Operation “Green Future”: Nanopool GmbH from Hülzweiler was awarded the Golden Green Apple Award for the most innovative and environmentally friendly products of the year.

It is now known that nanotechnology offers unprecedented opportunities and possibilities in the application areas of chemistry, optics, automotive, electronics, medicine, and biology. However, it is a newer realization for the public that nanotechnology also represents a beacon of hope for environmental protection and environmental technology. The chairman of the large American conglomerate General Electric (GE), Jeffrey Immelt, shared during his appearance in Germany that the hope is as green as the dollar. Immelt’s motto is: “green is green,” just as the dollar bill in the USA is green, for GE and others, environmental protection has become a global growth engine.

On November 9, 2007, Nanopool GmbH from Hülzweiler was awarded the Golden Green Apple Award at the House of Commons in London. The internationally recognized environmental award is supported by the British government. This year, over 750 companies worldwide were nominated for the award, which develop sustainable and resource-conserving products and solutions to market readiness.

The Saarland company was awarded the Golden Green Apple for the most innovative and environmentally friendly product of the year. Managing directors Sascha Schwindt and Lilly Schwindt accepted the award together with the UK Project Manager Neil McClelland. The award was presented by the internationally recognized environmental researcher and author Prof. David Bellamy. In his speech, Bellamy noted: “It is fair to say that cleaning agents pollute and contaminate the environment, but this fantastic technology has the potential to practically eliminate this fact. By applying a microscopic layer of glass to virtually any surface, it becomes almost self-cleaning and a cloth is sufficient to remove any contamination.”

The products based on ultra-thin layers for modification and functionalization of surfaces are universally applicable. Nanotechnology as a whole deals with the alteration of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of a material caused by nano-scale structures. A human hair is about 50,000 times thicker than a nanometer.

The Nanopool® products are currently used as antimicrobial coatings in hospitals and in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In silos and other production facilities, they serve as protection for the surfaces of containers and aggregates. In turbine wheels and turbocharger blades, they lead to improved flow conditions. A wine cork coating leads to the avoidance of cork tastes. In the hotel and restaurant industry, entire kitchens, counters, tables, floors, and sanitary facilities are antimicrobially coated, resulting in 40% lower costs and time spent on cleaning. This effect is also highlighted by Josef Klingler, manager of McDonald’s Salzburg: “The products from Nanopool mean for us: no more dirt adhesion, sustainable protection against mold and bacteria adhesion, and significantly reduced chemical use in cleaning.” The green heroes are also available for the household sector.

Managing Director Sascha Schwindt rated the award accordingly: “Being awarded the Golden Green Apple Award 2007 is a great honour and confirmation that we are on the right path with our innovative developments and our environmentally friendly sustainable products.” The various products lead to sustainable effects and solutions in the areas of energy saving (e.g., on ships, trucks, and car engines), water protection (relief of sewage treatment plants), air purification (improvement of filter technology), and resource protection (wood protection, water saving).