Saudi prince visits NanoMech, Crystal Bridges and Gov. Beebe
by June 20, 2014 1:18 pm 247 views
Saudi Arabian Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal recently visited NanoMech and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Northwest Arkansas as part of a Eisenhower Fellowship trip to investigate new approaches to sustainable economic growth, diversification, and exploring innovations to increase his country’s business potential, according to press release from Springdale-based NanoMech.
Prince Saud is the Deputy Governor for Investment Affairs, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and President, National Competitiveness Center (NCC). He is responsible for enhancing the competitiveness of Saudi Arabia.
NanoMech was founded in 2002 and creates advanced engineering materials through patent and patent-pending nano-engineered and nano-manufactured product development. NanoMech has discovered several innovations in machining and manufacturing, lubrication and energy, and strategic military applications. NanoMech is a member of President Obama’s Materials Genome Initiative, the U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative (USMCI) and the U.S. Technology Leadership and Strategy Initiative, both based in Washington, D.C.
“This has certainly been an excellent year for NanoMech,” Chairman and CEO Jim Phillips said in the statement. “The company continues to gain momentum and it is the innovators who will help drive results, efficiencies and progress.” Phillips also noted, “Our groundbreaking products dramatically improve performance, durability and sustainability, while significantly decreasing costs to manufacture.”
The Prince toured NanoMech’s factory, laboratories and world headquarters in Springdale and met with Phillips and Dr. Ajay Malshe, NanoMech’s CTO and founder, to discuss opportunities involving NanoMech's revolutionary enhanced fossil fuel technology. A trip has been planned for Phillips and Malshe to visit R&D facilities in Saudi Arabia.
Prince Saud also visited the Institute of Nanoscience and Engineering at the University of Arkansas. NanoMech rents the Institute’s scanning electron microscope for surface morphology, cross-sectional analysis and elemental analysis. It uses the Institute’s transmission electron microscope for grain/crystal size analysis and elemental analysis, and its X-ray diffraction allows the firm to determine crystal structures/orientation for estimating crystalline.
As part of the visit to NanoMech, Prince Saud was provided a special tour of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art by Chairman and Founder Alice Walton. While on the museum tour, Prince Saud also met Walmart Stores CEO Doug McMillon and members of the Crystal Bridges Board of Directors.
Prince Saud then visited with Gov. Mike Beebe in Little Rock to talk about the economic impact companies like NanoMech have on the economy.
“Governor Beebe had an engaging discussion with Prince Saud on the history of Saudi Arabia, its government, culture and business models,” noted the NanoMech statement.