SCM Metal Products, a Gibraltar Industries (NASDAQ: ROCK) company, and Cupron Inc., today announced that they have formed a joint venture – Cupron Advanced Materials -- to manufacture products for antimicrobial applications. The newly formed company will be based at the SCM manufacturing site in its own segregated building.
Under the joint venture, SCM will supply Cupron Advanced Materials with cuprous oxide made from recycled copper. Cupron Advanced Materials will use the powder as a component in a wide range of antimicrobial products. Major markets served by this joint venture include the healthcare, medical, military and apparel industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Our joint venture with Cupron furthers our longstanding commitment to grow our company through innovation and new product development,” said Barton White, President, SCM Metal Products. “We will be offering the public access to products that will improve their quality of life by protecting them from exposure to odor and stain-causing bacteria, fungi, mold, and microbes.”
“We view this joint venture as a key to our strategic growth plan which builds on Cupron’s tradition of serving the public while protecting the environment. Cupron Advanced Materials LLC will provide consistent supply of raw materials in-house and maintain a quality control level that will enable us to produce high efficacy products for the well being of people everywhere,” said Cupron CEO Jeffrey Gabbay.
COPPER HISTORY
Copper's antimicrobial properties have been known for more than five millennia. The ancient Egyptians used copper pipes to transport water to destroy parasites and other water-borne pathogens. Shipbuilders have used copper for thousands of years to keep algae from encrusting on the hulls of ships. French vintners have used a copper sulfate compound to fight fungus on grapevines for hundreds of years. Cupron's technology now makes it possible to use these powerful and wide-ranging antimicrobial properties in new ways.
Cupron's technology is based on the development of techniques to impregnate and to bond a copper oxide compound and other metallic compounds to a range of textile fibers. Cupron's manufacturing technology permanently binds its proprietary copper compound to textile fibers, non-woven fabrics, paper, latex and other polymeric products. While highly sophisticated, implementation of this technology does not involve complicated or hazardous manufacturing methods. And best of all, testing indicates that the protection offered by Cupron-based products will last as long as the products themselves, regardless of multiple hot water washings, abrasion, or bleach, as long as fabric softener is not used.
ABOUT SCM
Based in Research Triangle Park, NC, SCM Metal Products is North America’s second-largest manufacturer of copper powder products and one of the three or four largest in the world. SCM manufactures non-ferrous metal powders that are used in powdered metal parts, brazing pastes, roofing shingles, oil-less bearings, and friction products, among others.
SCM serves more than 300 customers in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and consumer products industries. Approximately one-third of its sales go to customers in Asia, Europe, and Central and South America. SCM also operates a manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China which primarily supplies the powder metallurgy and thermal management industries. SCM offers global distribution, flexible production capability, strong technical support, and a reputation for quality. SCM uses a wide variety of screening, milling, grinding, blending, and formulation processes in its manufacturing plant. SCM is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information, please visit www.scmmetals.com.
ABOUT CUPRON INC.
Cupron manufacturers and sells products such as towels, sheets, pillowcases, and socks designed to successfully fight odor and stain-causing bacteria, fungi and mold. Cupron’s patented technology harnesses the power of copper oxide, the natural form of copper, to become an extremely effective method for fighting odor-causing microbes. In fact, the technology is so effective that towels and socks remain fresh and deodorized for much longer than regular textile products. The company’s pillowcases, sheets, sleep masks, and gloves also rejuvenate the way skin looks by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines even within the first four weeks of use. Cupron’s effective technology lasts for the life of the product. Cupron is committed to being a green company and uses only non-polluting, non-toxic, recycled, and natural copper technology because of copper’s environmentally friendly and safe nature.
Cupron’s copper-based technology has been proven in clinical trials, published in scientific journals, and has many potential groundbreaking applications in the medical device field. Cupron maintains its headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.cupron.com.
ABOUT GIBRALTAR INDUSTRIES
Gibraltar Industries is a leading manufacturer, processor, and distributor of products for the building, industrial, and vehicular markets. The company serves customers in a variety of industries in all 50 states and throughout the world. It has approximately 4,100 employees and operates 83 facilities in 27 states, Canada, China, England, Germany, and Poland. Gibraltar’s common stock is a component of the S&P SmallCap 600 and the Russell 2000® Index.
Information contained in this release, other than historical information, should be considered forward-looking, and may be subject to a number of risk factors, including: general economic conditions; the impact of the availability and the effects of changing raw material prices on the Company’s results of operations; energy prices and usage; the ability to pass through cost increases to customers; changing demand for the Company’s products and services; risks associated with the integration of acquisitions; and changes in interest or tax rates.
Contacts:
Barton White, President, 919-287-9880
bwhite@gibraltar1.com
or
Cupron
Alan
Weinkrantz, 210-820-3075
alan@weinkrantz.com
