World-leading Glass maker AGC to Invest in Advanced Nanotechnology Startup in U.S.

Date: 11 April 2012
Source: www.agc.com

Date: 11 April 2012

Eyes nanostructured value-added glass via stake in Rolith, Inc.Tokyo, April 4 2012–AGC, a world-leading manufacturer of glass, chemicals and high-tech materials, announced today that its wholly owned Georgia-based US subsidiary AGC America, Inc. has invested approximately two million U.

S. dollars1 in Rolith Inc., a California-based developer of ultra-advanced, industrial-scale nanostructured coatings. AGC intends to combine its proprietary glass-coating technology with Rolith’s own nanostructure formation technology to strengthen its high value-added glass development and produce glass products satisfying a variety of needs.

Emerging technologies for the formation of nanostructures on glass surfaces are one of the newest ways deriving from glass surface processing technologies to develop high-performance, multi-functional glass. Nanostructures feature uniformly bumpy patterns measuring about several hundred nanometers (one nanometer equals one billionth of a meter).Rolith’s nanostructure formation technology involves large-area nanopatterning based on lithographic exposure using revolving cylindrical photomasks, which enables glass substrates to be infused with nanostructures over large surface areas within a short period of time.

“Combining the AGC Group’s coating technology with Rolith’s nanostructure formation technology will enable us to produce high-function glass for advanced application envisioned in fields such as electronics, solar power, automotives and architecture,” said Naoki Sugimoto, General Manager of Global Technology Networking for AGC America, Inc. “Meanwhile, AGC will continue to develop its own coating technologies to apply functional layers to glass surfaces for extra functionality.”

New technologies are leading to expanded applications for glass, such as smudge-proof cover glass for smartphones and other mobile devices, energy-saving fog-proof automotive glass for electric vehicles and antireflection cover glass for highly efficient photovoltaic cells.

The AGC Group, in parallel with its own aggressive research and development, will continue to pursue external investments and partnerships that enable the company to acquire additional technologies that further extend the possibilities of glass.

1 This investment is part of the Series A investment in Rolith totaling $5 million where DFJ VTB Capital Aurora is the other investor.

About the AGC Group

The AGC Group, with Tokyo-based Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. at its core, is a world-leading supplier of flat, automotive and display glass, chemicals and other high-tech materials and components. Drawing on more than a century of technical innovation, the AGC Group has developed world-class expertise in fields including glass, fluorine chemistry and ceramics technologies. The group employs some50,000 people worldwide and generates annual sales of more than 15 billion USD through business in about 30 countries. For more information, please visit www.agc-group.com/en.

                                                                                                                           Media Contact

Toshihiro Ueda, General Manager, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

AGC Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. (Contact: Satoshi Yoshida; Tel: +81-3-3218-5603; E-mail: info-pr@agc.co.jp)

Attachment

About AGC America, Inc.

Headquarters: Alpharetta,GA

Capital: 1.69 billion USD

Established: 1986

Business: Holding company of AGC’s North American affiliates, and information gathering

About Rolith, Inc.

Headquarters: Pleasanton, CA

Capital: 5.35 million USD

Established: 2008

Business: Development of nanostructure formation technologies and related products
600450 World-leading Glass maker AGC to Invest in Advanced Nanotechnology Startup in U.S. glassonweb.com

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