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March 10, 2008:
Aspen Subsidiary Opens State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Plant for Miniature Rotary Compressors
Aspen Compressor, LLC completed a major milestone in demonstrating its manufacturing capacity to produce minicompressors for defense applications. The demonstration was performed for the Department of Defense as part of a Title III contract under the Defense Production Act. The multiyear contract from DoD has a budget of $7.7 million in government funding for the purpose of creating a domestic manufacturing capability for small refrigeration compressors. Additional information can be found at http://www.aspencompressor.com.
September 25, 2007:
Army Soldier System Center Awards Aspen Systems Contract for Orientation-Independent Personal Cooling System
Aspen Systems was selected recently by the U.S. Army’s Soldier System Center in Natick, MA to optimize its Personal Cooling System and extend its operating functionality. Mobile and portable refrigeration systems are prone to difficult operating conditions, frequently not in vertical orientations, which can affect the performance of fluids and lubricants. An orientation-independent system would allow the military combatant complete freedom of movement, with minimal effect on cooling performance. Personal cooling has taken on new importance in the military due to the nature of desert warfare in recent years.
September 1, 2007:
NIOSH awards SBIR Phase I contract to Aspen for Personal Cooling System Optimization
The National Institutes of Occupational Safety & Health warded a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research contract to Aspen. The project will focus on the development and optimization of personal cooling through development and testing of an advanced thermal control method. Through the implementation of an optimal thermal feedback and control algorithm the vapor-compression cooling unit performance can be improved for increased mission length, reduced power consumption, and reductions in size and weight. The use of an “intelligent” control algorithm which captures the physiological interaction of the user and cooling garment can lead to improvements in system operability and optimization of the amount of cooling provided to the user. Phase I technical objectives focus on proving feasibility of the most-promising control approaches. The current program offers the potential for commercialization of a robust vapor-compression personal cooling solution targeted for use by industrial workers without the logistics burden of existing products.
July 10, 2006:
Aspen Systems is Selected for R&D100 Award
Aspen’s personal cooling system was selected for the prestigious R&D100 Award given annually to the top 100 new products of the year worldwide. Presented by Cahners Publishing, the R&D100 Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of invention. Among other winners selected for these awards were automobile companies, national laboratories, universities, and other high tech companies. Aspen’s personal cooling system is the smallest and lightest refrigeration-based unit ever developed or sold commercially. Its use is primarily for military personnel, first responders, and law enforcement and it can be designed in man-portable, vehicle-installed, or hand-carried configurations.
June 7, 2006:
Aspen Systems Awarded Two Contracts From USAF for Facilitated Transport Membrane Technologies
Aspen Systems, Inc., a leading materials research and product development firm, was recently awarded two Phase II SBIR contracts totaling approximately $0.75 M to research, develop and engineering development of its facilitated membrane based materials technology to specific sensor applications. In this Phase II program, ASI is developing advanced organic sulfur sensors for an in-situ monitoring organic sulfur compounds in the high temperature logistic fuel processing lines.
In addition, another Phase II proposal has been selected for award by the US Air Force (approximately $0.75 M). In this project, ASI is developing extremely compact and energy efficient water recovery system from fuel cell exhaust. In this water recovery process, water vapor (steam) in the hot fuel cell exhaust is selectively absorbed by hydrophilic and gas impermeable membrane tubes that transfer water to the permeate side of the membrane where it can be recovered. Water can be recovered either as pure steam, or steam/air mixture.
Preliminary performance tests indicated that 90-94% of exhaust gas moisture can be recovered using an air sweep. Currently, Aspen is optimizing the water permselective membrane structures and process parameters to increase water recovery efficiency and to explore the applicability of the water recovery system and technology to other fuel cell systems and processes.
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February 23, 2006:
Aspen Compressor and USAF Enter Agreement to Construct New Compressor Plant
Aspen Compressor received a follow-on contract from the U.S.Air Force to design and build a new domestic manufacturing plant for mini-compressors. The plant to be located in Somerset, Kentucky will fill a critical defense need for the foreseeable future. The total DoD authorization approved for this agreement is $5.6 million with additional funding expected in fiscal years 2007-2009. The plant will be capable of producing a family of small compressors and should have a capacity in excess of 100,000 compressors per year.
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September 19, 2005:
Aspen Thermal Division Receives First Order To Produce Self-Powered Fan for Oil & Gas Industry
Aspen Thermal Division has developed and sold its first order of self-powered fans for the oil & gas industry to be used in remote areas where grid power is not available. The fan based on thermoelectrics is used in conjunction with catalytic radiant heaters to distribute heat and prevent freeze-ups in oil field equipment. Aspen has been granted a trademark for the new product known as CataFanTM . The intrinsically safe CataFan is certified by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for Class 1, Divisions 1/2 , Group D hazardous locations. Several pre-production CataFansTM were tested in the Canadian Oil patch and found to be highly effective in distributing heat while lowering explosive gas concentrations in small building structures.
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April 8, 2005:
Aspen Compressor, LLC Awarded Contract to Evaluate Domestic Compressor Manufacturing Plant
Aspen Compressor received a contract under Title III of the Defense Production Act to evaluate the feasibility of producing mini-compressors for both defense and commercial markets. The initial phase of the contract valued at $490,000 involves a comprehensive business plan, marketing plan, and manufacturing plan to be used in entering the mini-compressor market. The next phase of the project will involve obtaining a building site and procuring the needed equipment to manufacture compressors. The plant is planned to be sited in the state of Kentucky.
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October 1, 2004:
Aspen Compressor, LLC is Formed to Manufacture Mini-Compressors
Aspen Compressor, LLC was formed on October 1, 2004 as a Kentucky corporation and is to be sited in the South Central part of the state. The company was formed as a subsidiary of Aspen Systems, Inc., to manufacture a family of microclimate size compressors for small refrigeration systems. Initially, Aspen Compressor will focus on military markets for small cooling systems, while later entering the more price sensitive industrial, commercial, and medical markets. The Department of Defense has for many years insisted on domestic suppliers for critical military components. Presently, there are only a handful of compressor companies remaining in the continental U.S.
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September 1, 2004:
Aspen Systems is Selected for R&D100 Award
Aspen Systems miniature rotary compressor was selected for the prestigious R&D100 Award given annually to the top 100 new products of the year worldwide. Presented by Cahners Publishing, the R&D100 Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of invention. Among other winners selected for these awards were automobile companies, national laboratories, universities, and other high tech companies. Aspen’s rotary compressor is the smallest refrigerant compressor ever developed and sold commercially. Its use is primarily in personal cooling systems as well as for electronics cooling.
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January 20, 2004:
Aspen Thermal Division Receives Outstanding Readiness Support Award From Department of Defense
Aspen Systems Thermal Division was selected by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to receive the Outstanding Readiness Support Award. The award given in the category of “small business” was presented to Dr. Kang P. Lee, CEO and President at the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia. The award was based on Aspen’s timely shipment of equipment to military units serving in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT).
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November 1, 2002:
Aspen Thermal Division is Awarded Contract to Supply Pilot Cooling Systems in Eurofighter Tactical Aircraft
Aspen Thermal Division announce that it has received a contract to supply liquid conditioning units for pilot cooling of the Eurofighter Typhoon tactical aircraft. The cooling unit based on Aspen’s miniaturized vapor compression technology is the first use of active cooling in a fixed wing aircraft. The contract was awarded to Aspen by BAE Systems and AMETEK AirTechnologies,the lead system integrators for the Eurofighter aircraft. More than 600 Eurofighter aircraft are scheduled to be produced and sold throughout the world, and the cooling technology could be applied to other legacy aircraft. BAE Systems employs more than 90,000 people and is the largest defense contractor in Europe.
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September 1, 2002:
Aspen Team is Selected for R&D100 Award
Two Aspen business units including Aspen Systems, Inc., Aspen Aerogels, Inc., and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were selected to receive the prestigious R&D100 Award given annually to the top 100 new products of the year worldwide. Presented by Cahners Publishing, the R&D100 Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of invention. Among other winners selected for these awards were automobile companies, national laboratories, universities, and other high tech companies. Aspen’s aerogel blanket is the lightest and most effective insulation material ever developed or sold commercially. Aerogel blanket is expected to be used in broad and diverse markets, initially military and heavy industrial followed by entry into numerous commercial markets.
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July 2, 2002:
Aspen Products Group, Inc. Enters Agreement With General Dynamics Corp. to Supply Auxiliary Power Units to the Military
APG announced recently that it has signed an agreement with General Dynamics Corporation of Falls Church, Virginia to develop and supply diesel and fuel cell generators in the 5-10 kW size range to worldwide military markets. General Dynamics has leading market positions in business aviation, mission-critical information systems and technologies, shipbuilding and marine systems, and land and amphibious combat systems. The company is a leading supplier of sophisticated defense systems to the United States and its allies, and sets the world standard in business jets. General Dynamics employs approximately 54,000 people worldwide.
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November 14, 2001:
Aspen Systems Completes Spin Off of Aspen Aerogels
Aspen Systems, Inc. completed its spin off of Aspen Aerogels, Inc. today by distributing to Aspen Systems holders of record, the pro rata amount of Aspen Aerogels common stock shares beneficially owned by Aspen Systems, Inc. The Internal Revenue Service has ruled that the distribution of the common stock is not taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This important milestone legally separates Aspen Aerogels from its former parent Aspen Systems, which should allow it better access to capital and human resources.
Aspen Aerogels is a leading developer of aerogel nanotechnologies, with products that have broad applications in the commercial and military sectors.
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October 1, 2001:
Aspen Aerogels Announces Opening of New Facility in Northborough, MA
Aspen Aerogels, Inc., the world's leading aerogel company and a subsidiary of Aspens Systems, Inc., has signed a lease for its new headquarters in Northborough, MA. The facility will provide Aspen Aerogels with over 31,000 square feet of office, laboratory and production space. Once it is fully occupied by early 2002, the headquarters will allow the Company to significantly expand its research, development, testing, and production facilities to meet the growing global demand for its aerogel products. Currently these products have various applications in the aerospace, military, apparel, and cryogenic markets, among others.
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July 2, 2001:
Aspen Products Group Completes Thousand Hour Reformer Demonstration on Diesel Oil
Aspen Products Group, Inc. recently completed an important “industry-first” by successfully demonstrating long term continuous operation of a steam reformer on commercial grade diesel fuel. This accomplishment is quite significant to the fuel cell community, since almost all activity to date has been performed on premium fuels such as natural gas and methanol. The production of a hydrogen-rich gas suitable for fuel cells from petroleum distillates has historically caused premature failure due to the presence of sulfur and other contaminants that cause poisoning and deactivation of catalysts. The APG demonstration involved steam reforming of a high sulfur diesel fuel for more than 1000 hours over 41 days without any maintenance of the processor. There was no measurable performance degradation at the end of the test, and the operation could have been sustained much longer if required.
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May 17, 2001:
Aspen Aerogels is Formed and Completes $4 Million Placement
Aspen Systems, Inc. of Marlborough, MA has completed the formation of a new subsidiary, Aspen Aerogels, Inc., to produce, market, and expand the product range of its aerogel technology. The new company concurrently closed a first round financing led by RockPort Capital Partners L. P. of over $4 million.
RockPort Capital is a Boston-based venture capital firm specializing in early to mid-stage companies in the energy and environmental technology, advanced materials, and nanotechnology sectors. Aspen will benefit from the strategic relationships, management experience, and financial resources that RockPort brings to it. David Prend, a Managing Partner of RockPort Capital said "RockPort is excited about the market potential for Aspen's aerogel products, and their broad range of applications in aerospace, military, apparel, and many other markets."
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May 12, 2001:
Aspen Systems Forms New Division to Commercialize Heating and Cooling Products
Aspen Thermal Division was formed as a separate entity by ASI to pursue the commercial potential of recently developed heating and cooling technologies. The group will focus on the area of micro-climate conditioning such as personal heating and cooling systems. Aspen Thermal will also pursue further development of miniature cooling systems to protect components in the automotive, medical, transportation, and electronics industries. These technologies are an outgrowth of contracts which originated in the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program.
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May 4, 2001:
Aspen Products Group is Formed to Service Emerging Fuel Cell Market
Aspen Systems has created a new spin off company Aspen Products Group to focus on the emergence of fuel cell technology, especially the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The group has considerable know-how in the preparation of hydrogen fuel gas through the process of reforming hydrocarbon fuels. APG has developed its own proprietary catalysts, and has also conceived a process for desulfurizing fuel oils.
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November 9, 1999:
Aspen Systems Receives 1999 SBIR Technology of the Year Award in Manufacturing and Materials
Aspen Systems’ excellence in the development of advanced materials has resulted in the prestigious 1999 SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) Technology of the Year Award in Manufacturing and Materials. The award was presented to Aspen Systems during the Tech East 99 Conference in Miami. The award is given to those SBIR technologies that make an exceptional impact on “the improvement of everyday life and the betterment of mankind”. The award was made to Dr. Kang P. Lee, President, Chairman, and company founder.
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