Manufacturing

Metalysis
Rotherham, UK.
Founded 2001
Employees: 50
Product description: Sustainable metal refinement processes

As one of the most vital metals used in a wide range of high-end technologies, titanium has been refined in the same, highly inefficient, slow and chemically hazardous way for more than 70 years. It’s against this background that Metalysis has been formed to exploit a new electrochemical reduction technique invented at the University of Cambridge. At commercial production levels, this presents the realistic prospect of dramatically reduced costs and improved environmental impacts though the useof sustainable and recyclable materials, such as road salt, and less power and waste.

Luca Technologies
Colorado, US.
Founded 2003
Employees: 72
Product description Emissions control

Biotech specialist Luca Technologies is developing one of the most novel ways of reducing US dependency on foreign gas resources. It seeks to generate clean, renewable energy by harnessing the power of anaerobic micro-organisms (those living without oxygen) that can metabolise oil, organic-rich shale and coal into natural gas. As well as studying the commercial potential of these natural “geobioreactors”, the company is charting various zones in which these organisms exist. It is also examining ways of turning old oil wells into man-made georbioreactors. The company is currently working to demonstrate the viability of its technology.

Xylophane
Gothenburg, Sweden.
Founded 2004
Employees: 8
Product description: Biodegradable barrier material for food packaging

Swedish firm Xylophane has developed unique wrapping for food products made of natural raw materials, which is both renewable and biodegradable, unlike most “barrier packaging” which is made from aluminium- and oil-based plastics. Developed in co-operation with customers in the packaging industry, the carbohydrate-based material, which can be obtained from agricultural by-products such as hulls and husks from cereals, is an effective barrier against oxygen, grease and aroma and so extends the shelf life of sensitive food products such as juice, potato chips and spices.