INDUSTRY NEWS: Astris Acquies Czech Affiliate.(Astris s.r.o. is acquired from Macnor Corp.

Canada's Ballard Power Systems Inc. said that it entered an exclusive development agreement with MicroCoating Technologies Inc. (MCT) for a proprietary combustion chemical vapor deposition process (CCVD) for use in the Ballard fuel cells. The deal includes $10.5 million, or 3% MCT equity being acquired by Ballard. Under the joint ......

Ballard Power Systems Inc. said that it has signed an agreement with Textron Systems of Wilmington, Massachusetts under which Ballard will acquire Textron's carbon products business unit for $12.8 million. Textron Systems' business unit develops and manufactures a variety of carbon materials for automotive and fuel cell applications, including a ......

Plug Power Inc. and H Power Corp. have entered into a definitive merger agreement in which Plug Power would acquire H Power in a stock-for-stock exchange valued at approximately $50.7 million. The two companies believe that the combination of these two major players in the PEM fuel cell industry will ......

The case illustrates the financial and managerial challenges faced by a woman entrepreneur in an emerging high-tech industry. ElectroChem, Inc. designed and manufactured polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells as an alternative energy source for commercial application. The firm was losing money when its founder, Vinod Jalan, unexpectedly passed away ......

A recent transaction involving DaimlerChrysler AG, Ballard Power Systems Inc. and Ford Motor Co. was hailed as a significant step toward bringing fuel cell products to commercial markets. Under the transaction, the transportation alliance formed by Ballard, XCELLSIS and Eco-star will be consolidated to create an integrated fuel cell systems ......

Modine Manufacturing Co. said it has signed a new agreement with Xcellsis, a developer of fuel cells, expanding their relationship to include components for hydrogen powered vehicles. Early introduction of this technology is expected to develop around various types of fleet vehicles, which can be centrally fueled, such as buses, ......

When DCH Technology Inc. pitches its low-wattage Enable fuel cells to potential customers, one of its selling points are the cells' capacity to outlast a technological rival, garden-variety battery. Now, if only the company could make such claims about itself. The Valencia-based startup recently has made some key sales and ......

To get a pulse on what is going on in the diverse, often misunderstood "nano" market, I turned to my good friend Ed Moran, of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group at Deloitte Services LLP. Ed has been following the "nano" industry for the past five or six years, working ......