Integral Technologies Inc., a Bellingham, Wash.-based firm specializing in hybrid conductive plastics, has opened a technology center in Detroit that will support the expanded development of a material that can reduce component weight by 40 to 60 percent.
Used in the automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics industries, ElectriPlast is a line of non-corrosive, electrically conductive resin-based materials that can replace traditional metals such as steel or aluminum. It can be molded into any shape and size associated with plastics, rubbers, and other polymers.
“(The facility’s) strategic location in Detroit is key toward Integral moving closer to the commercialization of ElectriPlast, as we remain confident it will have a profound impact on the global automobile market and related industries,” says Doug Bathauer, CEO of Integral. He adds that the opening of the new facility was driven by the rising demand for technical support for customers.
Since June, Integral has signed a joint product development agreement with Troy-based Delphi; a licensing agreement for sales and manufacturing with Hanwha L&C; and a memorandum of understanding with BASF for the development of ElectriPlast as a lightweight shielding solution. Hanwha L&C is based in South Korea and has facilities in Alabama.
Mo Zeidan, Integral’s CIO and head of the tech center, says the tech center allows the company to strengthen its customer support, R&D efforts, and applications development — all under one roof.
“ElectriPlast is a highly specialized and customized material, and all of our clients require some level of engineering support and application development assistance to initially incorporate our unique technology into their products,” Ziedan says. “We work very closely with our clients and we pride ourselves in our ability to offer unparalleled engineering support.”