NAtech

Formerly New Age Technologies SA now NAtech SA is an Euskadi industrial conglomerate operating in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The company's main business are fuel cells, defence & aerospace and energy.

History
In the summer of 1992, a group of engineers headed by Benito Ignacio Pérez Unanue began working on developing a fuel cell for use in hospitals. That was the birth of NAtech, a company that patented the first fuel cell, NACELL, in March 1993.

NACELL was a large stationary cell for use as auxiliary power in hospitals and other buildings. What made NACELL a revolutionary concept was its 60% of efficiency. Considering that heat produced in the cell could be used in the building the total efficiency went over 80%. In the next two years NACELL was standarized as auxiliary power in every government office as well as in many other buildings of Euskadi, Spain and France.

In 1995 Natech patented NACELL X1, a compact fuel cell avaliable to be used at low temperature what made the X1 unit perfect to equip electrical vehicles. It becomes a reality in 1996 when the first Fuel Cell Prototype Car was made by Mercedes Benz.

Between 1996 and 2000 Natech became the world leader in Fuel Cell technology with 57 new patents. At the end of 1999, 42% of the vehicles sold in Euskadi were powered by Natech fuel cells.

The first Integrated Coal Zero-Emission Plants started in 2002 and hydrogen became cheaper and more accesible. Hydrogen pipelines were constructed and hydrogen fuel stations became common. Euskadi government turns into a hydrogen economy in early 2004 and announced that civil combustion engines will be banned by the end of 2010. These facts were crucial for the expansion of the company, which became a global leader and technological reference in its field.

Many national and international companies were born in the last years in order to get a place in the new hydrogen economy, but at the end of 2010 Natech still had more than 83% of the european fuel cell market share and more than 55% of world one.

Since its birth until today, NAtech has experienced tremendous growth that has enabled it to become one of the world's richest corporations. Currently, the company operates in areas as diverse as the electronics industry, mining and steel, petroleum and energy, aerospace, defense and finance.

Core business

 * NAtech Fuel Cells
 * NAtech Aerospace
 * NA Financial Services

Subsidiaries

 * Dannemora Mineral AS
 * Dannemora Steel AS
 * Dannemora Cargo AS
 * Eesti Energia
 * Saga Petroleum
 * Artic Coal Company
 * NAtech Energy Solutions
 * TERMA - NAtech Aerospace
 * VEF
 * Norby Telecom
 * Rietumu
 * Nordlandsbanken
 * Sydbank

Participated

 * Turbine City

NAtech Fuel Cells
The design and manufacture of fuel cells has been from the beginning the main business of the company. NAtech currently is the world leader in the field of fuel cells.

NAtech currently designs and manufactures fuel cells for all fields of industry and daily life with electrical efficiencies over 80% and combined efficiencies close to 95%.

Facilities of the company
Today, NAtech Fuel Cells has facilities worldwide. From commercial offices to production facilities the companie has effective presence in Europa, Asia, North and South America. However engineering, design and manufacture of the key elements are made in facilities inside Europe.

Euskadi
 * Corporate Head Office and R&D Facilities: ZAMUDIO
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Core Factory: BARRIKA
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Marine Products: BARAKALDO
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Automotive Products: GASTEIZ
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Hydrogen Production: IRUÑEA
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Software Design: SAINT-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Bilbao
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Donosti
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Biona
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Boké
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Tchibanga
 * NAtech Fuel Cells Commercial Office Caribe



France Everett ASA EAF Imperium Skandinavisk Europa
 * NAtech Fuel Cell R&D Europe 1: Rennes
 * NAtech Fuel Cell R&D Europe 2: Lyon
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Lyon
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Paris
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Boston
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Miami
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Houston
 * NAtech Fuel Cell R&D Asia 1: Seogyeong
 * NAtech Fuel Cell R&D Asia 2: Yokohama
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Tokio
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Seoul
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Stockholm
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Oslo
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Milan
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Zagreb
 * NAtech Fuel Cell Commercial Office Zagreb

Stationary & Marine power products
NAtech Fuel Cells has developed and patented in recent years several energy supply solutions for fixed installations using fuel cells. Within these applications NAtech has two types of technology used, depending on the application:


 * NAsoft ST is a low temperature SOFC suitable for power supply in residential areas, office buildings and small factories. It uses the most advanced technologies to dramatically reduce manufacturing cost because it does not use precious metals. Its components are ceramic compounds as electrolyte and inks that coated the electrolyte. This solution constitute a low-cost one for low to medium energy needs. It can be fueled with H2, Natural Gas, Syngas or Biogas and has an output of 150 kW (basic unit) with an electrical efficience over 70%.
 * NAcell StatPower System is a CFC (carbonate fuel cell) that is made to supply energy form 300 kW to 3 MW scalabels up to 60 MW. It is designed to produce electrícity from fossil fuels without burning them and without CO2 emissions. H2 is a byproductc of the procces and can be utilized what makes thes kind of instalations a very interesting ones for municipalities. It is suitable for power factories, small cities or as support of the standard electrical grid. NAtech Energy Solutions is a world leader designing, building and operating this kind of systems.

Portable power products
NAtech Fuel Cells portable solutions provide a reliable, affordable hydrogen fuel cell power source for on demand charging of cell phones, and other low power portable electronics away from the grid. They are designed and engineered for high performance and reliability in a compact, light form factor at an affordable cost. The fuel cell works effectively under extreme environmental conditions. The exterior housing is both rugged and durable. Fewer parts and simple construction means less to break. 
 * NAtech Blade is a customizable fuel cell blade that provides high power and efficient performance in a form factor less than 3mm thick. Modular and scalable with flexible FuelCellStickers inside, these components are application and shape flexible. NAtech Blade offers these key features:
 * Fuel Cell component for integration
 * Form factor less than 3mm thick
 * Customizable to product specifications
 * NAtech STIK is has a battery-like form factor and contains a special metal alloy that allows hydrogen to be stored in a solid-state, as part of the metal alloy matrix inside the cartridge. In contrast with ordinary compressed hydrogen tanks, the pressure inside the canister is very low, making this device the safest and most practical means of storing hydrogen. The NAtech STIK has the additional advantages of being refillable (from pressurized gas bottles, or from water-electrolysis based devices), non-toxic, eco-friendly, and competitive on cost/performance with existing battery devices. NAtech STIK is used to power any kind of electronic device from a smartphone to a weapons system.

Automotive power products
NAtech Fuel Cells has developed an advanced fuel cell architecture called FREYJA™ in order to simplify today's complex fuel cell power systems. In contrast to standard fuel cell system architectures, the FREYJA™ design, which operates without humidification of the hydrogen or air stream, allows simplification of the balance of plant hardware, resulting in lower parasitic losses and fewer control parameters. A further benefit of non-humidified operation is the ability to provide fast start-up under freezing conditions. Today, the FREYJA™ technology is capable of starting from temperatures as low as -30°C, reaching 60% power in less than 10 seconds.

NAtech is the original and only metal stack manufacturer that is capable of using uncoated metal plates, which is a feature of our patented approach that will offer cost advantages during manufacturing. In addition, a further focus of the new stack design involves the optimization of the aspect ratio and cell thickness, as well as a focus on increasing the durability and reliability in the stressful operating conditions imposed by transportation applications. FREYJA™ is designed specifically for the stringent performance, volume and weight requirements of the transportation market. FREYJA™ is available to customers as a single product but for customers who are looking for a more complete system, the integrated FREYJA™ Mobility Solution module combines the FREYJA™ stack with a balance of plant and high-efficiency air compressor developed jointly with Saab.



Defence & aerospace producs
Flying without emissions, with an extremely low noise and low heat emissions make fuel cells attractive for aerospace and defense industry, specially for powering UAVs. NAtech AEROPACK is the company's answer to the UAVs needs. Specially designed to combine an aerospace grade fuel cell with a chemical hydride fuel based hydrogen generation system. AEROPACK allows increasing endurance by 10 times over advanced lithium batteries.

NAtech works with aircraft manufacturers to develop fuel cells adapted to the needs of the aviation and defence industries. In this line, the company works with European Aerospace in the engineering center that EAS has in the engine plant located in Anglet, Euskadi.

TERMA - NAtech Aerospace
NAtech Aerospace is the group company specializing in aerospace and defense technologies. Initially started as a division within NAtech Fuel Cells specializes in the development of cells for aerospace and defense, but over time gained prominence within the group structure to become into an independent company operating in electronics, microsatellites and UAV. In November 2008 NAtech acquired the danish company TERMA, incorporating its business portfolio to NAtech Aerospace that would be called TERMA - NAtech Aerospace.

NAtech Financial Services
NAtech Financial Services is the company within NAtech in charge of the financial activities of the group. The financial activities of the group are divided into three areas:
 * Management of financial assets for individuals, companies and institutions
 * Cash management and finances of the group itself
 * Direct control of subsidiaries with financial activity such as banks and insurance companies: