Vorbeck Materials has secured a $6.6 million contract from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to support the development and deployment of its PFAS-free, graphene-enabled firefighting foam technology. The agreement is expected to strengthen the company’s operations in North Dakota while advancing environmentally safer alternatives to conventional firefighting agents that contain harmful “forever chemicals.”
Vorbeck’s solution includes a flame-retardant formulation that can be mixed with seawater, offering significant advantages for naval applications such as shipboard fire suppression. The technology is also suited for extreme cold environments, where saltwater’s lower freezing point enhances operational reliability.
The Maryland-based company, known for its graphene-based antennas and advanced materials, recently opened a 47,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where production of the PFAS-free foam is underway.
