In January 2008, ATMI, Inc (another SBIR company) acquired LevTech Inc. LevTech, Inc. is a privately-held company with a broad proprietary intellectual property base in superconductive magnetic levitation. This technology was developed partially in conjunction with the University of Kentucky, and has been commercialized to serve the biopharmaceutical industry to mix high purity materials in closed containers - primarily proprietary disposable plastic bags. LevTech's technology, which also has applications in pumping and blending, allows industrial mixers and pumps to operate without shafts, bearings or seals, and thus provides compelling end-user economic and technical advantages. LevTech's Disposable Bag Mixing System has been placed at leading biopharmaceutical organizations who are exploiting this breakthrough technology for its technical and economic advantages. Commercialization of the DB-200 System will be followed by commercialization of the value-added disposable bioreactors and stainless steel mixers which are currently under development. A longer term goal is the development of disposable polymer and stainless steel pumps without shafts, bearings or seals to provide the same end-user benefits as the Disposable Bag Mixing System.
