2011 Fall Exhibitions
2011.10.03 Press release by Flowid

Flowid exhibits at numerous occaissions during the 2011 fall as listed below. For more information please click the link or contact us.

6th of October STW bedrijvenmarkt
25th of October NPS Technologiemarkt
2nd of November PINNL
16th of November Polymer Innovation Day

Quantum Dot Continuous Flow Processing Breakthrough Achieved
2011.09.13 Press release by Quantum Materials Corporation

With this advance, researchers and manufacturers have the opportunity to now incorporate Quantum Materials Tetrapod Quantum Dots into new state-of-the-art electronics products that require industrial scale amounts of material.

This new quantum dot production process using a new microreactor and software controlled continuous flow process has been successfully developed and operated for delivery of mass produced quantum dots by Quantum Materials Corporation and the Access2Flow Consortium of The Netherlands. It replaces batch synthesis and has potential for high improvement in both yield and conversion. Tetrapod Quantum Dots are used in a variety of emerging applications including solid state lighting, QLED displays, nanobio applications and are proven to have superior performance characteristics surpassing spherical nanoparticles. This process will also be used for QMC’s subsidiary, Solterra Renewable Technologies' solar cells and solar panels.

The inherent design of the microreactor allows for commercial-scale parallel modules to achieve large production rates at low cost in a regulated, optimized system. This breakthrough production process provides flexibility in the choice of materials used to produce the quantum dots including heavy metal free (Cadmium Free) quantum dots and other biologically inert materials. Quantum dots have been widely recognized for their potential in next generation display technologies, solar cells, LEDs, OLEDs, computer memory, printed electronics and a vast array of security, biomedical and energy storage applications. According to research group BCC Research, the 2010 global market for quantum dots was estimated $67 million in revenues, and is projected to grow quickly over the next 5 years at greater than 50% per year reaching almost $670 million by 2015.

Quantum Materials offers to manufacturers that it is now realistic to test the advantages of quantum dots to establish higher performance benchmarks across a number of industries and product applications. Many discoveries have literally been held back by the difficulty in manufacturing quantum dots, the lack of quality and uniformity of quantum dots, and the corresponding high cost, with the current average cost of quantum dots running being between $2500 and $6000/gram. This technology removes the roadblock from widespread adoption of the quantum dot as a basic building block of technology and services much like the silicon chip that has ubiquitously advanced corporate function and consumer lifestyles worldwide.

”Our goal from the onset has been to achieve a production rate of 100kg per day with a 95% or greater yield,” according to Stephen Squires, Founder and CEO of Quantum Materials Corporation. He added that “with this breakthrough QMC has coupled two disruptive technologies resulting in the potential to now achieve that goal.” According to QMC’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Bob Glass “Besides the scalability indicated, in my opinion, the truly remarkable accomplishment in this breakthrough is its adaptability to other inorganic metals and elements, including cadmium-free Quantum Dots.”

Eindhoven spin-offs receive substantial grant thanks to ‘best’ plan
2011.07.27 Press release by TU/e

Fifteen SMEs including Flowid, drafted the best plan for the Innovatie Prestatie Contracten (IPC, Innovation Performance Contracts). Last Friday, NL Agency let the Eindhoven companies know about their achievement. The businesses all work together under EUBC. With the help of this grant and their own input, they’ll be able to invest close to a million euro in innovative product development.

Quantum materials corp achieves milestone in High Volume Production of Quantum Dots
2011.06.27 Press release by Quantum Materials Corporation

Quantum Materials Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: QTMM - News) and the Access2Flow Consortium of the Netherlands today announce that continuous production of Tetrapod Quantum Dots has been achieved using its proprietary micro reactor technology. Processes for producing quantum dots and tetrapod-shaped quantum dots of various sizes delivers on the promise of this technology to tailor-make material at commercial quantities for a variety of emerging applications such as Solterra Renewable Technologies' solar panels, displays, lighting, and medical diagnostics.

Currently, one of the lab scale reactors is capable of producing approximately 10 grams of quantum dots per week. Commercially relevant, the inherent design now allows for large-scale parallel modules to achieve target production rates of multiple kilograms per day, in a regulated, optimized system. This breakthrough in production process not only enables the low cost, high volume production of quantum dots, but also provides flexibility in the choice of materials used to produce the quantum dots including heavy metal free (Cadmium Free) quantum dots and other biologically inert materials.

Quantum dots have been widely recognized for their potential in next generation display technologies, solar cells, LED’s, OLED’s, computer memory, printed electronics and a vast array of security, medical and energy storage applications. According to research group BCC Research, the 2010 global market for quantum dots was estimated $67 million in revenues, and is projected to grow quickly over the next 5 years at greater than 50% per year reaching almost $670 million by 2015.

“Our goal from the onset has been to achieve a production rate of 100kg per day with a 95% or greater yield,” according to Stephen Squires, Founder and CEO of Quantum Materials Corporation. He added that with this breakthrough QMC has coupled two disruptive technologies resulting in the potential to now achieve that goal.”

According to QMC’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Bob Glass “Besides the scalability indicated, in my opinion, the truly remarkable accomplishment in this breakthrough is its adaptability to other inorganic metals and elements, including cadmium-free Quantum Dots.”

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Brainport Eindhoven world's smartes region, creating industries of the future
2011.06.03 Press release by Brainport Eindhoven

NEW YORK - Brainport Eindhoven has been declared Intelligent Community of the Year 2011. After an exciting final the delegation led by Mayor of Eindhoven, Rob van Gijzel, and Helmond’s Councillor for Economic Affairs, Yvonne van Mierlo, received the award of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). “This is a performance that our region can be proud of. It is fantastic to be chosen ahead of three hundred other regions and is a great boost for employment in our region.”

For more information please visit the brainport website.

Brainport Eindhoven website showing microreactor engineered by Flowid:

Flowid exhibits at ChemSpec
2011.06.01 Press release by Flowid

Flowid will exhibit on Chemspec Europe in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 15th and 16th of June. You are more then welcome to visit us on stand N40 during this fine and speciality chemicals event.

Renée Bergkamp visits Flowid
2011.05.25 Press release by Flowid

Flowid welcomed Renée Bergkamp, Director-General of Enterprise and Innvation in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in its Application Laboratory. The innovative reactor concepts present in this laboratory were explained to her, and implementation options into industry have been discussed.

Flowid unveils Plug&Produce Skid during 'DeltaVisie 2011'
2011.04.26 Press release by Flowid

Flowid will unveil their Plug&Produce Skid during the 'DeltaVisie 2011' exhibition on the 19th of May in Rotterdam. This public version of the Plug&Produce skid has been especially built for demonstration purposes. It has been build in close cooperation with Bronkhorst, Micronit, HNP and Tuthill. The cooperation within this project illustrates the wide range of equipment and materials available to Flowid to meet the most demanding client applications. Flowid is known for designing and building skids based on specific clients needs, meeting the demands for their applications in the best possible way.

For more information about DeltaVisie 2011 and registration please visit: www.deltavisie2011.nl

Changes in Flowid’s Advisory Board
2011.04.19 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, April 19th, 2011 – Flowid is pleased to announce that Jaïr Hené MSc QT has become a member of Flowid’s Advisory Board. He will replace Prof.dr. Felix Janszen who has been a respected member since March 2009.

Jaïr Hené is the current CFO of Zep Holding which is a.o. the master franchise holder of easyHotel in the Benelux. In the past he has been the managing director of the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the United States and worked for ING Business Banking.

Flowid’s management team is very pleased with this reinforcement which will contribute to meeting Flowid’s strategic objectives, leading to further growth and success.

Extensive funding assigned for Dutch micro- and nanotechnology
2011.02.28 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, February 28th, 2011 – The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation has assigned 125 million euro’s to NanoNextNL in order to perform research on micro- and nanotechnology. NanoNextNL is a consortium between a large number of Dutch industrial and knowledge based companies and institutes, including Flowid B.V.
From this moment till December 2016 the consortium will invest 250 million euro on research and applications for micro- and nanotechnology. Half of this will be contributed by more than 100 companies, universities, knowledge institutes and university medical centers.

Flowid B.V. is active within the program ‘microdevices for chemical processing’, and herein contributes to two projects. Within these projects Flowid will focus on the industrial application of integrated optical analysis and the scale-up from lab-scale to production quantities.

Build of new facilities for Flowid started
2010.12.16 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, December 16th, 2010 – With lots of fireworks and dignitaries, a festive gathering was organised to celebrate the start of the build of the new facilities of Flowid and other high-tech companies. The sophisticated building named ‘Catalyst’ will be located on the campus of the Eindhoven University of Technology and will be 4000 m2 large, half of which allocated to physical and chemical laboratories.

The building will have a professional business to business image, with lots of open space and a complete glass exterior. The building will contain three levels. Each level will divided in both office and laboratorial areas, separated by a light filling atrium. Several meeting rooms will arise, together with sitting area’s and other places for informal contact.

Jeoffrey van den Berg, general manager of Flowid, was part of a panel that was interviewed during the festive gathering. He emphasised the importance of this building: “The Catalyst building provides Flowid with the infrastructure required to sustain our growth and meet our company objectives. A building as beautiful as the Catalyst building will also functions as a display window, stimulating others turing knowledge into successful business”.

‘Catalyst’ will be exploited by Brainport Development, which offers several business centres in the Brainport top technology region. Several organisations will cooperate to realise the new building, like: The Eindhoven University of Technology, local commune (municipal and province), Twice Eindhoven B.V. and OP Zuid.

Flowid and mikroglas cooperate
2010.12.15 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, December 15th, 2010 – The Dutch company Flowid (Eindhoven) and the German company mikroglas (Mainz) started a cooperation in order to strengthen their market proposition within the field of microreactor technology. By placing mikroglas’ “mikroSyn”, an advanced microreactor platform, on Flowid’s “Application Laboratory”, a sophisticated platform is combined with superb facilities, expert knowledge and experience. Due to this cooperation, accessible chemical studies on mikroglas “mikroSyn” are now within arm’s reach of industrial chemical companies.

Flowid implements flow technology for chemical production purposes. Flowid offers solutions by providing a broad pallet of related expert services and specialized equipment. The services focus on experimental work, converting batch wise chemistry in flow chemistry and pilot studies. This work is done on Flowid’s fully equipped “Application Laboratory” which is dedicated to flow chemistry. Besides this, Flowid has a broad network of the main and leading market players, through which Flowid can offer equipment, but also design and assemble dedicated set-ups for industry.

mikroglas chemtech GmbH is specialized in the production of micro-technological products made of glass. mikroglas offers it’s services not only for prototyping but also for large-scale production in the field of microsystems. In flow chemistry the product range stretches from micro reactors to turn key micro reaction systems. Within the micro reaction market, mikroglas offers the “mikroSyn” product line: a complete laboratorial platform comprising pumps, heating/cooling, sensors and glass reactor elements on which chemical studies in the ml/min range and production up to several 100 kg/day can be performed.

Flowid and mikroglas can now offer testing of reactions on the “mikroSyn” platform, accompanied by experts and the appropriate facilities in order to make it a successful experience. Please contact Flowid in order to discuss your specific case and the possibilities.

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Flowid B.V. launches ‘CashFlowid’: software to visualize the economical potential of continuous processing
2010.11.09 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, November 9th 2010 – With their new product ‘CashFlowid’, Flowid B.V. launches a unique expert service to create advanced business cases. CashFlowid simulates the economical feasibility of continuous processing in the chemical industry. It is ideally suited for companies considering a new continuous chemical production process and want to get a better understanding about the economical potential.

At this moment there is a lot of interest from chemical industry to convert conventional processes to continuous (micro flow) processes. There can be several reasons to do so, for instance safety issues, unsatisfactory yield, or scale up problems. However, starting a development project in order to realize such a continuous production plant requires insight in the real economical benefits. Before kick-off, you need to know whether it is worthwhile investing in!

To answer that question, Flowid developed a unique service: ‘CashFlowid’, which uses proprietary software to calculate the economical potential of continuous processing. It’s even possible to benchmark the outcome with its conventional counterpart, making a clear comparison. CashFlowid calculates the net present value, the return of investment, clarifies risks, and helps to make important decisions. It is much more sophisticated than spreadsheets, because it does not calculate, but simulate the outcome. This makes it possible to give variable input data, take into account the expected success rates of development phases, but also the effect of alternatives. It really is one of a kind.



Flowid offers CashFlowid as a service, with a workshop as most important element. During the workshop both the client and Flowid experts are able to combine their knowledge to create synergy, making the outcome of CashFlowid really valuable.

Flowid B.V. is a prominent engineering company specialised in production scale implementation of continuous flow chemistry. In the field of chemical technology Flowid has been awarded several times for its innovative and groundbreaking work. Leading companies like Alfa Laval, Bronkhorst, Beun de Ronde, Fuji Techno, FutureChemisty, HNP, IMM, KSB, Micronit and Mikroglas choose to cooperate with Flowid.

More information is available on Flowid’s website, or by downloading the CashFlowid-leaflet.

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Download press release in Dutch
Download the CashFlowid leaflet

Flowid receives ‘Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs’
2010.10.27 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, October 27th 2010 – During the NPS10 symposium in Veldhoven on the 26th of October, The Hoogewerff Foundation awarded Flowid B.V. with the honorable ‘Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs’ for their innovative approach and ground breaking work on the implementation of microreactor technology for production purposes.

Flowid B.V. is a spin-off company of the Eindhoven University of Technology and is active within the field of microreactor technology. By combining fundamental knowledge of the University with the expertise of several leading companies, Flowid B.V. is bridging an important gap towards industry, offering complete microreactor solutions.

Activities of Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds lie in the field of chemical engineering in the Netherlands. The foundation stimulates and rewards scientific research and education in this field. One of those awards is the ‘Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs’, granted to promising young talent that stands out through the realization of industrial innovation or a new business activity in chemical engineering at one of the Dutch universities.



Jeoffrey van den Berg, Managing Director of Flowid, comments: “It is a great honor receiving this prize. Especially when realizing that prominent Dutch chemical engineers had an important role in addressing this prize to Flowid. We feel strengthened in our approach and are encouraged to keep innovating”. Wessel Hengeveld, Director Technology of Flowid, adds to this: “Winning this award is not only important for Flowid, it is also important for the technology. By awarding this price to Flowid, The Hoogerwerff Foundation acknowledges that microreactors are a high potential technology for the chemical industry, with Flowid as trustful partner for production implementation.

On the 26th of October, during the NPS10 symposium held in Veldhoven (The Netherlands), Flowid received the price by hands of Prof.dr.ir Warmoeskerken, Vice President of The Hoogewerff Foundation. The Flowid-team received a specially created work of art and a token for each team member as a personal memory.

For more information visit: www.flowid.nl, and www.hoogewerff-fonds.nl.

Hoogewerff price for stimulation 2010 assigned to Flowid B.V.
2010.08.19 Press release by Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds

The Hoogewerff price for stimulation is a recently established price of the Hoogewerff foundation which will be awarded every three years for the stimulation of innovative and groundbreaking work in the field of chemical technology in The Netherlands. The Hoogewerff price for stimulation is assigned to the management team of Flowid B.V., consisting out of Jeoffrey van den Berg MSc., Wouter Stam MSc. and Wessel Hengeveld MSc. for their innovative approach for the production scale implementation of micro reactor technology within the chemical industry.
Flowid B.V is founded by the price winners in 2008. It is a spin-off from the Eindhoven University of Technology, their main objective is to commercialise practical applications based on micro reactor technology which is being developed by the department of chemical reactor engineering of the Eindhoven University of Technology among others. The fine chemical and pharmaceutical industry are the main markets for Flowid.
Flowid’s innovative approach of developing commercial propositions by connecting general process engineering principles to advanced micro reactor knowledge and experience in cooperation with third parties has been very appealing to the Hoogewerff foundation.
Flowid sets a good example of bridging the gap between scientific development and commercial implementation. More information about Flowid B.V. can be found on the website www.flowid.nl

Price giving
The price giving will be during the 10th Dutch Process Technology Symposium (NPS10; www.nps10.nl) on tuesday the 26th of October 2010 in the congress centre Koningshof in Velthoven The Netherlands.

Hoogewerff foundation
The Hoogewerff foundation was founded in 1917 by prof. dr. Sebastiaan Hoogewerff, former chemistry professor at the “Polytechnische School” and later the “Technische Hoogeschool” in Delft.

Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs 2010 toegekend aan Flowid B.V.
2010.08.19 Press release by Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds

De Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs is een nieuw ingestelde 3-jaarlijkse prijs van de Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds ter stimulering van innovatief en baanbrekend werk op het gebied van de chemische technologie in Nederland. De Hoogewerff Stimuleringsprijs 2010 is toegekend aan het management team van Flowid B.V., bestaande uit ir. Jeoffrey van den Berg, ir. Wouter Stam en ir. Wessel Hengeveld voor hun innovatieve aanpak van de toepassing van de microreactortechnologie op productieschaal in de chemische industrie.
Flowid B.V. is door de prijswinnaars opgericht in 2008. Het is een spin-off van de TU Eindhoven, die zich tot doel stelt praktische toepassingen te commercialiseren op basis van de microreactortechnologie die onder andere in de onderzoeksgroep Chemische Reactortechnologie van de TU Eindhoven wordt ontwikkeld. De fijnchemie en de pharma zijn de belangrijkste markten waarin Flowid opereert.
De innovatieve wijze waarop Flowid de kennis van microtechnologie verbindt met algemene procestechnologische principes en met kennis en kunde van derden om tot commerciële proposities te komen heeft de Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds in het bijzonder aangesproken.
Flowid is daarmee een goed voorbeeld van een ondernemingsinitiatief om de kloof tussen wetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen en commerciële implementatie te overbruggen.

Prijsuitreiking
De prijsuitreiking vindt plaats tijdens het tiende Nederlands Procestechnologie Symposium (NPS10; www.nps10.nl) op dinsdag 26 oktober 2010 in het Congrescentrum Koningshof in Veldhoven.

Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds
De Stichting Hoogewerff-Fonds werd in 1917 opgericht door prof.dr. Sebastiaan Hoogewerff, oud-hoogleraar in de Scheikunde aan de Polytechnische School en later de Technische Hoogeschool in Delft.

Flowid exhibits at Continuous Flow Reactor symposium Paris
Flowid will attend at the Continuous Flow Reactor Technology for Industrial Applications symposium that will be held on the 3rd and 4th of October 2010 in Paris France. We are looking forward meeting you at our booth.

Flowid exhibits at ChemSpec Berlin
Flowid will attend the ChemSpec exhibition that will be held on the 9th and 10th of jule 2010 in Berlin Germany. We are looking forward meeting you at our stand located in hall 23 booth N5.

Flowid and FutureChemistry implements Flow Chemistry for US based Solterra’s High Volume Quantum Dot Manufacturing Plan

Industrial scale amounts of quantum dots necessary to support emerging solar cell, lighting, and optoelectronic technologies

Eindhoven, The Netherlands – April 21, 2010 – Flowid BV and FutureChemistry Holding BV today announced that they entered into a process development agreement with Solterra Renewable Technologies, Inc., to apply flow chemistry for high volume production of high quality tetrapod quantum dots. These quantum dots, Solterra’s proprietary technology, will enable low cost production of solar energy. The agreement is the product of the MOU that Solterra, FutureChemistry and Flowid signed in 2009, defining a collective output goal that supports daily production amounts that had previously taken months or possibly years to produce.

The continuous flow chemistry technology developed by the Dutch companies FutureChemistry Holding BV and Flowid BV, enables rapid assessment of input parameters to control output characteristics of the quantum dots and high parallel capacity for increased production. The unique properties of flow chemistry offer unprecedented control over the chemical manufacturing process. This tight quality control enables the quantum dots to be used in specific technology applications where the unique behavior of the quantum dots can be harnessed. Together, FutureChemistry and Flowid, both pioneers of continuous flow chemistry and on the forefront of the “lab to factory” concept, provide the expertise necessary to find optimal process conditions and subsequently scale the synthesis of the quantum dots to necessary levels. With larger quantities of quantum dots, Solterra will be enabled to pursue its near-term goal of reaching 1 gigawatt of solar cell production.

Research Director of FutureChemistry Pieter Nieuwland explains about continuous flow chemistry: “Testing new chemical reactions is often performed in a traditional way: step by step. With the technology of Flowid and FutureChemistry, these reactions become full-continuous processes that we can optimize with our software and translate to much larger reactors. This project will be an exciting showcase for flow chemistry, and it will prove that the technology is now reaching maturity.”

Solterra’s vision to significantly increase available solar energy generation and to bring low cost quantum dots to the LED, display, broader optoelectronic and biomedical research markets is enhanced by this project. Significantly increased production volumes will enable the Company to readily enter developing technology markets that will come to rely on a steady stream of affordable, high quality quantum dots.

Steve Squires, Chief Executive Officer of Solterra, commented, “We are very pleased with this collaboration and are eagerly looking forward to fruitful efforts with both FutureChemistry and Flowid. Their leading edge work essentially allows the Company to overcome barriers to entry of high volume, high tech markets. The imminent ability to sell stand alone quantum dots in large quantities at attractive pricing into various markets, while continuing to develop breakthrough solar cell technology, undoubtedly will generate significant revenue for Solterra, Quantum Materials Corporation and its shareholders.”

Flowid exhibits at IMRET Kyoto
Flowid will attend the IMRET conference that will be held on 8-10 March 2010 in Kyoto Japan. IMRET is a prominent conference on the subject of microreactor technology. New equipment and research results will be presented at this conference by all major players and scientists in the world of microreactor technology. Flowid is proud to be part of this. We are looking forward meeting you at our stand in room 2, booth 4.

Application Laboratory represents Fuji Techno Industries Corporation
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, February 1st, 2010 – The Japanese pump supplier Fuji Techno Industries Corporation and Flowid B.V. have agreed up on the utilization of a Super Metering Pump in the Application Laboratory. This pump is based on the principle of triple plungers, resulting in a pulse free flow and a discharge accuracy of less than ±0.1%. Fuji Techno can supply pumps over a wide range of discharge pressures and flows, if necessary integrated in complete liquid feeding sections.

Flowid receives second phase STW Valorisation Grant
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, December 22nd 2009 - Flowid B.V., a spin-off company of the Eindhoven University of Technology, department of Chemical Reactor Engineering of Prof.dr.ir Jaap Schouten, has been awarded the second phase STW Valorisation Grant representing a total value of €200.000 for the next two years.

Flowid B.V. is an engineering company for process optimization, with a focus on microreactor technology. Flowids services are focused on the breakthrough of this technology for production facilities in the chemical- and pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, Flowid has an extensive network of industrial (potential) technology users and partnerships with several of the main equipment suppliers in the world wide market of microreactor technology. The Dutch Technology Foundation (STW) acknowledged the innovative character of Flowids business model with knowledge valorization as main driver. Flowid is able to strengthen its market position and products by means of this STW funding.

October and November gatherings
Flowid will attend the following gatherings in the period October and November as a speaker or an exhibitor:

• MicroChemTec, on the 21st of October in Frankfurt, Germany
• MicroNano Conference, on the 5th and 6th of November in Delft, The Netherlands
• Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI) 'Innovatie in Polymeren', on the 18th of November in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Microreactor technology: from milligrams to production
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, July 1st 2009 — Access2Flow, with its members FutureChemistry, Flowid and Micronit Microfluidics, has shown th e fast scalability and applicability of microreactors in a case study for flow chemistry. For the case study, the Paal-Knorr reaction was used as a model reaction. This exothermic model reaction was optimized fully automated in three parameters and subsequently scaled up to small production volumes.

For this scale up step, new parallel mixing reactors were designed and implemented. A production rate of 55 gram per hour could be reached with this device, giving an overall scaling factor from optimization device to preperative lab scale of 1250. Further parallelization of the reactors will increase the production rate up to kgs per hour, being interesting for the production of high added value chemical compounds.

Major benefits of the flow chemistry route vs. conventional batch chemistry in this particular case proved to be the safe and easy operation of an exothermic reaction, fast development time of approximately 200 man hours and low reagent consumption during optimization.

Access2Flow functions as a so-called ‘one-stop shop’ for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry by allowing synthesis reactions to be carried out in a continuous-flow system. Processes that have always been performed in small batches can now be turned into continuous processes. With this technology, the production of chemical compounds can be done faster, more efficiently and safer. Furthermore, the continuous flow reactors can easily be scaled to include reaction volumes of tens of millimetres and even more.

Being a dutch consortium, each of its members of the three companies brings their respective areas of expertise to the table. Micronit has years of experience in manufacturing glass microreactors. FutureChemistry has experience in testing, optimizing and implementing chemical processes in these microreactors. Furthermore, FutureChemistry develops and supplies automation equipment to control continuous flow reactors. Flowid is a process engineering company with the expertise to implement microreactor systems on an industrial scale.

General Manager of Flowid Jeoffrey van den Berg about this case study: “The results perfectly illustrate the microreactor potential for the chemical en pharmaceutical industry. While maintaining optimal reaction conditions the productivity is scaled up in a short period of time. By controlling the chemistry it’s possible to optimize those factors which are crucial for a specific reaction. Besides the economic viability this could be factors like conversion, scale up speed, yield or safety. Access2Flow is more than willing to determine the advantages of this technology based on company specific cases. Therefore we would like to invite companies to contact us”.

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Download press release in Dutch
Download Application Note

Application Laboratory represents Alfa Laval
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, June 30, 2009 – Alfa Laval Tumba AB and Flowid B.V. have signed a mutual cooperation agreement for the utilization of Alfa Laval’s PR37 version of the Plate Reactor in the Application Laboratory. This multi-purpose continuous flow reactor is especially designed for the production of chemicals for the pharma, fine and specialty chemical industry, and is therefore an ideal extension for the equipment already present at the laboratory.

Flowid opens Application Laboratory for Micro Flow Chemistry for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry
“Accelerated market breakthrough for one of the most promising chemical reactor principles of the near future”

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 19th June 2009 – Flowid B.V., a spin-off company of the Eindhoven University of Technology, has officially opened an Application Laboratory in order to stimulate the utilization of an innovative chemical technology, called: Micro Flow Chemistry. In the Application Laboratory so called Micro Flow Reactors of several suppliers are present. The laboratory is fully functional so that the equipment is not only available for demonstration purposes but also for real chemistry by industry. This collection of equipment will accelerate the market breakthrough for one of the most promising chemical reactor principles of the near future.

Micro Flow Reactors contain small internal channel in which chemicals will mix and chemical react under optimal conditions so that more of the desired reaction product can be generated. Furthermore, chemical reactions will become much safer because only small quantities of chemicals are in contact with each other and the controllability of the reaction is enhanced. This can even result in solutions for problems that cannot be solved using conventional (batch) chemistry.

The Application Laboratory is focused on the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. And not only on research applications; also is the scale up towards pilot- or production capacities demonstrated. Because of this, the Application Laboratory is most interesting for multiple specializations within industry like: R&D and process development. This stimulation of internal cooperation will accelerate a successful implementation of the technology in an organization.

Jeoffrey van den Berg, managing director of Flowid, explains: “Flowid is a process engineering company focused on the implementation of processes that are based on Micro Flow Chemistry. The amount of suppliers of such reactors is increasing, but momentarily the industry is reserved with its implementation. Therefore, Flowid approached the market on a less conventional manner. We are convinced that an open approach of the market is the key for the technology breakthrough. This is why we launched the Application Laboratory in which it is all combined: potential end-users with equipment suppliers, supported by specialists like Flowid.”

Flowid’s Application Laboratory is an open laboratory, accessible for all suppliers of Micro Flow equipment and all industrial organizations that are interested in the utilization of these. By means of the Application Laboratory, Flowid offers several services like: general workshops, specific trainings and feasibility studies. This enables the suppliers to demonstrate and offer their equipment easily, while the industry is able to get known with the technology without excessive investments. The Application Laboratory stimulates the development of the market by generating added value to all players involved. The Application Laboratory is momentarily equipped with reactors and peripheral equipment of several suppliers: Alfa Laval Reactor Technology, Bronkhorst Nederland, Future Chemistry, the Institute für Mikrotechnik Mainz (IMM), Micronit Microfluidics, KSB AG and ThalesNano represented by Beun de Ronde.

For the end of June the first industrial visits are already planned.

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Download the press release in Dutch

Application Laboratory represents FutureChemistry
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, June 16, 2009 – FutureChemisty B.V. and Flowid B.V. have agreed upon the placement of a FlowStart and a FlowScreen device on the Application Laboratory of Flowid. The FlowStart enables the users to investigate the possibilities of flow chemistry. The FlowScreen can perform extensive optimisation experiments autonomously.

Application Laboratory represents Instute fur Mikrotechnik Mainz (IMM)
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, June 9, 2009 – The Instute fur Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH (IMM) and Flowid B.V. have signed a distribution agreement in order to enhance the activities of both companies within the Netherlands. With this, also three micro flow reactors developed by IMM will be placed on the Application Laboratory of Flowid, it regards a Catapillar Mixer, a Star Laminator and a High Pressure Microreactor with two Temperature Zones.

Application Laboratory represents KSB - MicroChem
Eindhoven, The Netherlands, June 9, 2009 – Pump manufacturer KSB GmbH and Flowid B.V. have agreed up on the utilization of two new and innovative MicroChem pumps. These pumps are revolutionary within the field of micro flow chemistry because it are centrifugal pumps, instead of the more commonly used syringe- or piston pumps. The MicroChem principle is free of pulsation and generates large flow rates and discharge pressures.

Application Laboratory represents Micronit Microfluidics BV
Eindhoven, The Netherland, June 3, 2009 – Micronit Microfluidics B.V. has signed a agreement with Flowid B.V. with regard to the Application Laboratory. Micronit will place their new multistacked glass microreactor on the Laboratory in order to demonstrate their capabilities to produce reactors suited for production capacities. A multistacked microreactor is a block fabricated out of glass in which several structured layers are stacked to increase the internal volume of the reactor. Also cooling and heating circuits can be integrated in these custom engineered and fabricated reactors, making them suited for several industrial applications.

Opening Flowid Application Laboratory
2009.05.29 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, May 29, 2009 – On Friday the 19th of June Flowid will officially open its Application Laboratory. From that moment on industry can visit the Application Laboratory to explore the possibilities of Micro Flow Chemistry. During the opening related equipment suppliers, the press and involved partners will attend.

Industry is more than welcome to visit the Application Laboratory. Please register online. Interested equipment suppliers of micro flow related equipment can contact Wessel Hengeveld.

Application Laboratory represents Bronkhorst Nederland BV
2009.05.28 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, May 28, 2009 – Bronkhorst Nederland B.V. and Flowid B.V. have agreed upon a collaboration with respect to the Application Laboratory. Bronkhorst will place a liquid dosing system and mini-Cori flow controller on the Laboratory in order to demonstrate the equipment’s potential for micro flow chemistry.

Flowid attends Tenth Tetrahedron Symposium in Paris
2009.05.25 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, May 28, 2009 – Flowid will be present on the Tenth Tetrahedron Symposium on the 23rd till 26th of June in Paris. You can find Flowid at the stand of our partners Future Chemistry. Please come by and visit us.

Flowid recieves STW Valorization Grant
2008.12.12 Press release by Flowid

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, December 12, 2008 - Flowid as a spin-off of the Eindhoven University of Technology, department of Chemical Reactor Engineering of Jaap Schouten, has been awarded a €25.000 Valorization Grant of the Dutch Technology Foundation STW. This grant enables Flowid to carry out a study into the technical and economical feasibility of the business plan for the next half year.

Cooperation makes microreactor technology accessible to fine-chemistry and pharmacy
2008.10.09 Press release by Access2Flow

Enschede, The Netherlands, October 9, 2008 – The Dutch companies Micronit Microfluidics, FutureChemistry and Flowid today announced the start of a cooperation named Access2Flow. Together, the three companies will offer a new generation of microreactor systems that enable chemists to quickly perform fluid reactions on an industrial scale.

Access2Flow will function as a so-called ‘one-stop shop’ for the fine-chemical and pharmaceutical industry by allowing synthesis reactions to be carried out in a continuous-flow system. The glass microreactors of Access2Flow will enable chemists to produce fine-chemical and pharmaceutical compounds. Processes that have always been performed in small batches can now be turned into continuous processes. With this technology, the production of chemical compounds can be done faster, more efficiently and safer. Furthermore, the continuous flow reactors can easily be scaled to include reaction volumes of tens of millimetres and even more.

Each of the three companies will bring their respective areas of expertise to the table. Micronit has years of experience in manufacturing glass microreactors. FutureChemistry has experience in testing, optimizing and implementing chemical processes in these microreactors. Furthermore, FutureChemistry develops and supplies automation equipment to control continuous flow reactors. Flowid has process technologists with the expertise to distribute microreactor systems on an industrial scale.

Research Director of FutureChemistry Pieter Nieuwland explains: “Testing new chemical reactions is often done in a traditional way: step by step. With the technology of Access2Flow, these reactions have become full-continuous processes that we can optimize with our software and translate to much larger reactors. Such continuous-flow processes go better and faster than traditional batch methods. The products and expertise of the three companies in this cooperation go together perfectly. Chemists gain time from two sides: in testing new reactions as well as in scaling up to production volumes.”

General Manager of Flowid Jeoffrey van den Berg adds to that: “In order to actually profit from the advantages offered by microreactor technology, some practical barriers need to be overcome. We see that many companies have not yet taken the step from batch to continuous flow production. Lack of experience can be one reason, but maybe alternative production methods have just not been considered by these companies. To simplify the step from batch to continuous flow, a cooperation of companies is now ready to support organisations to take this step.”

Micha Mulder, CEO of Micronit, concludes: “At the moment we are talking to a couple of large chemistry groups that showed their willingness to do the investments needed to make their chemical processes more efficient, cheaper and safer. They are willing to take the step to continuous flow chemistry. Access2Flow can help these companies to take this step and to stay ahead of their competitors.”

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Flowid first TU/e STW spin-off
2008.07.01 Press release by TU/e

The first spin-off company of the Laboratory of Chemical Reactor Engineering has been officially launched on 1 July 2008. The company is called Flowid (www.flowid.nl). This spin-off has been founded by ir. Wessel Hengeveld, ing. Wouter Stam, and ir. Jeoffrey van den Berg.

Flowid helps the industry with the implementation of microreactor technology. Flowid wants to achieve this by becoming an intermediary between the end-user, knowledge institutes, and hardware suppliers. Flowid's activities will comprise proof-of-principle studies on various hardware platforms, projects concerning technology implementation, and advise & trouble shooting.