Nonmetallics

Naples, Fla.-based Lehigh Technologies Inc., a leading manufacturer of engineered rubber powder, has announced that it will triple production capacity of its ultra-fine rubber powder and is in the final phase of its search for two new plant sites.

"Industries are embracing our rubber powder technology, which can lessen our nation’s dependence on oil, and they are turning to us for technology and products that take on environmental sustainability," Dennis Gormley, CEO of Lehigh Technologies, says.

Lehigh is considering locations in Alabama, California, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee for the plants, which will be approximately 100,000 square feet. The company estimates that each site will employ from 75 to 100 workers.

Gormley says Lehigh plans to break ground in 2007 on the first of the two plants and in early 2008 for the other. Once the plants have been completed, Lehigh says it will have the ability to deliver more than 300 million pounds of its engineered rubber powder made from scrap tires to manufacturers in the auto, rubber, plastics and polymer products industries.

Lehigh Technologies currently has one production facility in Tucker, Ga. The plant generates no environmental waste of any kind and requires no air, water, pollution or other permits, according to the company.

To help Lehigh Technologies meet the demand for its engineered rubber powder, Addison, Texas-based The Staubach Co., a real estate advisory firm founded by NFL quarterback Roger Staubach, is leading the site search.

"With Lehigh, we’re going beyond the traditional economic benefits of job creation and capital investment to include worldwide environmental benefits," according to Keith Scott, VP of Staubach’s Business and Economic Incentives Practice. "Lehigh anticipates that its presence may encourage and attract other companies to set up camp nearby, helping to drive new green technology centers in the states currently under consideration."

More information on Lehigh Technologies is available from the company’s Web site at www.lehightechnologies.com.

MBA Polymers Inc., based in Richmond, Calif., has secured $20 million in funding with the help of Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures and Benchmark Capital. MBA will use its new funds to expand the number of factories it operates in Europe and Asia.

MBA Polymers recovers plastics from complex scrap streams, including household appliances, computer and business equipment and automobiles. The company says it has perfected a process to recover and separate high-value plastics from each other and from residual waste. The result is less expensive plastics with a quality virtually indistinguishable from virgin resins, according to the company.

MBA says its processes require a fraction of the energy and natural resources of traditional plastics factories.

"We are delighted to partner with two premier investment firms which have strong global networks," Mike Biddle, CEO of MBA, says. "We now have the financial strength to increase our position as the cleantech leader in recycling engineering plastics and to continue to grow our business worldwide."

Soren Hein of Doughty Hanson says, "MBA is a rare combination. It is both an important venture investment and a company which the entire industry wants to succeed because its technology is so worthwhile and unique."

George Coelho of Benchmark Capital adds, "We believe that MBA has the potential to scale rapidly in a sector that is increasingly important in today’s society. Our team at Benchmark looks forward to working closely with such an exciting company in this fast-advancing field."

Hein and Coelho also have joined MBA’s Polymers board of directors.