ElectriPlast: Lighter, Friendlier Skies
Industry
Changes
Envisioned...
By Aerospace Manufacturing
and Design; and
By AirMaintenance Update
Publisher's Note: The following article was a find highlighted by a couple of your fellow EB Readers. The original articles can be seen at: http://www.onlineamd.com/news.cfm?id=657; and http://amumagazine.com/link%20pages/daily%20update.html. Unfortunately, the article has no date reference, but it does offer a bit of new insight all the same, so enjoy the read, PK sends...
Lightening The Load of the Friendly Skies
If you've flown recently you've probably noticed that airlines are doing everything possible to lighten the load in an effort to use less fuel. But could the key to reducing aviation industry fuel costs lie with lighter planes themselves?
While historically fuel expense has ranged from 10 to 15% of U.S. passenger airline operating costs, according to the Air Transport Association it is currently running between 30 and 50%. With the skyrocketing price of fuel, and no decreases on the horizon, airlines have begun taken steps to lighten freight load. These measures include removing flight phones, ovens, and more, steps that go well beyond streamlined meals and beverage cart services.
A possible long-term solution may be to dramatically re-engineer aircrafts with the latest in design technologies, advances that utilize only the smallest and lightest materials. Bellingham-based Integral Technologies may have discovered what will someday be thought of an epochal building block for the transportation industry.
The company has developed a moldable conductive plastic, named ElectriPlast™, a polymer blend that can be used to conduct electricity or as an antenna and is, on average 20% lighter than copper. Examples where this plastic advance could be used include cable and wiring--which currently account for miles in length, and tons of pounds in mammoth transportation structures--thus allowing for significant weight savings.
The idea seems simple: free designers from the constraints that have previously hindered them by providing an able alternative to metals. "ElectriPlast™ does what no plastic has done before, it can carry electrical currents as capably as copper," explains Thomas Aisnebrey, Inventor and General Manager for the company. "The material consists of small pellets of plastic-wrapped metal fibers that, when poured into a hot molding machine and shaped, may help streamline production of all electronics."
After spending years perfecting hundreds of formulations and blends of the material, Integral is actively showcasing ElectriPlast™ to various industries.
There are more than 118 patents filed around the product and its use. Along with their official manufacturing partner, Jasper Rubber Products, Integral is currently working to apply their innovations toward the creation of antennas, apparel, appliances, audio & visual devices, automotive products, batteries, cables, computers, electrical and heating systems, and more.
"This vast family of highly conductive polymers can be molded into virtually any shape or dimension that any other plastic, rubber, or other polymer can be molded into," explains Integral CEO William Robinson. "With the adoption of ElectiPlast™ into the R&D cycle, manufacturers will be able to seriously lighten their load."
For more information visit www.itkg.net.
posted by PK... | 5/27/2008 10:27:00 PM
9 Comments:
Here's a link to the original article, dated May 16, 2008 in Air Maintenance...http://amumagazine.com/link%20pages/daily%20update.html
Hi PK:
Another good article / press release last week in "Airplane Maintenance Update" and in "Aerospace Manufacturing & Design". The problem I have as well as it seems many of your Blog readers have, is, "These articles" which we've seen throughout the years, concerning cell phone antennas to more recently computer enclosures, come directly from ITKG (MP perhaps). These are just company PR pieces and not observations from writers, engineers, or any other 3rd party. These "ITKG articles" have been an on-going problem for me. They are certainly great ideas however they are just ideas presented by ITKG. They are not true articles written by an outside person who has done a little bit of investigating and research.
I understand that planting these cell phone antennae, computer enclosure, and aircraft wiring stories are probably needed for "planting a seed" of "what could be", into the minds of engineers, designers, and planners. However, they are still just ideas and press releases from ITKG. Nothing more. Certainly nothing to get our hopes up about.
Bob G --
Thank you for uncovering the original article. Your addition also now graces the By-Line for this posting. Danke.
Captain B --
I agree whole heartedly, as a matter of fact, last week I drafted a piece extolling the lack of substance coming from Integral, and focusing on the Whispered Rumors of events taking place behind the scenes. That story is being vetted and may see light of day soon enough.
In the meantime, I--like you--wonder at these seeder-articles coming from Integral.
I wonder at who their targeted audience really is?
Moreover, I wonder why they choose to go around their base, the shareholders, to offer words of enlightenment, and motivated interest?
I mean, tell me if I am wrong on this one. I am a person interested in dialog, not only a "once-in-a-while" Press Release when the mood suites, or when cheery-picked events occur, but in a true give-and-take debate on the topics that have brought us together.
Further, I would be happy if Integral actually did come out with their supposed new WEBSITE. Were that to occur, then I--for one--would urge that they include a "CEO Soapbox" wherein the leadership could offer a weekly or monthly talking points dialog with the investing audience... At the very least, it would be engaging, also it would serve IR by better controlling the message and dispelling the errant rumors and misleading innuendo some Integral watchers have chosen to drape their derisive commentary in.
Needless to say it again Capt B., but you're right, seeder pieces are nice, but only if there is a connect-the-dots game plan behind the release.
Now, if we were to see an article in the next few weeks related to a Purchase Order by a formerly reported Aerospace concern, then the seeder-articles would make some small sense.
Still the question would remain, why release an article to the trade magazines and not speak directly to the shareholders, after all, who are the ones 'out here' taking the risks???
Good thing I just report what is going on. Often I find that one could get a headache working to psychoanalyze the rhyme & reasons of Integral's leadership.
PK sends…
I agree with you a 1000% PK. We the shareholders are basically ignored and often treated like garbage. Why?? We are the people helping to pay everbody's salary and bonus day in and day out year after year after year. We believe and support TA's dream. That is why we are here, Tom's dream. That is the reason I first became involved.
Many of us have supported this revolutionary technological creation for many many years with most of those spent in a dark communicationless oblivion. Why?? We are not the bashers and day-traders, we are the believers. We are the supporters. We buy the shares on the open markets and are not privvy to the 1/2 price Private Placements. We are the real shareholders. The believers. Day after day after day.
Why is there no energy, warmth, and excitement surrounding this company? Why is there not a brilliant hi tech ElectriPlast.com website, up and functioning to enlighten the world? Filled with pictures and possible uses with all of the electricity and excitement that a technology like this posesses? We know that there is an ElectriPlast.com. Why is it not open to the world?
I was promised over a year ago, by IR, that the Discovery Channel piece would be on the current website to be shared with the world. Why is it not there??
A year ago we were all promised that 3rd party testing results would be announced. Where are they? Why doesn't the world know just how great these various formulations conduct electricity? We don't desire to know the secret formulations. We just want the world to know how revolutionary this stuff is. Why must one sign an NDA in order to receive the stats of how the EP conducts using copper or aluminum or how it conducts heat or RF signals, or WiFi, etc. We're the shareholders, we're the believers, we would like to know the various stats and if they truly are what I believe them to be, then why can't the entire world know?? How would such positive news negatively affect the presentation to prospective clients of EP?? How would sharing great product statistics harm this company or it's IP? Wouldn't such positive stats create a tidal wave of excitement??
During the last year and a half our share price has gone from $4.00 to $.70 yet many of us are still here because of TA's dream and the true possibilities of just what a compound like this could do for the world. Personally, I'm still here because of the whole-hearted involvement of Jasper Rubber. This company's total involvement is the thread of hope for me. Yet we are shareholders of ITKG and it is the fiduciary responsibility of ITKG, not Jasper, to keep us informed and to answer some of our questions. We just want to continue to believe, to support, and to play a teeny tiny part in the ElectriPlast story. I have invested a lot of money (and angst) in Tom's dream and rather then feel a part of something big and revolutionary I feel cold and a part of nothing.
I fear that our next official press release will be announcing another dilution of shares in the form of another Private Placement (of which most all of us LL's will not be asked to participate in).
Anonymous --
That sounds like the making for an Open Letter to the EB... Would you be up for my posting it (or any changes you deem pertinant) as such?
Let me know at: "electriplast@hotmail.com"
PK sends...
PK, the prior posting brought up an interesting point with regard to private placements. How many private placements has ITKG done over the last 5 years or so? Frankly, if the product is as good as it has been made out to be, Jasper should consider an interest free loan to ITKG now that they have a vested interest in making sure ITKG remains a viable entity...
Anonymous --
Good question.
Something that can be found by strumming through the public SEC reports. I'll tinker with that one as time permits.
PK sends...
You said something about a upcoming shareholder meeting...when is that?
Anonymous,
Thanks for reading. The commentary highlighting the 1st Shareholder meeting was offered as sarcasm to add emphasis to the lacking acknowledgement the shareholders have, and the perception by the ITKG management that their impact holds.
Were Integral truly responsive and responsible to its investor-base, and were they confident enough to hold a Shareholder meeting today, how do you think they would fare under the shadow of a "No Confidence Vote...?"
I mean didn't Disney Co. have one a few years back?
PK sends...
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