NAWAH Launches First U.S. VACNT Facility in Ohio, Accelerating Composite Innovation

NAWAH leaders and partners, along with representatives from the state of Ohio and the city of Englewood, cut the ribbon at the new Englewood, Ohio, site on June 10, 2026. Source | CW

NAWAH (Rousset, France), a pioneer in vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) materials for the composites industry, inaugurated its first North American manufacturing plant in Englewood, Ohio. The $10 million, 38,000‑square‑foot facility is slated to reach full commercial production of 400,000 square meters per year by summer 2026.

NAWAH’s flagship product, NAWAH‑Stitch Film, arrives in polymer‑film rolls fully infused with VACNTs. These shelf‑stable films can be applied directly to epoxy‑based prepregs during a standard layup process, simplifying integration.

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Beginning in summer 2026, the Englewood site will produce up to 400,000 square meters of NAWAH‑Stitch Films annually on its inaugural line, with ample capacity for future expansion. Source | NAWAH

The VACNTs can be strategically positioned within composite layups to enhance delamination resistance, energy absorption, thermal or electrical conductivity, and fatigue performance—delivering multifunctionality to advanced composites.

The patented industrial‑scale technology traces its roots to research at France’s CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and MIT, supplemented by work from UDRI and NAWAH’s France‑based R&D laboratory. NAWAH, formerly NAWA Technologies, acquired the VACNT assets of N12 Technologies in 2020 and partnered with JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition, and the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) to develop the Englewood plant.

Situated near Dayton’s Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base and a hub of Tier 1 aerospace suppliers, the location was chosen to serve customers across aerospace, defense, sports equipment, and mobility/automotive sectors. The first commercial focus is premium sports gear, with examples of golf clubs, hockey sticks, baseball bats, and hockey boots produced using NAWAH‑Stitch Film. Concurrently, NAWAH is engaged in qualification programs with aerospace manufacturers in Europe and North America.

At the inauguration on June 10, U.S. business manager Kevin Retz highlighted, “Here at NAWAH’s U.S. home in Dayton, Ohio, we’re taking VACNT technology from laboratory to industry. This is a game‑changer for composites, and it was made possible through our extensive collaborations.”

CEO Alain Guinot added, “VACNTs offer proven benefits for the most demanding applications—validated by MIT and UDRI. The hurdles to industrial scale were mass production, nanomaterial safety, and industry trust. Our fifth‑generation technology, film product, and partnerships have broken those barriers, and we’ll continue to build confidence at this new site.”

NAWAH U.S. business manager Kevin Retz led the speaker lineup at the Englewood site’s inauguration ceremony. Source | CW

The Englewood facility currently employs 11 staff members and plans to expand to 20 by the end of 2026 and 50 by 2029. NAWAH targets operational profitability by 2028 and $30 million in revenue by 2030.

NAWAH is a subsidiary of ETSEM (France), a French industrial group.