metal-powder.net10 MPR March/April 2014

GRIPM acquires stake in Makin Metal

BASF opens battery R&D laboratory in Japan

New MD for Miba Sinter Group

EPMA celebrates 25th anniversary

Euro PM2014 takes place in Salzburg in September.

2014 marks the 25th anniver-sary of the formation of the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA).

The EPMA will be holding two special events to cel-ebrate its silver anniversary.

The first, for association members only, will be in London from 5-6 June and consist of a VIP dinner fol-

lowed by a one day seminar presented by international experts in PM on the topic of developments in the European PM industry.

There will also be a special commemorative reception for delegates at the forthcom-ing Euro PM2014 Congress & Exhibition held from 21–24 September in Salzburg, Austria.

BASF has inaugurated a R&D lab and application technol-ogy centre for battery materi-als in Amagasaki, Japan.

The 600 m2 facility, located in the Amagasaki Research Incubation Center (ARIC), is BASF’s first combined bat-tery materials research and development (R&D) and application technology oper-ation in Asia Pacific.

“The new Amagasaki Battery Materials Lab will enable us to extend our successful R&D net-work with research institutes and the battery manufacturing industry into Japan,” said Dr Peter Schuhmacher, president process research and chemical engineering at BASF.

The Amagasaki laboratory

will focus on developing electrolytes and electrode materials for high-perform-ance lithium ion batteries.

Different materials

The laboratory will combine organic and inorganic syn-thesis, analytics and elec-trochemical testing within one group. This can improve the understanding of how different materials such as electrodes and electrolytes interact with each other in battery applications.

The company will also make use of existing BASF teams that are researching chemistry for use in organic photovoltaic cells and elec-tronic materials.

GRIPM, a Beijing-based elec-trolytic copper powder pro-ducer, has acquired a major-ity stake in Makin Metal Powders UK Ltd (MMP).

MMP’s managing director, Dr John Boden, will continue to lead the MMP board of directors and the company will continue to operate inde-pendently from its Rochdale, UK facility. It will benefit from the financial backing and specialist scientific capabil-ity of GRIPM and access to the GRIPM sales network within China and elsewhere.

GRIPM is the largest sup-plier of electrolytic powders in China and intends to develop its range of dendrit-ic, atomised and speciality products.

The combined group will produce over 21,000 tonnes of copper and other non-ferrous powders per year.

Growing market demands

“GRIPM have long admired Makin’s expertise, products

and professionalism and the two companies will work closely together to meet the growing market demands for copper and copper alloy powders,” said Dr Limin Wang, MD of GRIPM. “It is our intention for GRIPM and Makin to grow to become one of the best and strongest suppliers to the metal pow-der industry by utilising the extensive R&D and technical capabilities of our parent company GRINM.”

“GRIPM are an ideal partner for Makin as they offer com-plimentary products which will allow the combined com-panies to build a truly global supplier to the powder metal industry,” said Dr Boden.

GRIPM’s parent company, GRINM (General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals) is the largest research institute in the field of nonferrous metals indus-try in China employing over 4000 personnel with a turno-ver of over US$1 billion.

Makin Metal’s HQ in Rochdale, UK.

Miba has appointed Bernd Badurek as managing direc-tor sales & marketing of the group, which employs over 1,600 members of staff glo-bally at four production sites.

Badurek joined Miba at the end of 2007 and has previ-ously held the position of manager of the Asia Pacific and France/Italy business units.

MPR0214_biz news 10 01-04-2014 16:26:19