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