UltraCell Moves Into New Facility To Start Volume Production

November 30, 2005 12:00am
Source: Business Wire
Business Wire via NewsEdge Corporation :

LIVERMORE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2005 - UltraCell Corporation has announced the opening of a new manufacturing and corporate office facility that will enable the micro fuel cell company to convert from prototype manufacturing to volume production. The new site, located at Tri-Valley Technology Park, 399 Lindbergh Avenue, Livermore, Calif., will use the latest in lean manufacturing practices.

"Our new facility is designed around the production line for UltraCell's XX25 product. It incorporates unique features such as a clean room for fuel cell assembly and a specially designed automated facility for fuel processor and stack testing. The facility also incorporates features to support automated production and lean manufacturing principles such as 5S and Six-Sigma, enabling us to deliver high quality at affordable cost," said James Kaschmitter, CEO of UltraCell. "The move validates our commercial plans to bring UltraCell's revolutionary reformed methanol fuel cell technology to the marketplace, as scheduled, in 2006."

According to Kaschmitter, UltraCell's new headquarters will focus on enhancing quality, efficiency and delivery, while reducing costs through minimizing non-value-added activities in design, production, supply chain management, and customer service. "Lean manufacturing basically means systematically striving for excellence in everything we do. That's exactly what we intend to achieve in our new location."

Introduced as a prototype in August, 2005, UltraCell's new fuel cell power source for portable electronic devices has over twice the energy density of lithium batteries when used for longer missions, but weighs just 40 ounces, in a unit about the size of a paperback novel. Its reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) technology uses a revolutionary micro reformer to generate fuel-cell-ready hydrogen from a highly concentrated methanol solution to provide continuous power in any remote situation. Whether for a soldier on mission or for the on-the-go laptop user, mobile executive, emergency first responder, researcher in a remote location, industrial video maker, or remote electronic monitoring, this means a nonstop supply of power anywhere, anytime.

About UltraCell
Founded in 2002, UltraCell develops and manufactures complete micro fuel cell systems for portable devices. The company has developed new technologies and intellectual property in the field of methanol-based fuel cells. The company has an exclusive license with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories for micro fuel cell technology. For more information, please contact: UltraCell Corporation, 399 Lindbergh Ave, Livermore, CA. 94551; Tel.: (925)455-9400 ; Fax: (925)455-7750; or visit:
www.ultracellpower.com.

About UltraCell Investors
Financial investors in UltraCell include Sevin Rosen Funds (www.srfunds.com), a top-tier venture capital firm funding successful companies since 1981; OnPoint Technologies (www.onpoint.us), a not for profit organization established with funding from the U.S. Army and supporting innovative mobile power initiatives for commercial and military applications; Star Ventures (www.star-ventures.com), an international venture capital group that invests in early-stage, high-tech companies; BankInvest Group (www.biventure.com), a leading Danish investor in new energy technologies; and ES Tech Ventures (www.esfg.pt), a venture capital area of Espirito Santo Financial Group in Portugal.

CONTACT: Media contacts: Will Hill UltraCell Corp. Livermore, CA (925) 455-9400 whill@ultracellpower.com -or- Harry McBrien Maier Advertising Inc.
Farmington, CT (860) 677-4581 harry@maier.com KEYWORD:
CALIFORNIAINDUSTRY

KEYWORD: ENERGY HARDWARESOURCE: UltraCell Corporation

Business Wire -- 11/30/05

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J.Norman Allen
COO UltraCell Corporation
203-254-9927 Office
203-209-0545 Cell
www.ultracellpower.com