Castle, Carper Announce Federal Funding of $4 Million Awarded to Newark-based Company, Micropore To Help Soldiers and First Responders
Newark, DE
| December 14, 2006 -
Delaware Senator Tom Carper and Congressman Mike
Castle, along with a representative from Senator Biden's office today
announced $4 million in federal funding that the delegation secured for
the Newark-based company, Micropore to increase their reactive plastic
CO2 absorbent production, which will provide the U.S. military and
first responders with superior life support products. After the
announcement, Carper and Castle toured the manufacturing facility.
"The federal government's continued investment in Delaware companies is
a testament to the ground-breaking work being done in the First State.
The rebreathing technology being advanced at Micropore will help save
lives by extending the amount of time that people - including
mineworkers, submarine crews and firefighters - can survive in
low-oxygen environments," said Senator Carper.
ExtendAir CO2 absorbent is a revolutionary technology that solves
the safety, storage and loading problems associated with traditional
granular CO2 absorbents used in rebreathing and life support
applications. ExtendAir technology can result in 40 percent lower
breathing effort and 50 percent longer life support than was previously
possible. The funds will be used to establish a continuous
manufacturing process in the U.S., which would lower product costs by
25%.
"This $4 million in federal funding will go towards the manufacturing
of equipment such as military scuba, submarine, and medical oxygen, as
well as smoke hoods and first responder breathers -- equipment that is
critical to our fight against terror and in our ability to respond to
disasters at home. It is rewarding to see a company like Micropore
based in Delaware providing innovative products that will be used all
over the world in critical situations," said Congressman Castle.
Micropore was founded in March 1997 and has over 20 employees. The
Delegation secured the $4 million in federal funding as part of the
final FY 07 Defense Appropriations Conference which was signed into law
on September 29, 2006.