Metal foams combine high stability with low weight, making them particularly suitable in lightweight construction. A young start-up based in Bremen by the name of Mac Panther Materials has begun producing an open-cell metal foam for use in a number of different applications.
In the few months that have passed since they founded their company in March 2017, the two brothers Andreas and Michael Kleine have achieved a great deal. “It’s a very exciting time for us, and so far our partnership has been working really well,” says Andreas. There’s no trace of sibling rivalry – the two founders of the company even share an office. Together, they manufacture open-cell metal foams.
Although metallic foams have been around for many decades, until now their widespread use has been hindered by the high cost of the material. The lightweight yet sturdy porous structures are used in industries such as automotive engineering, where they can reduce noise and vibration or absorb energy in the event of a crash. Most metal foams used for such purposes are closed-cell, which means that every pore is completely encapsulated in a layer of metal.
The open-cell metal foams manufactured in Bremen are more akin to a sponge. The many advantages of this are explained by Michael Kleine: “Gases and liquids can pass through the open pores, which makes the material suitable for use as a catalyst, filter or heat exchanger. Metal foams can absorb sound waves and are therefore useful as insulation, or they can be filled with another material that’s beneficial for the intended use. And we are making use of this to build lightweight structures that can absorb various forms of energy. As well as providing crash protection, for example, metal foams can provide excellent protection against explosions, shrapnel and projectiles. Last but not least, they are beautiful to look at, and architects can use them to design facade elements that are inherently flame retardant.”
The comparison with the ordinary household sponge goes further: both products are made from similar base material. The porous metal structure manufactured in Bremen is based on polyurethane (PU) foams that are widely used in industry. This synthetic foam is coated with a layer of metal in a galvanic process – nickel, copper, silver, gold or alloys can be used.
This results in a synthetic metal hybrid foam that can be manufactured and reproduced relatively cheaply, since galvanisation is a standard process used in coating technology. Mac Panther Materials can remove the synthetic substance afterwards if desired, but it can also be left in without compromising the stability of the material.
“I’m excited by the many applications and the diversity of the material,” Andreas Kleine enthusiastically admits. “There are a number of different PU foams, with pores that can be large or small, widely distributed or densely packed together. Consequently, we can manufacture bespoke metal foams that meet our customers’ requirements.” The younger of the two brothers by four years, Andreas is a physicist with a doctorate in the field of nanotechnology, which has also proved beneficial in his work with these special synthetic metal hybrid foams. He is responsible for the development, marketing and sales of the new material. To focus on the start-up, he gave up his job as a physicist and head of development in Hamburg and relocated to Bremen with his family. He’s a little sad to have left Hamburg, but he hasn’t regretted his decision for a second. “I said to myself: if I don’t do this now, I’ll never get the chance again. So I had to take it! And life here in Bremen is very good.”
His older brother Michael also plays a key role in his new life. Both have families, and their six children, who are all of similar age, now have more opportunities to play together while the fathers shape their new company. “We have confidence in one another and want to build something together, which keeps us motivated,” says Michael. “But we also know when to make a stand – we're quite open about that.” Mac Panther Materials is an offshoot of the company Mac Panther, of which the brothers are also the managing directors. The original business specialises in the cold forming of long metal parts and is a ‘hidden champion’ within its sector. Based in Bremen Airport-City, it will be celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2018. The similarly named start-up Mac Panther Materials is an attempt to establish a new pillar for Mac Panther in the form of metal foams.
The idea for the new types of metal foams came from Saarland University, where the researcher Anne Jung, who holds doctorates in natural sciences and engineering, carried out investigations into hybrid foam production techniques. She won the German Thesis Award in 2013 for her work in this area. “The university was looking for a team of entrepreneurs to refine the prototype into an industrial process and then bring it to market. So we applied,” explains Andreas Kleine. With a successful business of their own already in place, the two brothers won the contract to commercialise the technique. “We didn’t have to set up every single structure from scratch – accounting, software, personnel, it was all there already,” Andreas adds. The university and inventors are also involved in the start-up and support the brothers with their expertise.
The foams themselves are produced in a nearby facility, since the use of galvanic processes at the Airport-City is problematic for environmental reasons. “Nevertheless, we choose to remain at our site here, since it holds many advantages for us,” explains Michael Kleine. “Airport-City is full of potential customers, as these foams are of great interest to the aerospace and defence industries. And we’re not too far away from the automotive engineering companies, either. The EcoMaT research and technology centre is currently under construction here, and hopefully this will open up potential for further synergies.” The brothers now have the task of finding their first customers and ramping up production. And their start-up is already attracting a great deal of interest. “Mac Panther Materials also presents a major opportunity for Bremen as a business location, since we are offering an innovative material that opens up completely new possibilities,” emphasises Andreas. He’s optimistic about the future, and his brother certainly agrees with him.
Further information on Bremen’s start-ups can be found here.
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The Chinese designer Haoyu Li combines his German design degree with Chinese business acumen. Now he is opening a design office in Bremen, with the aim of making it easier for Chinese products to enter the German market, and to bring German brands to China.
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From initial idea to successful move. Andreas Gerber, who heads up the international relocation team at Bremeninvest, knows what international companies need to do to set up a business in Bremen. Here he tells us about the most important steps on the ...
BLG LOGISTICS GROUP AG & Co. KG’s AutoTerminal in Bremerhaven is a record-breaking automotive hub. Every year, the terminal handles some 2.3 million vehicles. But that’s not all.
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Geographical distance and cultural differences make it hard to relocate or start up a company in another country. Luckily, help is at hand from the team at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Bremen. They'll do all they can to make your international business a success.
In December 2016 ministers from the European Space Agency (ESA) member states met to determine the roadmap for the European space sector for the years ahead. Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Bremen submitted joint recommendations. In the following interview Dr Peter Vits, Bremen's State Coordinator for the Space Sector, talks about Bremen's strengths and opportunities.
The sky is not the limit, at least not in Bremen. All parts of the aerospace sector are represented in the city, from R&D to production. Aeroplane wings, Ariane rockets and Galileo satellites – Bremen is one of the leading locations in the international aerospace industry. Here are five factors behind Bremen’s story of success.
In 2015 Bremen won the right to host the International Astronautical Congress for the second time, after having successfully held the event in 2003. Its bid was the result of a collaboration between the Bremen regional government and Bremen’s space industry and space research sector. Event partners include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the German Aerospace Centre.
The Bremen region has long been a pioneer in electric mobility and is now set to enjoy further success after Mercedes-Benz and Borgward announced that they will be making electric vehicles in the city.
Bremen knows how to make cars: the Mercedes-Benz plant by the Weser river has been in operation for almost 40 years, is the focal point of the city’s automotive industry and automotive clusters, and is now the company’s biggest global facility in terms of vehicle production numbers. Reason enough for an ever-growing number of suppliers and logistics firms to base themselves in Bremen.
For 30 years, the Cargo Distribution Centre in Bremen has delivered excellence – as an investment location and a logistics hub. Today more than 150 companies employing approximately 8,000 people are based at the site. It offers direct links to the ports, the autobahn and has a close proximity to Bremen City Airport.
Language barriers, unfamiliar legal and fiscal systems, qualifications that need to be recognised. There are many additional hurdles that entrepreneurs have to overcome when setting up a new branch or a new company in a different country. Bremeninvest is committed to offering you advice and support from the outset.
You might expect a Bremen-based company specialising in innovative instruments and implants for spinal surgery to be located at the Technology Park. But you'd be wrong. NuVasive Germany GmbH has its head office at the heart of the city centre next to Wallanlagen Park. Now employing a team of 44 people, the company generates annual revenue of more than €10 million – a figure that looks set to rise.
David Zhou came to Bremen three years ago with the aim of conquering the market – and a new continent – with LEDs. He started his business selling LED lighting and electronics at the World Trade Centre at Bremen Airport and has gradually built it up over the past few years.
What makes an aircraft fly? You don't have to be an aerospace expert to be fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes at one of the largest aircraft construction companies in the world. The Airbus Group in Bremen turns the dream of flying into ...
Revolutionising house hunting in cities using virtual reality. Training people to live a sustainable lifestyle using an app. Introducing food-sharing ideas to tackle our throw-away society. Offering professional HR management methods to smaller trade ...
