Directa Plus Regulatory News (DCTA)

23 April 2018

Directa Plus plc

("Directa Plus" or the "Company")

Directa Plus enters Strategic Collaboration with Marangoni Group

 Graphene Plus to be developed for retreading sector to further extend sustainable life-cycle of tyres

Directa Plus plc (AIM: DCTA), a leading producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement (the "Agreement") for the production of new and retreaded tyres with Marangoni S.p.A. ("Marangoni"), a global leader in the tyre retreading industry and in the development of associated technologies and machinery. Under the terms of the Agreement, both the Company and Marangoni will work together to develop a bespoke version of the Company's Graphene Plus ("G+") to improve the performance of Marangoni compounds in truck and bus tyre retreading.

Tyre retreading is the process through which selected and inspected used tyre casings receive a new tread that adheres perfectly to the tyre structure. The result is a new retreaded tyre with the same or even better performance than a brand new product. Truck tyre retreading helps the economy by allowing transporters around the world to save on costs and by generating added value for local activities. Additionally, tyre retreading is an environmentally-friendly solution and hence is being supported by various regulating bodies that encourage the use of retreaded tyres.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Directa Plus will commence work immediately with Marangoni to develop a bespoke G+ product to be used in Marangoni's specialist rubber compounds in the tyre retreading sector. The incorporation of G+ is expected to improve the performances of retreaded tyres by increasing grip, durability and fuel efficiency. For the specific purpose of retreading, this has the potential to extend the lifespan of the tyre, thereby ensuring the efficient use of resources and reducing waste. Following the development of the bespoke G+ product in 2018, it will be incorporated into Marangoni's tyres and move to a pilot programme with a view to a commercial launch in 2019.

The Agreement is built on a shared vision of combining scientific innovation with a leading-edge tyre technology. Directa Plus' patented production process is 100% chemical-free. Marangoni's involvement in the retreading industry embodies the transition from the linear economy to the circular economy, whereby maximum value is extracted from the planet's resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible.

Giulio Cesareo, Chief Executive Officer of Directa Plus, said: "Marangoni's approach to tyre retreading is fully aligned with our core principle of using technology to promote environmental sustainability. This is why we are excited to demonstrate how the benefits of G+ can further improve Marangoni's truck tyre retreading compounds. Our team already has experience of successfully tailoring and developing bespoke G+ to enhance commercially-available tyres. We look forward to working with Marangoni to bring our latest innovations for tyre applications to the market, which will reduce the environmental impact of tyre disposal around the world."

Dino Maggioni, Chief Executive Officer of Marangoni, added: "The collaboration with Directa Plus is aimed at doing a quantum leap for the performance of our retreading solutions by perfecting the use of graphene. After a comprehensive exploration of the existing technology providers, we found a perfect alignment with Directa Plus. We strongly believe that joining forces with them will allow us to shorten our time to market in our quest of providing products having superior durability and rolling resistance as well as outreach our environmental sustainability roadmap."

Enquiries

About Directa Plus

Directa Plus is one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets worldwide. By incorporating Directa Plus' unique graphene blends, identified by the G+ brand, its customers can enhance the performance of their end products without significantly increasing their cost. Directa Plus graphene-based products are natural, chemical-free, sustainably produced and tailored to specific customer requirements for commercial applications such as smart textiles, tyres, composite materials and environmental solutions.

Established in 2005, the Company has a patented technology process and a portfolio of product and application patents. It produces its graphene-based products at its own factory in Lomazzo, Italy, with a scalable and exportable manufacturing model enabling the set-up of additional production at customer locations to reduce transport costs, waste and time-to-utilisation. Directa Plus partners with customers to enable them to offer the high-performance benefits of graphene in their own products.

About Marangoni Group

The Marangoni Group is a globally recognised leader in the tyre retreading industry and in the development of technologies and machinery for the production of new and retreaded tyres. The Marangoni Retreading Systems division is the market leader in the supply of technologies and materials for the cold retreading of truck & bus radial tyres (TBR), such as the RINGTREAD, a technology that assures the same performances of a brand new truck tyre, generating the highest value for all the market operators, lowering the cost of the retreading activity and decreasing the cost per kilometre for any fleets operating in any market segment.

Founded in 1947 in Rovereto (TN), Italy, Marangoni today is an international group operating with 10 production facilities and 1,300 employees worldwide. Marangoni's RINGTREAD is the only retreading system that uses precured tread rings produced in a seamless circular shape, which adhere to the casing without any tension or deformation of the tread design, while ensuring maximum performance. The result of this technique is a retreaded tyre that is comparable to a new one.