, ensuring that our activities, our innovation pipeline and our service offerings are sharply focused on helping local customers better deliver their products to the people of China,” he said.

Owens Corning Opens Plant in Belgium

Building materials company Owens Corning Inc. said that it is opening a technical fabric testing and manufacturing facility in Zele, Belgium.

The company said the facility will have state-of-the-art production equipment for developing, testing and evaluating new fabric technologies.

Owens Corning said centralizing its fabric development will allow the company to standardize its production and give it more flexibility in its scheduling to improve its services.

Shares of Owens Corning rose 67 cents to $28.73 in midday trading. The stock earlier traded at $28.82, eclipsing a previous 52-week high of $28.11.

IBM Opens $30 Million Plant in New York

IBM Corp. says it has opened a new $30 million manufacturing facility at its Poughkeepsie, N.Y., site to produce the next generation of mainframes and servers.

The Hudson Valley facility officially opened and will produce IBM's next line of System z mainframe computers and high-end Power Systems servers.

Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM does not expect to add any jobs at the site.

The 56,000-square-foot facility will be built inside an existing structure at IBM's 400-acre site in Poughkeepsie. The company says it features innovations to conserve energy and improve the manufacturing process.

Mike Desens, Poughkeepsie senior location executive, says the facility underscores IBM's long-term commitment to New York state and the mid-Hudson Valley.

Dow Corning and imec Collaborate

Dow Corning, a global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, signed a three-year contract with imec to perform joint research on next generations of crystalline silicon solar cells. In the framework of imec's industrial affiliation program (IIAP) on silicon solar cells, Dow Corning has joined several program activities.

With its silicon solar cell IIAP, imec has set up a research ecosystem with the aim to create innovative processes to fabricate the next generations of silicon solar cells. The R&D program concentrates on sharply reducing the silicon use, whilst at the same time increasing the efficiency of solar cells. This could substantially lower the cost for solar energy.

The collaboration between Dow Corning and imec will focus on topics where Dow Corning's advanced materials can bring enabling solutions for the processing and interconnection of future solar cells. An example is a silicone encapsulant process for integrated cell and module processing. Due to the use of very thin and large wafers, cell processing and module assembly become increasingly challenging. Imec and Dow Corning will combine new cell structures with novel silicone encapsulant processes with a goal of producing cost-effective modules with ultra-thin cells.

By joining the silicon solar cell IIAP, researchers from Dow Corning will be able to closely collaborate with the research team of imec and its silicon solar cell partners to build up fundamental understanding and develop robust material solutions for next-generation silicon-based solar cells.

"With Dow Corning joining our silicon solar cell IIAP, our research can benefit from the latest innovations in materials. By bringing together all the different players in the silicon solar cell value chain, ranging from energy companies, solar cell manufacturers to material and equipment suppliers, we can speed up the development of new processes which are tested on a semi-industrial pilot line. As such we accelerate the transfer to mass production;" said Jef Poortmans, Program Director imec Energy.

"We are very excited to step into this program and to contribute with our silicon-based materials to the design of the next generation solar cells and modules," said Eric Peeters, Vice President, Dow Corning Solar Business. "It is all about commercializing new technologies that will make solar panels more efficient and more durable, leading to a significant reduction of the cost per kWh of energy generated with photovoltaics. Dow Corning strongly believes in imec's approach to bring world leaders across the value chain together to work synergistically and make step-change innovation a reality."

Turkish Nanotech Center Makes Production Leap

Ankara-based Bilkent University’s nanotechnology center has intensified its initiatives, offering innovative research studies in the production of industry models. The center is attempting to produce solutions with nanotechnology to supply the needs of several sector representatives, its chief says, adding that projects are now in the production phase

A nanotechnology research center based in Ankara is making significant efforts to surpass regular laboratory research practices with the use of its state-of-the-art infrastructure.

Bilkent University Nanotechnology Research Center, or NANOTAM, will obtain high value added products with its test laboratories with its new smart building, Ekmel Özbay, head of the center, recently told a news agency.

With its new indoor area covering 3,200 square meters (34,432 sq. ft.), cleanrooms and product-focused test laboratories, NANOTAM has become a cooperation center finding solutions in many fields, including the defense industry, white goods and electrical appliances.

The new smart building, where NANOTAM recently began operations, has a capacity of 100 employees, cleanrooms and 10 process test and integration laboratories, said Özbay, who is also an academic at the university’s Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department. “Our research center is improving and growing constantly.”

Ongoing studies at the NANOTAM are mainly on nano-electronic, nano-photonic and nano materials, said Özbay. Nano-lithography, metallic coating, dielectric material covering, dry and wet erosion studies are conducted in cleanrooms, he said.

Nano materials are being synthesized through chemical and physical processes at NANOTAM’s new building, Özbay said, adding that their detailed characterizations are also made at this center, enabling the design and production of nano appliances.

Noting that product development is different from research and development studies, Özbay said: “Quality control and repeatable tests are necessary to be able to transform R&D activity into a high-value added product. Developed technology should pass all tests in the air, on the ground and in water, rather than being limited to a single test at the laboratory.”

He continued, saying: “The infrastructure of our research center enables the implementation of our results found in the laboratory to be directly applied in the field. This way, our nanotechnology-based research has succeeded in reaching the production phase. We can bring forth such prototypes of products at the center.”

He said his team produces solutions to help sector representatives with their various product needs, adding that the center conducts important projects in 12 fields, including electronics and energy technologies.

Özbay said, “With our current studies we have caught up with the nanotechnology revolution.”

Three academics, seven postdoctoral researchers, 12 postgraduate students, 23 engineers and six graduate students work at the center.

Sanmina-SCI's Manufacturing Campus in Chennai Formally Inaugurated

Sanmina-SCI Corporation announced the formal inauguration of its state-of-the-art technology manufacturing campus in the Oragadam Hi-Tech Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Sanmina-SCI's investments and footprint in Tamil Nadu began in 2003, with the formation of the Chennai IT Center to support Sanmina-SCI's global IT systems. Manufacturing operations started with the signing of an MOU with the Government of Tamil Nadu for the acquisition of the Oragadam Campus in June 2007, in conjunction with the start up of operations at an interim location at the nearby MEPZ Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Sanmina-SCI has moved all manufacturing operations to its new 100 acre Oragadam Campus. With over 1,500 highly skilled and dedicated employees in India, Sanmina-SCI offers leading Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) customers a comprehensive array of services ranging from design and engineering, supply chain management, PCB assembly and full system assembly. Markets served include communications, enterprise computing and storage, defense and aerospace, medical, renewable energy and multimedia markets. The operations are ISO 9001:2008, ISO 13485, ISO 14001:2004, TL 9000, UL and CCC certified to provide the highest manufacturing standards to its customers.

"With our new state-of-the-art campus and well diversified customer base, Sanmina-SCI is positioned to fully capitalize on the rapidly expanding market opportunities in India. The formal opening of this facility is a great milestone in our continuing commitment to provide leading-edge technology services and cost competitive solutions to the important Indian market and to the entire sub-continent," stated Jure Sola, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sanmina-SCI.

"I am delighted to be here with our India management team and employees, as well as our valued customers, suppliers and honored guests from Government to celebrate this joyous occasion. We are very proud of the accomplishments that have been made by the team in a few short years and look forward with optimism and confidence towards the future," added Hari Pillai, President and Chief Operating Officer of Sanmina-SCI.

P2i Expands

P2i is the world leader in liquid repellent nano-coating technology. “We make good products great by applying innovative science. Our revolutionary technology enables our customers to improve the performance of their products and protect them from the effects of water and all other liquids. This builds value by commanding premium prices and/or reducing costs.”

P2i Ltd was established in 2004 to commercialize liquid-repellent treatments developed by the UK’s Ministry of Defense. Now on a commercial scale, P2i’s patented process has been successfully applied to a wide range of products in a wide range of markets including performance textiles, electronic devices, filtration media and bio-consumables.

In consumer sectors, the presence of P2i’s technology is indicated either by ion-mask^™, its brand for footwear, outdoor clothing and accessories, or Aridion^™, its brand for electronics.

How the P2i technology works.- P2i’s technology works by applying a nanometre-thin polymer layer over the entire surface of a product. Using an ionized gas (plasma) this layer is molecularly bound to the surface and will not leach away. The process confers superior oil and water repellency by reducing the surface energy to ultra-low levels – down to one third that of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). In footwear and textile applications, P2i’s technology also minimizes liquid absorption from outside elements and evaporated perspiration.

Tests show that P2i's patented nano-coating technology can deliver performance benefits for a wide range of materials, including polymers, metals, fabrics, leather, ceramics, glass and paper. Even complex, 3D objects incorporating several different materials can be treated successfully with the P2i process: from footwear to hearing aids, bioconsumables to filtration.

Any Surface is Now a Display Thanks to NTERA

The Irish startup claims to have perfected a nanotechnology that makes it possible to cost-effectively mass produce electronic displays on just about any surface.

If marketers and designer are only beginning to get a sense of the possibilities opened up by the wide-spread adoption of devices such as Apple's iPad, the horizons are potentially even broader thanks to the new ability to print a high-contrast electronic display onto virtually any type of surface, using existing screen printing, roll and ink-jet systems. Think of interactive, color changing effects on packaging and Point of Purchase displays, or on-package interactive content designed to increase the amount of time a product stays in front of the consumer.

NTERA is a leading developer of advanced, fully printable electrochromic materials enabling display and color change applications for Smart Cards, Smart Packaging, and Smart Objects. NTERA's NanoChromics Ink Systems enable very low cost manufacturing of printed electronic displays on a variety of flexible substrate materials using industry standard printing techniques and equipment. These ultra-thin, sunlight-readable, low power NCD displays can be integrated into any number of products, including plastic cards, packaging, smart labels, RFID systems, greeting cards, toys and games, and consumer electronic devices.

Working on a similar principle to how automotive mirrors are able to darken in response to light stimulus, an NTERA NanoChromics (NCD) display deploys an array of electrodes made of a metal oxide semiconductor mounted on a flexible film that allows it to produce images with a resolution equivalent to conventional inkjet print resolutions. When electrochromic molecules are attached to a film of semiconducting nanoparticles, it effectively creates a film that is several hundreds of electrochromic molecules layers thick. A charge applied through the semiconducting particles causes the molecules at the surface to be charged and thus change color. Because the film is many particle layers thick, the optical change, barely detectable in only one layer of particles, is dramatic. Adding an opaque white layer behind the electrochromic layer as background to the images makes these displays even more vivid. Like printed text on paper, NCD displays can be viewed clearly from virtually any angle and under a wide range of lighting conditions. NCD displays require only a fraction of the power of LCD displays to maintain the image.

NTERA NanoChromics technology is translatable to virtually any kind of printable surface. Applied using NTERA’s NanoChromics Ink Systems, which enable cost-effective manufacturing of printed electronic (PE), NCD displays on a variety of flexible substrate materials using industry standard screen printing, flexo and inkjet printing techniques and equipment, the printable nature of NCD displays will create ubiquity throughout numerous markets and product categories. “Printed electronics is being redefined beyond the printing of conductive traces and electrochemical materials to the more elaborate construction of multi-layered components such as batteries, diodes, transistors, memory, solar cells and displays,” explains Dr. David Corr, NTERA President and CEO. “You once had to attach a display to an energy source, using the printed circuits as the conductors; with printed electronics technologies the entire device completely printed. The possibilities of combining an all-printed multi-layered system with the economies of scale from an established manufacturing infrastructure are rather incredible.”

NTERA NCD display technology differs from that of the liquid crystal display (LCD) in significant ways. Where an LCD requires a constant electric charge to maintain its image, an NCD image requires electrically charging a material to change its color. Using a charge-storing layer as a source of energy for the electrochromic material lets an NCD image remain active for as long as several hours. As a result, NTERA technology has extremely low power requirements—as low as 0.5 volts for activation, as color changes in the displays are triggered at voltages below 1V DC. This will significantly extend the useful lifetime and portability of NCD displays, making them extremely cost-effective. The NCD display’s low power requirements will enable use of highly-efficient power storage and energy harvesting solutions. These include conventional and printed batteries, conventional and printed solar cells, as well as radio frequency systems. The NCD display is itself a capacitor, able to hold sufficient energy to maintain an image for an extended period.

Hon Hai Group to Step Up in Chongqing, China

After locating its newest PC manufacturing factory in Chongqing Xiyong Microelectronic Industrial Park, western China, the Hon Hai Group, now the world's largest EMS (electronics manufacturing service) provider, will recruit more than 6,000 workers within six months for the new plant, and plans to expand the plant's workforce to some 10,000 next year, showing its intention to step up operation deployment there.

Terry Gou, chairman of the Hon Hai Group, said that with related manufacturers clustering, a fully integrated supply chain of PCs will soon be formed in Chongqing City, making the city one of the world's most important PC bases in the future.

Gou stressed that Foxconn Holdings International, a subsidiary of Hon Hai Group, has been intending to solicit upstream suppliers to move into Chongqing, in an effort to vertically integrate a PC supply chain there to sharply cut transportation costs on parts delivered from suppliers in China's southeast coastal provinces. In the future, he added, 80% of the PC manufacturing factory's needed parts and components will be sourced directly in Chongqing.

Foxconn has employed more than 1,000 workers in the PC factory, and is going to expand the workforce to more than 10,000 by next January. Hopefully, the factory will achieve annual output of over 10 million notebook PCs in the future, contributing considerably to Hon Hai Group's plan to lead the global notebook PC industry.

In addition to notebook PCs, Gou revealed that Foxconn also attempts to invest in the development of carbon emission monitoring technologies, environmental inspection software, production of magnesium-aluminum alloy, and LED (light emitting diode) lightings.

UGA Opens Nano-bio Cleanroom

The University of Georgia opened its new nano-bio cleanroom on March 12. The facility cost $2.3 million and was built to engineer devices at the atomic and molecular level interface with biology.

Drug discovery, disease diagnosis and therapeutics, food safety, and bioenergy projects are planned for the new facility. It is a co-located with the Georgia BioBusiness Center. Project partners include the Savannah River National Lab, Emory University, and Georgia Tech.

UAlbany NanoCollege Announces $1.5 million Award

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is providing $1.5 million to establish a clean energy incubator program at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany that will help growing companies develop and commercialize clean energy technologies and create jobs in the Tech Valley.

The NYSERDA funding will establish the Incubators for Collaborating and Leveraging Energy and Nanotechnology (iCLEAN), spearheaded by CNSE's Energy and Environmental Technology Applications Center (E2TAC).

Over the next four years, iCLEAN expects to incubate 25 successful companies, with the potential for creating 125 new jobs and investing nearly $125 million into the regional economy.

iCLEAN partners will have access to CNSE's state-of-the-art laboratories and cleanroom facilities, gain valuable networking opportunities through regional and national partnerships to raise funding through venture capital, and receive comprehensive and professional services. In addition, the iCLEAN program will host an Entrepreneurial Development Series on clean energy to train and transition corporate executives into the growing clean energy industry.

Southern Taiwan Science Park to Create 6,000 New Jobs This Year

With its resident companies planning to expand output, the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) is expected to create 6,000 jobs this year, according to Chen Chun-wei, director of STSP Administration.

STSP Administration just held a job fair in cooperation with National Tsing Hua University on March 27, with 48 registered companies of the park, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC), United Microelectronics Corp., Chimei Innolux Corp., Motech Industries Inc., Gintech Energy Corp. and Delta Electronics Inc., to totally recruit more than 4,500 new workers via the fair.

Chen stressed that STSP features the largest scale of sectors of precision machinery, optoelectronics and biotechnology among science parks in Taiwan, and the advantage will help the park to attract more new workers in the future. He added that nearly 6,000 new jobs will also be created at the park next year, due mainly to output expansion to be carried out by registered companies.

Gintech, a large-sized solar cell maker, plans to recruit over 500 workers to respond to industrial recovery this year, and TSMC, the largest semiconductor maker, is also going to add 3,000 new engineers, 1,000 of which to be dispatched to its STSP factory.

Panasonic Finishes Facility in Osaka City

Panasonic Corp. has finished the first phase of construction of its new Li-ion battery production facility in Suminoe, Osaka City. The plant serves as Panasonic's flagship manufacturing base for Li-ion batteries, whose demand is growing fast amid environmental concerns.

Li-ion batteries are used not only in mobile devices such as notebook computers and mobile phones, but also for eco-friendly cars, backup power source and household energy storage systems that consist of solar panels and fuel cells. Global demand for Li-ion batteries is expected to reach 3.2 trillion yen, more than five times the current level, by the fiscal year ending March 2019.

The Suminoe Factory began manufacturing electrodes last October, and will now begin mass production of battery cells this April starting with an initial capacity of 10 million units per month during the first year of operations. Panasonic plans to gradually increase the production capacity up to 25 million per month (300 million units per year) during the first phase, taking into consideration market conditions. The factory will manufacture mainly Panasonic's high-capacity Li-ion batteries, featuring its unique nickel-based positive electrodes, to meet the ever-growing demands for higher-capacity batteries. The company will decide the timing of the second phase of construction at a later date while taking into account the market conditions.

The Suminoe Factory has been designed with a "safe, secure, and eco-conscious factory" concept. It offers integrated manufacturing from electrode fabrication to battery cell production, using advanced high-efficiency production equipment to achieve high productivity with reduced production lead times.

Kremlin Picks Site for Russian Silicon Valley

The project aims to give state backing to major companies to help them develop innovative products that will spur modernization of the economy.

President Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russia would build a high-tech hub near Moscow to spur modernization of the economy and reduce its dependence on oil and gas.

The center, designed to develop five priority sectors -- energy, IT, telecommunications, bio-medical and atomic technologies — will be built near Skolkovo, a new private-sector business school in the Moscow region.

"We will build it in a place where we already have the solid groundwork for doing it quickly. Speed is of particular importance," Medvedev said.

The project, first mentioned by officials last month, aims to give state backing to major companies to help them develop selected innovative products. The most promising of these will then be taken to fruition in the new "Silicon Valley."

Critics have already ridiculed Medvedev's attempts to establish a "knowledge economy" in Russia, saying the country's rampant corruption, poor living conditions and lack of legal guarantees make it ill-suited to rivaling California's science and technology center.

"The real attraction of the Kremlin's Innovation City lies not in what it will accomplish for innovation but in how it will line the pockets of Russia's corrupt officials," opposition politician Vladimir Ryzhkov wrote in a comment for The Moscow Times.

"The greedy bureaucrats are already salivating in anticipation of the hundreds of construction permits that will be required to develop a Silicon Valley from scratch."

Tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and intellectuals abandoned Russia during the economic chaos of the 1990s and though the pace of the brain drain has slowed, the country's research base has been severely depleted.

Russia's economy contracted by 7.9 percent last year as the global economic crisis destroyed demand for key exports such as oil, gas and metals, ending a decade-long boom.

The depth of the recession, by far the worst to hit any major emerging market, shocked the Russian elite and spurred calls for the economy to lessen dependence on raw materials.

Medvedev has repeatedly urged economic diversification, predicting that the world's biggest energy exporter will remain extremely vulnerable unless it can kick its dependence on oil and gas sales.

But his critics say the Kremlin's modernization rhetoric needs to be translated into action and be accompanied by measures to improve the investment climate if diversification efforts are to have any chance of success.

BMS Opens World’s Largest CNT Pilot Facility

Bayer MaterialScience has opened a new pilot facility for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at Chempark Leverkusen. The company has invested some €22 million in the planning, development and construction of the facility, which is the largest of its kind in the world and has a capacity of 200 m t/yr.

McIlvaine Company,

Northfield, IL 60093-2743

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

E-mail: editor@mcilvainecompany.com;

Web site: www.mcilvainecompany.com