Lewis (44) is an electronics engineer and entrepreneur who has worked in Europe and the United States. He co-founded Oxford Semiconductor in 1992 and headed up its sales and marketing activities, turning it into a global business with 150 employees. After returning to the UK from the US James formed Parallaxis (http://www.parallaxis.com) to apply his experience and knowledge in supporting start-up and small hi-tech companies to realize their full potential. James has a degree in electronic engineering from the University of London.

Burrow (54) is a former investment banker with 25 years’ experience in corporate finance, specializing in M&A, IPOs, equity issues and other capital markets transactions. Most recently, he was managing director at Lehman Brothers in London with overall responsibility for the bank’s strategic relationships with clients.  Prior to this, Burrow was financial adviser to the Philippines for the development of major industrial projects, structural engineer with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago and software developer for Ove Arup & Partners in London. His education includes a BSc in civil engineering from Southampton University, an MS in structural engineering from Northwester University in Chicago and an MBA from London Business School.

Commenting on the new appointments, Bac2’s CEO, Mike Stannard said, “We are very fortunate to have the support of both James and Michael as we move into the commercialization phase of our business. The fact that these highly experienced individuals have also chosen to invest in Bac2 speaks volumes for their belief in our ability to produce technically and commercially attractive components for the emerging fuel cell market.”

Bac2 is the developer of ElectroPhen, an electrically conductive polymer used to produce bi-polar plates for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The material promises lower costs and improved ruggedness and reliability in this application.

For further information and reader enquiries:
Mike Stannard, CEO, Bac2, Set Squared, The University of Southampton S017 1BJ, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 23 8059 8572  E-mail: mike@bac2.co.uk
Web: http://www.bac2.co.uk

PR agency contact:
Bob Jones, TechnoPR Limited, The Old Vicarage, Upper South Wraxall, Bradford-on-Avon, 
Wiltshire BA15 2SB, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1225 866930  E-mail: bob.jones@technopr.com 
Web: http://www.technopr.com

About Bac2
Bac2 is the developer of ElectroPhen™, an electrically conductive plastic that will make a significant contribution to the early adoption of clean energy from fuel cell stacks. Fuel cells are technically proven sources of clean energy for our planet, but adoption is presently limited by cost. Up to 30% of the cost of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stacks, the most popular types, comes from so-called bipolar plates and end plates that interconnect individual cells and provide connections to the outside world. The bipolar plates have to conduct electricity, keep the reaction gasses separated and channel away waste water and heat from the reaction. ElectroPhen™ is a unique material that can be used to form these plates and it will contribute significantly to improvements in fuel cell cost/performance. Furthermore, as Bac2 demonstrates that ElectroPhen™ is mechanically more flexible than alternative materials developed for this application, it will result in a more rugged and reliable product. ElectroPhen™ therefore has the potential to bring forward the day fuel cells become widely adopted. 

Already in commercial use as auxiliary generators, fuel cells are widely expected to power everything from cars and buses to laptops and mobile phones and even homes and offices in the years to come. They provide clean efficient energy as part of the emerging hydrogen economy, which is seen as the most viable energy technology for tackling increasingly serious concerns over oil and gas supply as well as harmful climate changing emissions caused by burning hydrocarbon fuels. The only waste product from hydrogen fuel cells is water. 

Bac2 is in the process of developing ElectroPhen™ commercially and has patents pending in Europe, America and Japan. ElectroPhen™ is made from readily available low-cost constituents, can be pressed or moulded to complex shapes, and is robust enough for harsh environments. By comparison, competitors produce composite plates using electrically insulating resins to bind together conductive particles such as graphite. In addition to its role in fuel cells, Bac2 will find an increasingly wide range of applications in electrical and electronic industries.
Bac2 is a privately owned company based in Southampton, United Kingdom.