LONDON, UK: Directa Plus has signed an agreement with Comerio Ercole SpA (Comerio) to pursue joint research and development projects using the Company’s G+ technology to develop products in the rubber and tyres, plastic and non-woven materials industries.

Directa Plus is a producer and supplier of graphene nanoplatelets based products for use in consumer and industrial markets.

Comerio is a leading Italian engineering and manufacturing company, founded in 1885, specialising in rubber and composite material processing and in the machinery used to manufacture such products.

The company is well known globally for its focus on innovation, quality and environmental protection.  The partners will use Comerio’s own R&D laboratory, with mixing and calendering machinery, to explore prototype processes using polymers and elastomers that could in future be useful to produce and improve compounds containing G+.

Directa Plus is interested both in testing its G+ technology in polymer and elastomer manufacture and in promoting its activity and products to end customers and users of Comerio machinery and plants.

In addition, there may be opportunities to take part in events and exhibitions attended by Comerio.

Commenting, Giulio Cesareo, Founder and CEO of Directa Plus, said: “Working with selected partners who share our vision for product development is a great way to bring graphene enhanced products to market in partnership with established Italian, European, and global companies.  Combining Comerio’s deep expertise in materials and machinery with our world leading knowledge and understanding of graphene, will help create new market opportunities for both our companies.”

Riccardo Comerio, CEO of Comerio Ercole, added: “Comerio Ercole has always been a pioneer in the field of industrial innovation for mixing and calendering processes. With Directa Plus we are now undertaking an exciting new challenge to identify the most promising uses of graphene in our machinery and plants for selected, qualified customers. Based on our laboratory experience, our target is to develop, tailored industrial machinery for specific graphene applications.”