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[June 2003]
H C Starck Acquires Majority Holding in Fuel Cell Company
H C Starck (Goslar, Germany) has acquired a majority holding in the Dutch producer of fuel cell components, InDEC BV (Petten, Holland).
H C Starck and another shareholder, Energy Research Center (ECN, also of Petten, Holland) will collaborate on a research project in the field of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The total investment will be in the two-digit €million range.
There are different types of fuel cell systems, but H C Starck and InDEC have concentrated on the production of planar ceramic components for SOFC systems. They have supplied the new cells to developers of fuel cell systems that have already begun testing pre-series models of fuel cells in practice.
ECN founded InDEC as a subsidiary in 1999, operating a pilot plant for SOFC components. As a consequence of H C Starck's longstanding SOFC powder development efforts, an intensive contact has existed with ECN and InDEC for several years.
This mutually beneficial cooperation will deepen through the acquisition. By combining the SOFC activities of H C Starck and InDEC, they say it will be possible to realise future synergies in materials development and component production.
The actual series production of fuel cell components will take place at H C Starck's site in Selb, Germany at a later date. The project will require additional investments and new jobs will be created.
ENDS