TEMPE, Arizona, Nov. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SDCmaterials, Inc. (SDC) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with China's leading automotive catalyst supplier, Wuxi Weifu Lida, to commercialize products incorporating SDC's high performance active ingredients for automotive catalytic converters.

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Under the agreement, SDCmaterials will work with Wuxi Weifu Lida to commercialize catalysts for automotive OEMs in China. These catalysts will incorporate SDCs Nano-on-Nano™ ingredient formulations which require as little as 40 percent of the platinum-group metals needed in traditional catalysts, essentially doubling the efficiency of the precious-metal composition.

"The dual challenge of rapidly increasing domestic automobile demand and increasingly strict emissions regulations in China, and around the world, creates a major opportunity for Wuxi Weifu Lida to increase our leadership position in China and enter new markets," said Mr. Wang Jiaming, General Manager of Wuxi Weifu Lida. "Working together with SDCmaterials we will deliver the industry's most advanced catalyst solutions - solutions which will meet stringent emission levels at the lowest possible cost and without impacting vehicle performance."

"China is an extremely important market for SDCmaterials and the automotive catalyst industry in general," said SDCmaterials' CEO Maximilian Biberger. "Establishing a close working relationship with Wuxi Weifu Lida, the country's leading automotive catalyst supplier, will provide a tremendous boost to our commercialization activity in the country."

Among the first OEMs that will be pursued under this agreement is SAIC General Motors Co., Ltd. (SGM), a joint venture between GM and SAIC. "As an investor in SDCmaterials, we believe that this agreement between SDC and Wuxi Weifu Lida sets up an excellent partnership that will deliver new, cost-effective solutions for automotive catalysts," said Jon Lauckner, General Motors chief technology officer and president of GM Ventures.

SDC manufactures its Nano-on-Nano^TM catalyst ingredients via their patented plasma-synthesis technology, which integrates nano-sized precious metal particles onto nano-oxide support particles. When incorporated into a catalytic converter, the ingredients inhibit catalyst-degrading precious-metal migration and agglomeration, creating more stable and predictable emissions control, and allowing the catalyst manufacturer to use substantially less precious metal.

About Wuxi Weifu Lida Catalytic Co. Ltd
Wuxi Weifu Lida Catalytic Converter Co., Ltd. is a state-owned enterprise held by Wuxi Weifu High-technology Co., Ltd., and is China's largest automotive catalyst provider. The company manufactures over 160 products within three ranges of catalyst, purifier and muffler, covering the fields of petrol vehicles, diesel vehicles, motorcycles, LPG (CNG), GE machinery and industrial catalyzing. For more information, visit: http://wftr.weifu.com.cn/weifu/app/homepage

About SDCmaterials
SDCmaterials develops and commercializes advanced catalyst products based on a novel materials fabrication and integration platform. Founded in 2004, the company's headquarters and R&D center are in Tempe, AZ. It also owns and operates a production facility in Schwarzheide, Germany. Investors include the venture capital arms of General Motors, Volvo Group, and SAIC Motor Corp., China's largest automaker, as well as BASF Venture Capital; Emerald Technology Partners, a leader in clean-tech venture capital; and Invus Financial Advisors. For more information, visit http://www.sdcmaterials.com.

SDCmaterials contact:
info@sdcmaterials.com

Wuxi Weifu Lida Catalytic Converter Co. Ltd. contact:
Mr. Wang Jiaming, General Manager
Email: Jiaming.wang@weifu.com.cn

Related Links

www.sdcmaterials.com

SOURCE SDCmaterials, Inc.