Mayor Visits World-Leading Graphene Material Innovators

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has visited a world-leading innovator in graphene material production based at the Wilton Centre, Redcar.

Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) produce graphene, which is a nanomaterial, 100 times stronger than steel but sheets of which are an atom thick. It is widely classed as a wonder material due to be completely transparent and the lightest material known to science.

Mayor Houchen met with AGM CEO Adrian Potts, who flew in from the US, to officially open their new spray booth following a £47,500 investment from the Tees Valley Business Growth Fund.

As part of the visit, the Mayor toured AGMs laboratories, its production facility, met it’s 27-strong workforce and learned how the new spray booth will supplement their already comprehensive coatings formulation and testing capabilities.

AGM, who moved to the Wilton site in 2012,  work with global distributors and customers across the world supplying the technology into paints and coatings, car care products, polymer composites and adhesives and are innovating further into areas such as battery and energy storage.

Mayor Houchen said: “This is yet another example of a world-leading innovative company based right here in Teesside. I’m delighted that we have been able to provide the funds to help AGM grow even further. With this new spray booth, they’ll be able to fully harness the potential of graphene in real-life products and materials.

“It was brilliant to learn all about their progression and of their interesting opportunities in our region. They are an example of a firm creating the products of the future in sectors we need to support, and we as a region are leading the way.”

CEO of AGM, Adrian Potts, added: “I’m delighted that Ben was able to come and see our growing facility an hear about the progress that AGM has made since his last visit. We’re extremely grateful for the support we have received through the TVCA funding programme to enable the installation of our new spray booth.

“Investment in our manufacturing facility will ensure we can meet our growth ambitions, as our commercial pipeline continues to develop.”

Graphene is also recognised as a super conductor of electricity, has outstanding thermal conductivity, impermeable and is 100 times stronger than steel. The commercial value of graphene lies in the ability to transfer these properties into other materials to add value and create products which possess specifically enhanced characteristics.