Aculon Enters into Strategic Partnership Agreement with Henkel

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Aculon, Inc., a prominent nanotechnology coatings and surface modification company, and global electronic materials leader Henkel Corporation, have entered into a strategic partnership to support specific mobile device manufacturers with Aculon waterproofing technology. The agreement extends to Henkel the rights to manufacture and market Aculon’s NanoProof series of waterproofing products.

NanoProof PCB hydrophobic surface treatment was developed using a mix of Aculon's proprietary transition metal complexate (TMC) technology and fluorinated acrylic polymers. The series of NanoProof products are compatible with all common material types used in SMT parts and are sprayable or dip-based coatings that do not require a cure and have no impact on conductivity testing. While some of the NanoProof series are so thin that they are invisible to naked eye, all the NanoProof series contain a UV tracer to ensure detection at customer sites.

“Consumer expectations for handheld and wearables durability continue to rise, making waterproofing an essential feature for designers and manufacturers,” said Edward Hughes, CEO of Aculon. “Partnering with Henkel to provide NanoProof to specific mobile device manufacturers allows us to leverage Henkel’s global manufacturing and logistics capabilities, as well as the company’s technical expertise to ensure availability of advanced, IPX8 level waterproofing solutions for today’s leading device companies.”

The partnership affords Aculon and Henkel the opportunity to work with top electronic partners to bring innovative and essential waterproofing technologies to the global mobile device market.

“The Aculon – Henkel partnership is a positive development for the mobile device community,” said Dirk Cartus, Henkel Corporation Senior Vice President.“By making available a technology that delivers robust waterproofing capability at Thin Film thicknesses, we can extend our PCB protection portfolio to deliver holistic waterproofing solutions.  This is a win-win-win.”.”

About Henkel

Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2017, Henkel reported sales of 22.6 billion US dollars (20 billion euros) and adjusted operating profit of around 3.9 billion US dollars (3.5 billion euros). Combined sales of the respective top brands of the three business units – Loctite, Schwarzkopf and Persil – amounted to 7.2 billion US dollars (6.4 billion euros). Henkel employs more than 53,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please click here.

About Aculon

Aculon, Inc. is an award winning and leading surface modification company that specializes in creating ultra-thin film treatments to modify surfaces to make them repellant. The company was founded in 2004 and has developed a broad suite of surface modification technologies including hydrophobic, superhydrophobic, oleophobic, hydrophilic, anti-fouling and adhesion promotion technologies for global electronics, oil and gas and a specialty markets, including, automotive, optical, and industrial applications. Aculon’s technologies can be applied via spray, wipe or dipping processes that mitigate the need for capital-intensive vacuum chamber deposition processes.