New graphene factory opens in Italy

ERJ staff report (TP)

Como, Italy – Technology company Directa Plus inaugurates its new graphene factory on 23 June in the town of Lomazzo in Como province, Italy.

The new industrial plant, the largest European production of its kind, will produce four types of graphene-based materials – and one of the main application areas will be for elastomers used as super-additives for improving the mechanical properties of tires.

Directa Plus, based in the ComoNext Technological Park, was founded in 2005 and has been developing a technological platform in order to produce graphene-based materials in large volumes.

The announcement was made during the launch of the Italian Council for Eco Innovation, and Directa Plus is currently “one of the 10 leading SMEs to stand out for innovation in cleantech”.

During the opening event, scheduled for 23 June, the first products will be revealed.

CEO Giulio Cesareo said: “There will be a CF [carbon fibre] bike wheel with a tire containing pristine GNPs [graphene nanoplatelets]. Vittoria Group, an industrial partner, and the largest manufacturer of bicycle tires will be presenting these products.”