Morgan Crucible Signs JV with Boston-Power for Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Material Development

The Morgan Crucible Company plc (Morgan Crucible) announced today the signing of a Joint Development Agreement between its wholly-owned subsidiary, MorganAM&T Inc., and Boston-Power Inc., a leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer, to accelerate development and commercialization of MorganAM&T’s advanced anode technologies based on metal-loaded carbon nanoparticles.

"Working with an industry leader like Boston-Power is the next phase in our development of next-generation anode materials for the lithium-ion battery market," said Mark Robertshaw, chief executive officer for Morgan Crucible. "The need for high-energy capacity in batteries for electric vehicles is driving the need for development of new materials. Combining our portfolio of advanced anode technologies with Boston-Power’s technical leadership in cell manufacturing will accelerate our development cycle and reduce the time period until our next-generation products see wide-scale commercial use."

MorganAM&T continues to invest in advancing its anode material offerings for the lithium-ion battery market, including energy storage and EV applications. In 2011, MorganAM&T joined with the University of Cambridge under a U.K. government-funded program in which MorganAM&T is developing Cambridge’s patented nanotechnology for mass production. MorganAM&T has a separate agreement with Cambridge Enterprise giving MorganAM&T full commercialization rights for those materials in lithium-ion battery applications.

Boston-Power, Inc. is an award-winning systems provider of next-generation lithium-ion battery cells, blocks, modules and systems. Designed to fuel a wide range of applications, its flagship offerings, Swing® and Sonata®, serve as the foundation for a new era of longer lasting, faster charging, safer and environmentally sustainable batteries. The company’s Swing product delivers unmatched capabilities for Battery Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (BEV/PHEV), and utility energy storage applications. Sonata delivers industry leading performance to the portable power and notebook computer markets.

Founded in 2005 by International Chairman Dr. Christina Lampe-Önnerud, a globally recognized innovator, entrepreneur and technology advisor with regard to portable power, energy storage and climate change, Boston-Power has 150+ patents filed on its breakthrough technology. With more than $330 million in growth equity funding from blue-chip international investors, complemented by support from China, the company has earned accolades for its executive leadership and technology from organizations that include The Wall Street Journal, World Economic Forum, Cleantech Group/Guardian Media and News, Grist, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).

Morgan Crucible is an advanced materials technology company that provides highly engineered solutions to its chosen markets. Morgan Crucible has a global presence with operations in more than 50 countries. From medical instruments, aerospace, power generation and satellite communications, to body armor, trains and fire protection systems, Morgan Crucible’s products are fundamental components or enabling technologies for many of the modern world’s sophisticated products.

www.morgancrucible.com