Triadelphia-based CONSOL Innovations produces versatile carbon material that runs on coal. Carbon foam is made from coal mined right here in Appalachia and is an advanced material that’s attractive to businesses in various industries.
Vertx is proud to work with CONSOL Innovations, a Triadelphia, WV-based company specializing in manufacturing carbon foam. CONSOL Innovation’s carbon foam was originally designed under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program seeking to improve upon firewalls for US Navy Destroyers.
Carbon foam confers a variety of advantages compared to conventional materials, such as:
- Carbon foam can be formed to the user’s specifications.
- Carbon foam is fire-resistant but can be chemically tailored to conduct or resist heat.
- Despite its exceptional strength, carbon foam is machinable by commonly available tools.
- Carbon foam is porous and lightweight, though still highly useful as a structural and shock-absorbent material.
West Virginia is a perfect location CONSOL Innovations Director Dr. Rudy Olson explains, “West Virginia is really a central location of one of the biggest coal deposits in the world.”
“This could be scaled up dramatically,” says Vertx Partners VP of External Relations, Scott Rotruck. “We need to have our own indigenous resources to supply our needs.”
A host of domestic military, industrial, aerospace, and commercial prospectors agree, investing heavily in carbon foam technologies, some of which were invented directly by CONSOL Innovations. Carbon foam sees use in the manufacturing of various technologies, everything from aircraft and ship insulation to stealth systems and wall construction.
“It’s good for both the military application and the commercial application,” says Rotruck.
Still, outreach and education are critical for a company like CONSOL Innovations, whose unique products are frequently custom-made for interested buyers. “It’s not easy to make those connections,” explains Dr. Olson. “When it comes to an outfit like Vertx to connect with those types of people, they’re usually at relatively high levels.”
Vertx and CONSOL Innovations benefit from mutual goals. That’s what makes this partnership so powerful. “They’ve been so good about sharing with others how they use the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process to get the money they needed to be a viable long-term supplier,” Rotruck says.
CONSOL, which acquired CFOAM LLC, represents another valuable link in the chain of national defense suppliers Vertx is building in Appalachia. Their innovative technology is overcoming challenges for a wealth of buyers looking to invest in inexpensive, adaptable materials that give them a leg-up over competitors.
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