ACTA.L Regulatory News (ACTA)

10 Dec 2009 08:50



10 December 2009  

Acta S.p.A. ("Acta" or the "Company")

Trade Show and Product Launch Update

Acta, the clean-tech catalysts and products company, is delighted to announce the success of its programme of trade shows for the launch of the Acta Energy hydrogen generator and fuel cell product range.

As announced on 22nd October, the company has attended a programme of four trade shows during November and early December to launch its innovative, low cost, hydrogen generator for recharging fuel cell products and applications. A number of initial orders have been received during the trade show programme for the hydrogen generator, as well as for the fuel cell products being promoted at the shows (power generators, nautical electric outboard motors, and electric bicycles, designed for easy plug-and-play recharging from the hydrogen generator). These orders will be shipped during January 2010, in line with the Company's commercial growth strategy and timing as announced previously.

Particularly encouraging was the high level of commercial interest shown in the Company's products by original equipment manufacturers, distributors and agents coming from several product sectors (camping, nautical, domestic appliances, e-cycles, e-scooters) and application areas (hydrogen injection for clean-burning diesel, telecoms UPS, hybrid boat power systems, autonomous domestic power systems). Distribution requests and project partnership requests were also received from many country locations, including Germany, France, Italy, Benelux, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Canada, the Middle East, Nigeria, Australia and New Zealand.

Strong demand was seen in the nautical sector, where the opportunity to develop a premium clean energy application was evident (renewable power generation from solar and wind, stored onboard as hydrogen, and used for noiseless night-time electrical power). Such an application appears to be well suited for introduction within the yacht market, where environmental and ecological considerations are often at a premium, and may thereafter be extended to clean power systems for remote (autonomous) buildings and zero-carbon homes. 

The Company's products also attracted considerable interest from public and trade visitors at the Bologna International Motor Show, which concluded on 8 December and was attended by more than 400,000 visitors. The Company's electric fuel cell bicycle and hydrogen generator were presented as first prize to the Finnish rally champion, Mikko Hirvonen, for his victory in the Bettega Memorial Rally competition which took place during the Motor Show, and were described by Mr Hirvonen at the prize presentation as "a wonderful gift".

The Company has now completed the four shows originally scheduled for the programme, and in addition is now exhibiting at the Paris International Boat Show (5 December to 13 December), following an invitation to co-exhibit at the show. This invitation was extended to the Company at the Amsterdam METS show (nautical accessories) by one of France's leading distributors of marine accessories, as a result of their keen interest in the commercial potential of the Company's products within the yachting and boating markets.

Paolo Bert, Chief Executive, Acta, said:

"Following the success of the trade show programme and the positive commercial feedback that we have received, Acta will now be entering the next phase of its commercial development plan. This will involve the negotiation of distribution partnerships with distributors and original equipment manufacturers, including agreements with those distributors which have been already identified through the trade show programme and with which we are now in discussions. Initial product shipment will begin in January 2010, and the Company will be increasing its production facilities in tandem with commercial demand, over the first half of 2010, with a view to commencing supply in commercial volumes in the second half of 2010.

We are aware that the next stage of the Company's growth will be challenging, and while the shipment of initial orders will not have a significant impact on the company's financial performance in 2010, we are delighted with the level of interest that our unique hydrogen generator has attracted, and we expect this to lead to the signing of distributor agreements during the first quarter of 2010. We will be managing our commercial development programme carefully and look forward to keeping our shareholders up to date on our progress."

- Ends -

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Notes to Editors

About Acta 

Acta develops and manufactures clean technology products and unique patented catalysts which have been launched to the renewable energy, automotive, battery and industrial markets. Acta is also developing other commercial opportunities using its catalysts for industrial waste treatment.

Acta's catalysts and alkaline system know-how are at the heart of the Company's development of a new, high pressure water electrolyser technology which has demonstrated low cost, platinum free, high pressure hydrogen generation. Combined with a platinum free fuel cell, the system offers a solution to the problem of how to store surplus energy produced from large scale, intermittent renewable energy sources (eg wind farms). In addition, the low cost, small size and simplicity of the hydrogen generator makes it ideally suited as a recharger of commercial fuel cell applications (fuel cell bikes, electrical generators, UPS systems, etc).

Acta's catalysts are also undergoing customer tests in applications such as ammonia treatment (removal of ammonia from an industrial waste stream), and zinc-air batteries (a high performance and environmentally friendly battery technology), as well as fuel cell and other applications.