Research Frontiers Inc. (Nasdaq: REFR) and Israel-based
material science company Gauzy Ltd. announced today Gauzy’s second
production facility in Stuttgart, Germany to produce SPD-Smart
light control film for the entire SPD-SmartGlass industry,
including automotive and architectural applications. To commemorate
this new factory, Research Frontiers CEO Joseph M. Harary, and
Gauzy CEO Eyal Peso will ring the opening bell today at the Nasdaq
Market Site in Times Square. Also joining the two executives on the
stage to ring the opening bell will be Steven M. Slovak to
commemorate his recent promotion to the position of Vice President
and Chief Technology Officer of Research Frontiers.
“Our new manufacturing facility will be
strategically located in Stuttgart, Germany near our key automotive
customers,” noted Eyal Peso, CEO of Gauzy. “We have already
completed five months of design work and have acquired the
production site. We are investing millions of euros to build this
state-of-the-art facility with specially-designed coating and
curing areas that will give Gauzy the capacity to coat over one
million square meters of SPD film per year.”
Gauzy expects the new facility to be in
production within the next six months. The company will host a
special invitation-only event for industry professionals, key
customers, and media later this year to launch the new production
site. It can coat SPD light-control film as wide as 1.8
meters. This follows the inauguration of Gauzy’s previously
announced SPD film production line in Tel Aviv this past October.
That facility has the capacity to produce up to 364 thousand square
meters of film per year per shift.
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.
Joseph M. Harary, President of Research
Frontiers noted: “Gauzy is not only a key licensee of ours, but
they are also a strategic investor in Research Frontiers. Gauzy has
consistently shown their ability through innovation and investment
to bring the best quality products to the smart glass industry.
Their new SPD film production line will have special in-line
production capabilities that do not currently exist anywhere in our
industry. These capabilities address beautifully the needs of our
licensees and their customers in the automotive, train, aircraft,
boat and architectural industries.”
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.
Gauzy is currently focused on LCG® (Light
Control Glass) technology, including Liquid Crystal formulations
and SPD-SmartGlass emulsions. The company has a dedicated
R&D team that focuses on each technology, multiple
laboratories, and an on-site production line with custom machinery
for high quality products with on time delivery. Through strategic
partnerships with certified partners, Gauzy’s distribution network
ranges over 40 countries. Gauzy’s technology offers diverse
applications to the glass industry including solar/energy control,
shading, privacy, and transparent displays. Gauzy LCG® 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.
About Gauzy Ltd.
Gauzy is a world leader and vendor of material
science and nanotechnology, 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 Control Glass). The company is headquartered in Tel
Aviv Israel, with additional offices in Stuttgart, Germany,
Guangzhou China and Dallas, Texas. 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.
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.
+972-72-2500385brittany@gauzy.com
Joseph M. Harary President and CEO Research Frontiers Inc.
+1-516-364-1902Info@SmartGlass.com
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