In October 2008, Beneq announced the on-going joint development project and collaboration with AGC Glass Europe (BE) for Beneq's nanotechnology-based glass coating technology, nHALO^®. The unique coating technology and equipment of Beneq combined with AGC Glass Europe's extensive experience in the field of glass production and manufacturing technology and know-how, especially concerning the use of the glass products will enable extensive development and commercialization of nHALO-technology. The commercialization of nHALO will cover a wide range of coating applications and these applications will gradually enter into flat glass markets.

Based in Brussels, AGC Glass Europe produces and processes flat glass for the construction industry (external glazing and indoor decorative glass), the automotive industry, the solar industry, and specialist industries*. It is the European branch of AGC Glass, the world's largest producer of flat glass. Its baseline "Glass Unlimited" reflects the possibilities offered by:

• glass as a material to meet a growing variety of needs (comfort, energy control, health & safety, aesthetics)
• innovation in products and processes, derived from sustained research in advanced glass technology
• industrial facilities comprising 18 float plants, 7 automotive glass plants and more than 100 processing and distribution units throughout Europe, from Spain to Russia
• a worldwide marketing network
• the resources of its personnel motivated by operational excellence and innovation

AGC Glass Europe currently employs some 13,500 people.

* Transport industry (glazing for ships and railway/subway carriages), domestic appliances and high-tech applications.

(AGC Glass Europe homepage)

In June 2010, Beneq and ALD NanoSolutions, Inc., renowned developer of ALD processes and applications, including proprietary Particle ALD™ and Polymer ALD™, signed a letter of intent (LOI) for future collaboration.

The collaboration is intended to provide a framework for the two companies to work together in developing ALD for particles and powders. ALD NanoSolutions has extensive experience in developing ALD as a process for particulate matter, and holds an impressive patent portfolio in the field. Beneq draws on its acknowledged know-how in turning processes and applications into full-size production equipment. By combining their deep knowledge of ALD, the collaboration offers customers an unmatched global center of excellence in the field. Together, these two companies will bring Particle ALD to the market as mature technology, economically feasible applications and robust and reliable equipment.

ALD NanoSolutions, as the leader in digital coating solutions for composite materials, is dedicated to bringing next generation performance to materials used across a wide range of industries. ALDN’s mission is to accelerate the commercial success of its customers by delivering superior materials solutions based on its proprietary atomic layer deposition platform. (ALD NanoSolutions homepage)

The Advanced Surface Technology Research Laboratory (ASTRaL) is a research unit of Lappeenranta University of Technology. It carries out top level research in materials technology and aims to link the research expertise of the University with the high technology industries which are located in the region, Finland in general and internationally.

ASTRaL specializes in thin film deposition and surface modification. Its expertise in basic and applied research advances the development of the leading edge materials technologies that produce innovative solutions to materials problems. Our collaboration with industry enables this knowledge to be used to develop new higher value products and lower cost production solutions. (ASTRaL homepage)

In April 2008, Beneq and Fives Stein (FR) entered into a partnership where Fives Stein acts as a integrator for Beneq nanotechnology-based glass coating technology and equipment. The purpose of the co-operation is the application of Beneq's proprietary nHALO^® technology, capable of depositing highly efficient functional coatings into float glass production lines and off-line coating systems.

The unique coating technology and equipment of Beneq, combined with Fives Stein's extensive experience and presence in the glass industry, enable the parties to expand their product offerings into new areas. As a result, flat glass producers and processors will benefit from advanced coating solutions adding value to their glass products. This partnership additionally strengthens the market presence and position of Beneq in the glass industry.

Fives Stein, Evry, France, designs and supplies process production lines and equipment for the production of float and rolled glass (melting furnaces, tin baths, annealing lehrs, air pollution control and rolling machines) and for the production of hollow glassware (melting furnaces and equipment for glass conditioning). (Fives Stein homepage)

In September 2010, Beneq and Glaston signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The cooperation is intended to provide a framework for the two companies to work together in developing and delivering systems for continuous production of TCO coated glass for the solar industry. Beneq has extensive experience in developing and providing aerosol technologies for advanced thin film coatings, such as transparent conductive oxides (TCO), anti-reflective and low-e. Glaston provides state-of-art continuous flat glass heat treatment technology with high capacity and quality glass for demanding solar solutions.

Together, Beneq and Glaston will bring TCO coating lines to the solar industry in an unprecedented combination of mature technology, economically feasible solutions and reliable equipment. (Glaston homepage)

The Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry is one of the seven laboratories in the Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki. The core areas of the laboratory are co-ordination, computational, metal-organic, materials and solution chemistry. The research has links to several application areas, like catalysis, biomaterials, microelectronics, optics etc. The laboratory has close connections with several Finnish and foreign institutes, as well as with chemical, microelectronics and paper industries. (laboratory homepage)

Since 2006, Beneq has had access to and used the cleanroom facilities at Micronova, Centre for Micro and Nanotechnology. This form of collaboration is based on the specific long-term goal, shared by Beneq and Aalto University (formerly Helsinki University of Technology), to develop thin film and surface treatment technologies for a wide range of applications, research as well as industrial. Currently, there are two Beneq TFS 500 ALD reactors installed at Aalto University’s Micronova Nanofabrication Centre, and Beneq continues to collaborate closely with Micronova in developing and implementing new features into these reactors. (Micronova homepage)

The Aerosol Physics Laboratory is one of three laboratories in the Department of Physics at Tampere University of Technology. The focus of the laboratory is aerosol science in all its aspects. With a long history at the forefront of particle science research, including synthesis, applications, emissions and measurement, the laboratory has developed into an acknowledged center of excellence in aerosol and particle know-how.

The Aerosol Synthesis Group, with which Beneq mainly collaborates, uses thermal synthesis methods to produce nanoparticles and develop nanostructured functional coatings. The main synthesis mechanism is Liquid Flame Spray (LFS) – a flame synthesis method originally developed in the laboratory. (laboratory homepage)