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Plasma Clean technology is pure genius

11th January 2010

Plasma Clean Limited, a hi-tech spin-out from the University of Manchester has been awarded a £112,829 Grant for Research and Development from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA)

Based in the Stockport Business Incubator, Plasma Clean specialises in odour control and air purification solutions utilizing non-thermal plasma technology.

Grant for Research and Development, is part of Solutions for Business, the Government's package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow.

The Grant helps entrepreneurs and business owners introduce innovative products and processes, including research trials and product testing. Grant for Research and Development is designed specifically to support innovative projects that have a solid commercial potential.

The Grant for Research and Development will allow Plasma Clean to complete the development of its non-thermal plasma system. The technology, aimed at Ultra Pure Gas applications in the manufacture of semi-conductors, flat-panel displays and solar cells, and any other ultra high purity gas application, has already generated significant interest from the UK and abroad.

The work will build on the NWDA research project completed in October 2008, which helped the business to deliver a unique power supply system capable of producing a highly active plasma discharge using lower power.

The Plasma Clean system, known as Plasma UPG, will eventually be licensed to commercial partners across the world, seeking low power solutions to meet the ever demanding need to enhance process gas purity.

Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Economic Development, NWDA said:
"Innovation is critical to the economic development of the region; ensuring vital sectors remain productive. The NWDA plays an important role ensuring businesses within the Northwest are able to retain a competitive edge, leading the way in research and development."

David Glover, Managing Director of Plasma Clean said:
"Receiving this award is a great boost for Plasma Clean and will help to deliver a unique product offering which will present significant benefits to our customers worldwide.

We have already had significant interest from some of the major players in the air purification industry, seeking a product which will offer competitive advantage in terms of performance and running costs."

"We have been working with Plasma Clean for over 3 years through the North West Business Investment Scheme. I am delighted their hard work and innovation has been recognised, enabling them to take their developments of the UPG plasma technology to the next level on an international scale. There is a huge market for Plasma Clean's technology and this grant will help them further establish themselves as pioneers in the air purification field." Says Doug Stellman, NWBIS, YFM Private Equity

The NWDA is playing a crucial role in response to the current economic downturn, with a number of actions being taken to meet the needs of businesses during these financially challenging times. To keep updated on the range of support being offered by the NWDA go to - www.nwda.co.uk/supportingbusiness

For more information on business support visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

For more information on Finance for Business please visit www.nwdabusinessfinance.co.uk

---ENDS---

For media enquiries relating to Plasma Clean please contact David Glover Managing Director of Plasma Clean on + 44 (0)161 443 4125 or david.glover@plasma-clean.com

Notes to editors

1. About Plasma Clean
Plasma Clean is a technology-based UK company providing innovative
solutions to air quality problems and is based within University of Manchester Incubator Company (UMIC) facilities at Broadstone Mill. The company's core technology - gas plasma - cleans, purifies and deodorises indoor air for domestic, commercial and industrial customers. Following Venture Capital backing in 2006 from YFM, MTF, NESTA and private investors, Plasma Clean is pursuing significant market expansion through a mix of technology licensing and direct sales.

2. The Plasma Clean Xtract is Plasma Cleans first product which was launched in August 2008. This unit is used for odour control applications in commercial kitchens, food waste storage, composting, in fact any application where odour is an issue. Other available systems are more expensive, have high running costs and are high maintenance and so by installing this product, businesses are reducing costs and their carbon footprint at the same time. Since the launch of the Xtract, Plasma Clean has grown its customer base and boasts clients as diverse as 5 star hotels and restaurants to fast food outlets including KFC to local fish and chip shops. Plasma Clean's product portfolio has also grown to offer a wide range of air purification systems to customers worldwide. The development of Plasma UPG will further extend Plasma Cleans reach into high value markets where high purity gases play an important role.

3. Plasma Clean's technology works like this: Plasma is a mixture of ions and free radicals, formed naturally by lightning, which is why air feels so fresh after a thunderstorm. Powered by a mains connection, plasma inside a cartridge is activated. This process oxidises and purifies ambient air and industrial gases. Harmful or unwanted substances - including volatile organic compounds, odours and microbes - are converted by the plasma into harmless by-products such as carbon dioxide and water. This is how Plasma Cleans' technology purifies and cleans ambient air.

4. Plasma reacts with airborne pollutants such as allergens, microbes, mould and viruses. The Plasma Clean oxidation process mimics lightening but at much a much safer, lower power. A Plasma Clean purifier unit would be as much at home in any domestic or commercial environment as the ubiquitous air-con unit. The technology is completely reliable and safe.

5. Plasma Clean's technology is a simpler and more environmentally-friendly solution to indoor air purification. Existing air purification technologies tend to absorb or trap airborne pollutants and their efficiency reduces, meaning they have to be changed regularly. Often these systems require costly incineration or landfill. Not only are current technologies costly to maintain, they create a significant carbon footprint. Plasma Clean solutions do not add to the UK's burden of landfill or disposal of toxic waste. Plasma Clean air purification cartridges also last significantly longer than existing technology, leading to cost efficiencies for customers.

6. For more information about the University of Manchester's intellectual property and incubator companies, please visit:
www.umip.com Allan Prits, Marketing Manager UMIP +44 (0)161 606 7240

7. North West Business Investment Scheme is managed by YFM Private Equity and is part of the YFM Group. YFM Private Equity manages the Business Investment Scheme on behalf of the Northwest Development Agency.

From nine regional offices the YFM Group, through its two FSA regulated investment arms YFM Venture Finance and YFM Private Equity, manage over £310m of funds for both institutional and retail clients. Investors include UK clearing banks, pension funds, private individuals, large corporates, the European Investment Fund and local, national and European governments combined with the Regional Development Agencies.

YFM Group invests up to £8m in growing UK businesses
YFM Group is the growth business investment specialist and has been the UK's most active investor in SMEs over the last 5 years (as verified by Private Equity Insight)

For further information visit www.yfmgroup.co.uk