BluGlass cuts Japan distribution deal with ITOCHU Plastics

CIPS has won the sole rights to market BluGlass's unique Australian-bred LED manufacturing technology in Japan.

"This is a breakthrough in the commercialisation of our next generation lighting technology," said BluGlass chief executive officer Mr Giles Bourne. "We have been talking to CIPS since August and they, together with BluGlass, have successfully introduced BluGlass technology to the Japanese market.

The BluGlass technology allows the production of gallium nitride based (GaN) semiconductor wafers considerably cheaper than existing processes. GaN-based wafers are used in high performance LED general lighting devices for use in homes, offices and factories that are considerably more energy efficient than traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs and tubes.

Executives from CIPS visited BluGlass's pilot manufacturing plant in late December before the distribution deal was signed "CIPS' highly skilled sales team will promote the RPCVD technology with equipment to demonstrate the core competencies of both companies in GaN based semiconductor wafer business for the Japanese LED market," stated Yamamoto, General Manager of CIPS.

"BluGlass' technology and equipment are a perfect complement to those that CIPS already delivers to the Japanese LED market, as well as enabling expansion of CIPS sales products, materials for LED, to leading edge GaN LED applications," Yamamoto added.

Mr Bourne said the agreement was an important milestone and BluGlass will be seeking to set up similar agreements in different markets around the world. He said that it indicated that the company was progressing well on its long-stated plan to commercialise the GaN technology, which was developed by scientists at Sydney's Macquarie University.

"Our ultimate plan is to sell our semiconductor manufacturing equipment to the Japanese market through Itochu," Mr Bourne said. "That would involve payments for the plant equipment and also ongoing licensing fees. We are also hoping to negotiate strategic collaborations with Japanese corporations so that we can further develop uses for our technology."