Armadale Capital Regulatory News (ACP)

20 Apr 2006 07:00

MicroFuze International plc20 April 2006 20 APRIL 2006 Doug Parrish, CEO, MicroFuze International plc 020-7016-5100Tim Wall, Finance Director, MicroFuze International plc 020-7016-5100Henry Gewanter, PR, Positive Profile 020-7489-2028 FIRST COMMERCIAL ORDER FOR MICROFUZE INTERNATIONAL PLC (MFZ) MicroFuze International plc has won its first commercial order following its AIMflotation in February 2006. Diffusion Technologies, Inc. of Saraland, Alabama isto use MicroFuze's US subsidiary, Tesla USA Inc., to chrome diffuse 80,000 studsfor use in the pulp and paper industry. The studs are welded into the blackliquor cooling panels to reduce corrosion and erosion in heat exchange boilers. Diffusion Technologies is an industry leader in the maintenance of black liquorboilers for energy extraction and a tier one supplier to the pulp and paperindustry. Diffusion Technologies is already testing Tesla's microwave treatedproducts and finds significant advantages in using microwave treated productsover conventional diffusion. The microwave diffusion of chrome for studs takesplace within a few hours, replacing conventional processes that take severaldays, and make products that are more consistent in quality and superior inwelding characteristics. Tesla will process the order through its existing microwave installation inChattanooga, Tennessee starting immediately. MicroFuze is confident that this order will be followed by several more,increasing in size as the new, larger and more efficient commercial productionmicrowaves are commissioned. Doug Parrish, Chief Executive Officer of MicroFuze, added: "I'm delighted tosign our first contract so soon after our recent flotation. This exciting newtechnology has already attracted the attention of some of the world's leadingmultinational companies in key industries including automotive, chemical,defence, health, power generation, textiles and aviation and I'm looking forwardto announcing more contracts and the commission of new microwaves soon." Fred Pace, Vice President of Diffusion Technologies, said, "We've already testedTesla's early prototype studs and know that these products are easier to weld.Micrographic analysis confirms less porosity and decarburisation, which gives usconfidence that diffused studs from a microwave will exhibit superior wearcharacteristics. I am looking forward to increasing my order with Tesla oncethey bring on larger commercial microwaves." END. Notes to Editors: MicroFuze International MicroFuze is a metals technology company which owns, through its 85% ownedsubsidiary Tesla USA, Inc. (TUI), the sole licence to commercialise the USDepartment of Energy's patented process for Microwave Diffusion Treatment("MDT") discovered by their Oak Ridge, Tennessee Nuclear Research Facility. TheUS Department of Energy retains a 10% interest in TUI and Harley Grant, the OakRidge inventor of the process, holds the remaining 5% of TUI shares. Because MDT is quicker, cheaper and cleaner than all known existing surfacetreatments of metals, it provides significant physical, economic andenvironmental advantages. MDT can make cheap steel nearly impenetrable and hasendless potential uses for parts, components and accessories which requirehardening, lubricity, wear resistance and corrosion protection. Industries thatwill benefit from MDT include power generation, automotive, aeronautical andgeneral manufacturing in a global market worth US$6 billion annually. Diffusion Technologies Diffusion Technologies, Inc is an industry leader in the maintenance of blackliquor boilers for energy extraction and a tier one supplier to the pulp andpaper industry. Diffusion is a specialist in installation and repair of studs inblack liquor boilers and supplies multi-national corporations in southern USA. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange