SYRACUSE, NY - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), and RadTech International announced the establishment of a research, development and industrial testing center to help make manufacturing processes in New York more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and economical. NYSERDA will provide nearly $1 million in funding for the UV and EB Process Curing Systems Technology Center on the ESF campus.

The center will help develop formulas that produce little to no harmful emissions in the manufacture and application of inks, paints and coatings, as well as resin binders used in the fabrication of composite materials such as fiberglass composites used to make wind turbine blades.

ESF's Dr. Mark Driscoll, who will direct the center, said the facility will allow manufacturers to test UV and EB technologies to see how they can apply the new technologies to their businesses before investing in equipment. Cost savings with UV and EB processes are typically significant enough that the equipment pays for itself within two or three years, he said.

RadTech's uv.eb East 2011 Conference, which will be held in Syracuse, NY, on October 4-5 2011, will highlight the capabilities of the new center.