A3 Surfaces will benefit from a new round of financing of $4 million to support the commercialisation of antimicrobial anodised aluminium, a unique technology developed by the Saguenay-based company.
The Québec government and Desjardin Capital made the announcement today in the presence of Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development, Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, and Daniel Ménard, Director of the Centre Desjardins Entreprises Saguenay.
As part of this new round of financing, the Québec government granted A3 Surfaces a $2 million loan to support the commercialisation of its aluminium anodising technology. Desjardins Capital has offered a financial support of $1 million. In addition, shareholders have invested $1 million.
Thanks to these new funds, A3 Surfaces will be able to pursue its North American approval process and consolidate its commercialisation structure in Europe, where the company carries out important promotional work. In addition, A3 Surfaces will participate in two world-class trade shows in Europe in May: SANTEXPO in France and Exposanità in Italy.
"An innovative company like A3 Surfaces needs support and time to achieve its goals. The journey since the beginning of the company is considerable and A3 Surfaces could not have achieved its aspirations without the support of our partners. A3 Surfaces would like to thank the Québec Government and Desjardins Capital for their unwavering support. With this new round of financing, A3 Surfaces is well positioned to achieve its objective of becoming the world leader in antimicrobial surfaces."
- Dr Guy Leblanc, Vice-president Health, A3 Surfaces.
A first agreement signed in France
The marketing of A3 Surfaces' antimicrobial technology has begun to break into the European market. The Saguenay-based company recently signed a supplier agreement with the French private and public hospital purchasing centre (CAHPP), which will allow it to offer its products to some 3,800 French health care institutions.
"A3 Surfaces' technology has great commercialisation potential. It is this type of project that we must develop to promote the use of aluminium in Québec. By stimulating the aluminium sector, we generate good jobs for the region and significant economic benefits."
- Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development
"A3 Surfaces operates in a strategic sector for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, and its ambitions correspond to the orientations of the Québec strategy for the development of aluminium. By promoting the aluminium produced in the region, A3 Surfaces generates considerable economic benefits for us.”
- Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region
A3 Surfaces on Amazon
A3 Surfaces' products will also be available to the general public through Amazon - Europe. Within 45 days, the online retail platform will offer the company's line of antimicrobial anodised aluminium products.
"Desjardins Capital is proud to support the innovation of a Québec-based company whose product is also boosting the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region's global reputation in the aluminium sector. Our financial assistance of $1 million will allow A3 Surfaces to develop a technology that makes aluminium self-cleaning so that surfaces are safe, and this is all the more important in times of pandemic.”
- Jean-Yves Bourgeois, Senior Vice-President, Business Services, Mouvement Desjardins