TactoTek®, the leading developer of injection molded structural electronics (IMSE™) solutions, has announced that Nanogate, a leading global specialist for design-oriented high-tech surfaces and components, will promote and manufacture IMSE solutions as a TactoTek IMSE licensee. Technology transfer is underway, and Nanogate expects to be IMSE Ready for mass production by the end of 2019. Nanogate currently has 10 factories: six in Germany, and one in each of Austria, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Ohio, USA. Nanogate’s first IMSE manufacturing facility is in Austria, where Nanogate has expertise manufacturing IML parts for automotive customers.
Nanogate adds value for their customers with intelligent surfaces for several markets, including automotive, home appliances, consumer electronics, aviation and medical. The company has a comprehensive portfolio of surface technologies, and particular expertise in metallization using physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes.
“Across the markets that we serve we have strong and growing demand for integrating electronic functions with a wide variety of high quality cosmetic surfaces,” said Ralf Zastrau, CEO of Nanogate. “The partnership with TactoTek strengthens our comprehensive expertise from design to mass production delivery of intelligent surfaces—solutions that combine beautiful cosmetics with sophisticated electronic functions. IMSE technology complements our other strategic moves, including our acquisition of Nanogate heT Engineering (heT).”
TactoTek IMSE licensing provides expansive operating latitude in the IMSE domain. Licensing includes rights to TactoTek intellectual property including patents, trade secrets and know-how, and hands-on technology transfer.
“Nanogate is an established system provider for innovative and premier surfaces for several markets, including automotive, home appliances, and industrial segments,” noted Jussi Harvela, TactoTek CEO. “TactoTek’s licensing model makes us an innovation partner for companies seeking to deliver more value for their customers; it also responds directly to OEM’s preference to work with IMSE suppliers with whom they have established relationships. Nanogate is among the first-movers and will be a preferred mass production partner.”
About TactoTek
TactoTek is a leading provider of solutions for Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) that integrate printed circuitry and electronic components into 3D injection molded plastics. Leading use cases include in-vehicle applications, home/industrial appliances, and wearable technology. TactoTek adapts customer designs to IMSE technology, develops mass production ready prototypes, and mass produces or licenses the technology for 3rd party mass production. TactoTek is funded by Conor Venture Partners, Ascend Capital Partners, Faurecia Ventures, Plastic Omnium, Nanogate, VTT Ventures and Leaguer VC.
For more information, please visit www.tactotek.com
About Nanogate
Nanogate (ISIN DE000A0JKHC9) is a leading global specialist for design-oriented high-tech surfaces and components of very high optical quality. The Group employs around 1,700 people. Nanogate develops and produces design-oriented surfaces and components and enhances them with additional properties (e.g. nonstick, scratchproof, anticorrosive). The Group has first-class references (e.g. Airbus, Audi, August Brötje, BMW, BSH Hausgeräte, Daimler, FILA, Ford, Fresenius, GM, Jaguar, Junghans, Porsche and Volkswagen). Several hundred mass production projects for customers have already been implemented successfully. The Nanogate Group is represented on both sides of the Atlantic with its own production facilities.
True to its slogan “A world of new surfaces,” Nanogate is a long-standing innovation partner who opens up the diverse possibilities offered by new materials to companies in a wide range of industries. It aims to improve customers’ products and processes and to provide environmental benefits by using multifunctional surfaces, such as those made of plastic or metal, and innovative plastic components. The Group focuses on attractive applications, primarily for the mobility, aviation, home appliances, interior, leisure, and medical sectors – its target industries. As a systems provider, Nanogate offers the entire value chain: design and engineering materials development for surface systems, series coating of various different substrates as well as the production and enhancement of complete plastic components. The main value drivers are the opening up of international markets, the development of new applications, particularly for the strategic areas of glass-like (N-Glaze) and metallized (N-Metals) surfaces, as well as external growth.
