NanoLayr
Most Innovative Deep Tech Company in New Zealand, NanoLayr
June 4, 2021
What we do at NanoLayr is a little like balancing a marble on a balloon.
Nanofibres are made with our proprietary, Sonic Electrospinning Technology, a notoriously complex process involving a single droplet of polymer being held in an electrical field to create nanofibre. It is incredibly difficult to produce at scale.
There is no copybook to follow for manufacturing nanofibre at scale. And there are no machines you can buy off the shelf to produce it, so we had to invent them.
Our production technique, and how we make nanofibre, was borne from true Kiwi DIY innovation and countless collaborations with New Zealanders finest researchers, chemists, and engineers.
It has led to something unique, world-beating and now, we have the capability to produce nanofibre at a vast scale to meet growing global demand.
Our world-class manufacturing technology platform has fueled our global ambitions to make an impact on the lives of as many people as possible. At the 2021 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, NanoLayr was recognised nationally winning the Most Innovative Deep Tech Solution Award for taking New Zealand’s deep technology innovations to the world stage.
The judges said: “NanoLayr has overcome highly technical complexity to scale-up its proprietary Sonic Electrospinning Technology from the first principle with a deep connection to the research ecosystem.”
“This, combined with a clever Intellectual Property strategy, sound productisation of their technology, and an ambition to grow more high-value opportunity in Aotearoa, is what sets them apart.”
It’s great a way to sum up the journey we had – and this is a get milestone for us as we unlocked the power of nanofibre.
We are the custodians of amazing platform technology and for us, it’s all about unlocking the power of small on a global scale and putting New Zealand front and centre on a global textiles map as the centre of excellence for nanofibre.
To meet demand, our production targets are now in hundreds of thousands of kilometres of rolled goods (e.g., 20,000m per month of ActivLayr) using four commercial-scale Sonic Electrospinning machines at our site in South Auckland.
The factory is designed to accommodate eight more machines by the end of 2022, and up to 16 machines by 2024/5. It is easily foreseeable to achieve a $100 million turnover with a $1 billion valuation.
So why the demand? Nanofibre has huge commercial potential because of its incredible physical properties, lightweight structure, and ability to carry functional additives. The latter is a quality that provides big opportunities in markets such as filtration, clothing and cosmeceutical.
NanoLayr focusses on areas of application where nanofibre offers a distinct performance edge, including products such as SonoLayr (the thinnest & lightest sound absorbing material in the world) and FilterLayr filter media which easily meets the newest ASTM F3502 standard test method for barrier face coverings in response to the COVID pandemic.
These diverse applications have been possible through a Deep Tech combination of chemistry, engineering, materials science and mastering the application and performance needs of our clients. But to compete as a manufacturer, NanoLayr has developed perhaps the most robust and adaptable electrospinning methods in the world.
It not only allows us to make non-woven textiles from a wide range of polymers and carry functional ingredients in high loadings, our unique scalable technology, Sonic Electrospinning Technology enables mass production of nanofibre.
It has made large-volume applications of this complex and extraordinary textile commercially feasible.
We are proud to be recognised as New Zealand’s Leading Innovative Deep Tech Company!