Mercia Fund Management is investing $490,000 in spin-out Impression Technologies.
Mercia Fund Management is investing £300,000 ($490,000) in a Birmingham University and Imperial College London spin-out, Impression Technologies. The company is commercialising research that allows the strengthening and weight reduction of aluminium.
The primary market for the technology, dubbed hot form quench, is the car industry, where a weight reduction significantly impacts carbon dioxide emissions. The company is also looking at targeting the aerospace and rail industries in the future.
Impression Technologies plans to use the investment to advance its research and development, manufacture pilot parts and set up a technical and a commercial team.
George Adam, chief executive officer at Impression Technologies, said: “Automotive companies are striving to produce lighter weight cars that maximise fuel efficiency and meet the demands for lower CO2 emissions as set out in EU targets for 2015 and 2017. Aluminium, which combines strength and lightweight properties, is already recognised as having the potential to meet this need. We currently offer patented processing solutions to produce strong, complex and rigid components made from aluminium and will be using Mercia Fund Management’s investment to further our research and development in this area. We will also be working with their expert management team to continue to target the automotive industry.”
Mark Payton, managing director at Mercia, added: “Dr Adam’s wealth of experience within the automotive industry, combined with the company’s ground breaking processes makes Impression Technologies an ideal investment opportunity with real growth potential. Yet another example of ground breaking technology emanating from the country’s leading universities of Imperial College London and Birmingham University.”