GREENVILLE, S.C. — March 1, 2016 — Dreamweaver International has developed patented technology that will allow it to make the thinnest nonwoven separators in the world for lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors, as low as 10 to 12 microns. The technology relies on lighter weights and much higher compression than other nonwoven battery separators. The innovation will allow the traditional benefits of nonwoven separators — enhanced safety at a low cost — to be delivered at a thickness that is optimum for traditional lithium ion battery separators. The thickness is ½ the thickness of the dominant products in the supercapacitor industry.

“This is a game changer for supercapacitors,” said Stephen Voller, CEO of ZapGoCharger Ltd. “The thickness reduction will complement our industry-leading energy density, making our supercaps even more competitive with batteries. Perhaps the most important part is that the cost per farad will decrease because of significantly reduced use of expensive electrolyte. I would be surprised if the entire industry did not switch within a few years.”

“Separator is an important component in supercapacitors,” said Dr. Lin Cao, General Secretary of China Supercapacitor Standard Committee. “Technological advances for lighter and thinner separators with improved safety and stability are critical to drive developments and applications of the industry.  They are also key elements to increase energy density and reduce the cost.”

Dreamweaver has prototypes for a 15 micron Titanium product developed for  the supercapacitor industry, and a 20 micron Silver product developed for t the lithium ion battery market. The products will be produced by Glatfelter (NYSE: GLT), Dreamweaver’s production partner. Products as low as 10 to 12 microns thin will follow.

“We have listened to our customers, who were demanding low thickness, low pore size and high strength while continuing to value the safety characteristics and low cost of Dreamweaver’s current products,” said Brian Morin, President & COO of Dreamweaver International.

Posted March 2, 2016

Source: Dreamweaver International

ROCHESTER, N.H. — February 29, 2016 — Albany International Corp. has agreed to acquire Harris Corp.’s composite aero-structures division for total consideration of $210 million including the assumption of a $23 million capital lease. Harris had acquired the Division through its 2015 acquisition of Exelis Inc.

Harris’ division is a leading supplier of advanced composite products primarily for airframe applications. It has significant positions on three major growth platforms: Lockheed’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), Boeing’s 787, and Sikorsky’s CH-53K. It also supplies the vacuum waste tanks for most of Boeing’s 7-Series aircraft, and components of the airframe of a Lockheed Martin family of air-to-surface missiles; and it has small positions on the airframes of the Airbus A350 and 380, and on GEnx engines.

The acquisition is projected to be slightly accretive to Albany earnings in 2016, with projected 2016 sales in the $80 million to $90 million range and Adjusted EBITDA in the $13 million to $15 million range. Sales and Adjusted EBITDA are expected to rise sharply through early next decade with the anticipated ramp-up of the JSF, 787, and CH-53K programs. Assuming good execution and no significant slippage in program schedules, sales are projected to exceed $200 million by 2020, and Adjusted EBITDA margins could approach 20 percent by 2020. Subject to these same assumptions, the Company’s estimated return on invested capital for the acquisition is projected to exceed Albany’s current cost of capital by 2018 and reach double-digits by 2020.

The Company views the Division as an attractive stand-alone growth platform. Nonetheless, AEC and the Division have highly complementary capabilities, and the Company’s primary motivation for entering into this transaction is the additional long-term growth potential created by their combination.

Joe Morone, President and CEO of Albany International, commented, “The combination of AEC and this aerostructures Division creates a major force in aerospace composites, which should be able to realize significant new long-term growth opportunities, in addition to the already substantial growth that each business is poised to achieve over the next five years. While we believe this acquisition would have been justifiable on a stand-alone basis given the Division’s growth potential, and while we are confident that AEC and the Division each have the capability to realize their respective growth potential on their own, we see compelling and multiple forms of complementarity, all of which point to opportunity for additional growth late this decade and into next decade.”

Albany will use existing cash on hand and its revolving credit facility to finance the transaction. In connection with the transaction, Albany expects to create additional borrowing capacity by increasing its existing revolving credit facility from $400 million to $550 million prior to the closing of the transaction; terms of the new credit facility are expected to be similar to the terms of the current facility.

The transaction, which is conditional on regulatory and other customary conditions, is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter or early second quarter of 2016.

Posted March 2,2016

Source: Albany International Corp.

CLEVELAND — March 2, 2016 — Demand for disposable medical supplies in the United States is forecast to expand 4.2 percent annually to $54.1 billion in 2020. A rise in patient activity caused by aging population patterns, an increasing incidence of medical conditions, and the extension of health insurance coverage by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will promote gains. An elevated focus on infection prevention throughout the healthcare community will also boost demand. These and other trends are presented in Disposable Medical Supplies, a new study from Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Drug delivery and related products will remain the largest and fastest expanding group of disposable medical supplies based on growth in the number of patients who need surgery or long-term therapy. Total demand posted by this product group is forecast to rise 4.9 percent annually through 2020. Analyst Bill Martineau notes that, “Safety-enhanced devices for the minimally invasive delivery of parenteral medicines, inhalation therapies, and IV solutions will lead growth.”

Disposable wound management products are projected to post demand of $12.1 billion in 2020.  Polymeric tissue sealants, along with alginate, foam, and collagen wound dressings, will realize the fastest gains based on enhanced safety and faster healing properties.  On the other hand, demand for bandages will expand at a below average pace due to limited pricing flexibility and the overall lack of proprietary types.  First aid kits will fare the best among other disposable wound management products, benefiting from trends promoting self-treatment. Conversely, advances in less invasive surgery and tissue sealants will weaken the overall US market for traditional suture and staple wound closures.

Nonwoven medical disposables will see above average growth in demand. The heightened focus on infection prevention in the healthcare sector will boost consumption of single-use, high value-added nonwoven garments and textiles by hospitals and outpatient facilities. A rising prevalence of bladder control problems attributable to the aging population will impact favorably on retail and institutional sales of nonwoven incontinence goods. The best growth in demand among other disposable medical supplies will occur in products with enhanced infection prevention, performance, and/or cost containment benefits.

Posted March 2, 2016

Source:  The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com