Microtech Partner Entucell Signs Export Contract for 300 Million Masks to North America

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Nano technology specialist company N2Cell is pushing to export a total of 300 million masks to the United States and Canada. This is expected to become the sales base for Microtech, which is collaborating with N2Cell to produce masks.

On the 15th, N2Cell announced that it signed a supply contract worth approximately $186.29 million (about 224.1 billion KRW) with First Fidelity Holdings in the U.S. for 300 million 'Breathe Silver' masks. The supply regions include the United States and Canada.

In May, N2Cell's nano-filter mask brand 'Breathe Silver' completed registration with the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and is currently undergoing approval. While existing nano-filters posed safety concerns due to residual organic solvents remaining in the fibers during nano fiber synthesis, N2Cell explained that its nano fibers use water instead of organic solvents, making them safe for the human body.

An N2Cell official stated, "Using N2Cell's proprietary electrospinning technology that contains no organic solvents at all, we have obtained certifications worldwide, including from the U.S. FDA. We plan to expand especially into North America and Europe, where mask-wearing awareness is rapidly increasing."

Additionally, the nano-filter masks scheduled for export have advantages such as easier breathing and superior antibacterial and dustproof effects compared to conventional melt-blown (MB) masks. First Fidelity Holdings in the U.S. reportedly highly evaluated the masks for their free breathability and light feel, making it seem as if the wearer is not wearing a mask.

With this contract, N2Cell has secured export volumes worth a total of 370 billion KRW this year. Previously, it signed supply contracts worth 145.8 billion KRW in Asian regions including China, Hong Kong, and Japan, and with this North American deal worth 224.1 billion KRW, the total reaches approximately 372.9 billion KRW.

The company plans to share mask production with its strategic partner Microtech. Microtech became N2Cell's second-largest shareholder in April and is jointly promoting new nano businesses with N2Cell.

An N2Cell official said, "This contract has given us confidence that N2Cell's technology can succeed in the global market. Starting with this U.S. export, we will also enter the medical and high-performance industrial nano-filter markets using nano materials to expand our market share in high-performance filters."

He added, "Sales from the new nano business strategically promoted with Microtech are expected to become visible in the second half of the year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.