Research Frontiers Inc. (Nasdaq: REFR) and Israel-based material
science company Gauzy Ltd. announced today that Gauzy will be
producing SPD-Smart light control film for the entire
SPD-SmartGlass industry. The announcement came at a ceremony to
celebrate the inauguration of Gauzy’s production line to produce
SPD-Smart light control film in Tel Aviv-Jaffo where, along with
Gauzy’s 65 employees, Gauzy CEO Eyal Peso and Research Frontiers
CEO Joseph Harary, cut the ribbon on the new factory.
SPD-Smart light control film, invented and
patented by Research Frontiers, is a key component in
SPD-SmartGlass products. This film allows users to instantly,
precisely and uniformly control the shading of glass or plastic
products, either manually or automatically. Products using Research
Frontiers’ smart glass technology are being used in tens of
thousands of cars, aircraft, yachts, trains, homes, offices,
museums and other buildings.
Eyal Peso, Founder and CEO of Gauzy, noted: “Our
mission is to bring the best-performing and most innovative
technology-based products to our customers worldwide. We saw a
large market opportunity to expand beyond our liquid crystal film
products used for privacy and projection applications, and to enter
the rapidly expanding market for films that can also control light,
heat and glare. Now, as market leaders in this area with Research
Frontiers, Gauzy is ready to produce its SPD-Smart light control
film technology in our factory, and we have made a substantial
investment, not only in establishing a world class manufacturing
facility to make SPD-Smart film for the entire smart glass
industry, but also by hiring additional people and making a direct
investment in Research Frontiers itself last month.”
Joseph M. Harary, President of Research
Frontiers noted: “Gauzy has impressed us and our licensees from day
one. They have a focused determination to quickly bring to market
products that their customers value highly. They do this through
innovation and investment in state-of-the art production processes,
and the hiring of top engineers and scientists. Research Frontiers
has been emphasizing the desirability for a wider and less
expensive SPD-Smart light-control film than is currently being
produced for the SPD-SmartGlass industry, especially for key
emerging markets such as the architectural smart glass market. Our
agreement with Gauzy has established aggressive cost reduction
targets, and established short-term milestones for wider film, and
if they meet these and other milestones, Gauzy will become an
important supplier of SPD light-control film, a key component for
the entire smart glass industry.”
Gauzy’s film production line has a capacity to
produce up to 364 thousand square meters of film per year per
shift. While current SPD-Smart film is being produced for the smart
glass industry in rolls that are one meter wide, Gauzy’s initial
production of SPD-Smart film later this year will be 1.2 meters
wide, and next year they will be producing SPD film that is 1.5
meters wide. Gauzy will thereafter be able to produce SPD-Smart
film that is the same 1.8 meter width that Gauzy currently produces
for its PDLC film. By meeting these and other milestones, Gauzy has
the ability to be one of only two manufacturers in full production
of SPD-Smart film that is licensed by Research Frontiers to supply
the entire SPD-SmartGlass industry for all markets, including
automotive, aircraft, marine, museum and architectural.
The markets for SPD-Smart film are already
well-established. Research Frontiers has licensed over 40 chemical,
film, and glass companies which are selling products for the
automotive, aircraft, marine, train, museum, train and consumer
electronics industries. Gauzy’s established and growing network of
over 55 glass fabricators worldwide brings additional synergies,
infrastructure, and growth opportunities to the smart glass
industry.
Research Frontiers patented SPD-SmartGlass
technology is the same best-selling smart window technology that
can be found on various car models from Daimler. The MAGIC SKY
CONTROL feature, which is now in use on tens of thousands of
Mercedes-Benz SLs, SLC/SLKs, Maybach and S-Class models around the
world, uses patented SPD-SmartGlass technology developed by
Research Frontiers to turn the roof transparent by electrically
aligning tiny particles in a thin film within the glass. With the
touch of a button, drivers and passengers can instantly change the
tint of their roof to help keep out harsh sunlight and heat, and
create an open-air feeling even when the sunroof is closed. Glass
or plastic using Research Frontiers’ patented SPD-SmartGlass
technology effectively blocks UV and infrared rays in both clear
and darkly tinted modes, helping keep the cabin cooler, and
protecting passengers and interiors while also enhancing security
inside the vehicle. These benefits become even more important when
a car uses large surface areas of glass, especially in warm
climates.
Some of the other benefits of SPD-SmartGlass
include significant heat reduction inside the vehicle (by up to
18ºF/10ºC), UV protection, glare control, reduced noise and reduced
fuel consumption. Independent calculations also show that use of
SPD-SmartGlass can reduce CO2 emissions by four grams per
kilometer, and increase the driving range of electric vehicles by
approximately 5.5 percent.
Shortly after its introduction into serial
production in the automotive industry, SPD-SmartGlass has become
standard equipment on many different aircraft, and is also used in
residential and commercial architectural applications, in trains,
yachts and other marine vehicles, in display applications, and to
protect light-sensitive artwork and documents in major museums
around the world.
Along with a best of breed R&D team, Gauzy
also has an on-site production line with custom machinery for high
quality products with on time delivery. Gauzy’s technology is
featured in notable projects worldwide, including automotive
collaborations with leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, hotels,
corporate offices, luxury residences, retail chains and consumer
electronics.
A photo accompanying this announcement is
available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ce51435-31ec-45c2-8ff3-cf40a87b57ec
About Gauzy Ltd.
Gauzy is a world leader and vendor of material
science, focused on the research, development, manufacturing, and
marketing of technologies which are embedded into and onto raw
materials. Amongst Gauzy’s core areas of expertise are Liquid
Crystals And SPD, which is used to produce LCG® (Light Controlled
Glass). The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv Israel, with
additional offices in Stuttgart, Germany, Guangzhou China and Los
Angeles, California. Learn more at www.gauzy.com
About Research Frontiers Inc.
Research Frontiers (Nasdaq: REFR) is a publicly
traded technology company and the developer of patented SPD-Smart
light-control film technology which allows users to instantly,
precisely and uniformly control the shading of glass or plastic
products, either manually or automatically. Research Frontiers has
licensed its smart glass technology to over 40 companies that
include well known chemical, material science and glass companies.
Products using Research Frontiers’ smart glass technology are being
used in tens of thousands of cars, aircraft, yachts, trains, homes,
offices, museums and other buildings. For more information, please
visit our website at www.SmartGlass.com, and on Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn and YouTube.
Note: From time to time Research Frontiers may
issue forward-looking statements which involve risks and
uncertainties. This press release contains forward-looking
statements. Actual results, especially those reliant on activities
by third parties, could differ and are not guaranteed. Any
forward-looking statements should be considered accordingly.
"SPD-Smart" and “SPD-SmartGlass” are trademarks of Research
Frontiers Inc.
- Launch of SPD-Smart light control film production line
For further information, please contact:
Eyal Peso
Founder and CEO
Gauzy Ltd.
+972-72-2500385
info@gauzy.com
Brittany Kleiman Swisa
Media & Marketing Contact
Gauzy Ltd.
+972-72-2500385
brittany@gauzy.com
Joseph M. Harary
President and CEO
Research Frontiers Inc.
+1-516-364-1902
Info@SmartGlass.com
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