MOSCOW, May 1, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- NUCON-RF, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NNRF) today announced that Klaus Rose has been retained by the Company to support the sales and marketing of its proprietary radiation shielding materials, FEECOM and BIECOM, in the European Union.
The primary objective of Mr. Rose's work will be the development of customized solutions and sales of FEECOM and BIECOM to nuclear utilities in Germany and Western Europe. To accomplish this objective, NUCON-RF has entered into a technology development and enhancement contract with the Fachhochschule Hannover, Department of Machinery, Institute for Radio Ecology and Nuclear Safety ("Institute") located in Hannover, Germany. The agreement with the Institute will include many key tests to further validate the efficacy of FEECOM and BIECOM for large scale use at a nuclear facility.
The traditional use of lead as a shielding material is being phased out as the European Union has banned the use of lead in all facilities after the year 2010. NUCON-RF anticipates that German nuclear utility managers may replace lead with FEECOM or BIECOM. Presently, one German nuclear utility evaluating the use of the Company's shielding materials has 95 metric tons of lead that must be replaced. In Germany, there are 17 nuclear utilities with 1,615 metric tons of lead, which is the equivalent of 1,300 metric tons of BIECOM. A realistic replacement program of 10% per year would require 130 metric tons of BIECOM annually. Further, the site managers of the nuclear power stations are currently considering the use of FEECOM and BIECOM to cover the tubes and pipes within the power stations.
NUCON-RF is in the process of establishing a factory for the production of FEECOM and BIECOM in Lower Saxony (Germany). NUCON-RF has also submitted a grant application with the German government for funding and deferring the costs of establishing this factory and for additional research and development. All intellectual property and applications developed in the future will be solely owned by NUCON-RF.
The sales and marketing of FEECOM and BIECOM will be centered in the facilities in Lower Saxony. The primary goal of the German marketing office is to develop specific new solutions for the European Union, Russian and global markets. In addition, NUCON-RF is presently negotiating the formation of strategic partnerships with leading energy companies which could greatly enhance the introduction of these materials into global markets.
NUCON-RF believes that the awareness of the toxicity of lead and the legislative efforts to ban its use indicates a burgeoning market for lead replacements. NUCON-RF anticipates that the lead replacement movement currently underway in the European Union will occur throughout the global nuclear industry as well in hospitals, dentist and medical facilities, among others. NUCON-RF anticipates that the certification and addition of customized physical characteristics by the Institute in Germany will place the Company in a position to commence sales to global markets.
This new composite shielding material is a polymer with an additive and a metal blocker which provides new dimensions in radiation safety. A distinctive feature of this new material is that it is possible to modify its protection and construction properties as required. Another advantage of the new material is that it is more flexible than traditional shielding materials. The new shielding material also surpasses steel in withstanding corrosion attacks and can be modified with the same structural integrity as steel for use as a construction material. The new shielding materials are not toxic, can be manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner, and possess excellent thermal stability.
NUCON-RF believes that the ability to mould the materials provides significant numbers of customized applications for a number of product offerings such as: syringe shields, glove boxes, electron accelerators, radon generators and shielding applications in nuclear power plants.
FEECOM and BIECOM, as well as NuCap(tm), have been selected for use at projects in the Russian Federation. NUCON-RF is currently developing the customized solutions for temporary and permanent shielding applications in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Nuclear Energy - Decommissioning Department and other Russian State enterprises for Andreyeva Bay, Sayda Bay, and the former technical support ship, Lepse. NUCON-RF is also developing customer oriented solutions for the long-term dry storage facility for spent fuel and non-reprocessable fuel elements under construction in Siberia by the Federal Agency for Nuclear Energy.
The new shielding material can be cast in moulds in various forms, such as bricks and plates, containers or plaster, and on fixed walls. Each of these applications is contemplated at the various decommissioning projects noted above. NUCON-RF believes that these applications will also be applicable to decommissioning and disposal projects operated by the radiation waste agencies in the European Union, including ANDRA (France), NIREX UK, ENRESA (Spain), DBE (Germany), COVRA (Netherlands), and ONDRAF/NIRAS (Belgium).
The inventor of the FEECOM/BIECOM technology is Dr. Hans-Jurgen Engelmann. Dr. Engelmann is Director of Shielding Technologies for NUCON-RF and is a recognized expert having devoted more than 40 years to the field. Dr. Engelmann has held many important government positions, the last being the Head and General Division Manager of the Technology and Development division of DBE (Deutsche Gesellschaft zum Bau und Betrieb fur Abfallstoffe m.b.H, Peine Germany), and Deputy Manager of "CASSIOPEE", a European Union agency responsible for nuclear safety. Previously, Dr. Engelmann was employed in the waste management research division of DBE and was occupied with the development and procurement of shielding containers for transport of radioactive waste and design of technical systems of storage and final disposal.
ABOUT NUCON-RF:
NUCON-RF, a U.S. corporation with executive and operations offices in Washington, Berlin and Moscow, provides products, technologies and engineering/design services for a range of environmental challenges. The Company owns manufacturing facilities and provides both equipment and services for nuclear waste solutions, as well as compliance, shielding, transport and storage requirements for nuclear power plants. NUCON-RF also owns and licenses proprietary leading edge technologies which augment the Company's market edge in manufacturing, design, engineering and services capabilities. The Company has a highly experienced, proven and high profile management team whose capabilities include extensive in-house expertise in all aspects of radiological protection and radiological waste management. NUCON-RF is currently involved in providing nuclear power plant equipment in Russia and China and intends to expand to India, European Union and North American markets in 2007-08. Current projects for 2007-2010 include multiple international nuclear waste remediation projects in northwestern Russia that are multilaterally funded by G-8 member countries for the decommissioning and disposal of nuclear powered naval vessels of the former Soviet Union. The Company is currently engaged in the due diligence phase of potential further acquisitions in 2007-2008 which are intended to substantially increase its asset and revenue base.
Safe Harbor Statement statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding announcements of financial results, business potentiality and other prospective presentations by NUCON-RF, Inc. Such statements reflect management's current views, are based on certain assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results, events, or performance may differ materially from the above forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, and will be dependent upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, our ability to obtain additional financing that will allow us to continue our current and future operations and whether demand for our products in domestic and international markets will continue to expand. NUCON-RF undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect any change in NUCON-RF's expectations with regard to these forward-looking statements or the occurrence of unanticipated events.