GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today marked the grand opening of the Vorbeck Materials manufacturing facility in Grand Forks. Vorbeck develops advanced materials for extreme environments, focusing on defense, aerospace and industrial applications. Hoeven discussed how the new 47,000 sq. ft. facility:
- Serves as the company’s hub to produce advanced fire suppressants using graphene-based materials, initially producing 1 million gallons of firefighting foam.
- As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven secured $7 million to support development of Vorbeck’s graphene-based fire suppressant in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
- Vorbeck is currently in negotiations with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to finalize the contract for this funding, which will help grow the company’s operations in Grand Forks.
- These efforts are bolstered by a policy Congress passed in FY2020 requiring the Department of War (DoW) to discontinue the use of fire suppressants that contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
- This year’s funding builds upon a $4.7 million DLA award the company previously received to produce and test their PFAS-free, graphene-based firefighting foam.
- As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven secured $7 million to support development of Vorbeck’s graphene-based fire suppressant in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
- Is an outgrowth of the region’s high-tech, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) ecosystem, which Hoeven has worked to establish and grow in the Grand Forks region since his time as governor.
- Vorbeck was founded in Maryland in 2006, but opted to relocate to Grand Forks last year after determining that the region was a better fit for its efforts to develop applications for its advanced materials.
- Hoeven outlined how initiatives like Project ULTRA and Q Station help grow North Dakota’s defense industrial base by attracting innovative companies like Vorbeck that are working to cost-effectively address DoW priorities.
- In addition to its fire suppressant, Vorbeck is working to develop lightweight and flexible graphene-based antennas, which would have applications in special operations, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and space.
- The facility will further contribute to the ecosystem by providing internship opportunities for University of North Dakota (UND) College of Engineering students.
“Today’s celebration is about more than a new manufacturing site – it is part of a broader effort to diversify and grow our defense industrial base in North Dakota, building upon the high-tech UAS ecosystem we have established,” said Hoeven. “When Vorbeck was looking to develop additional applications for the graphene-based materials it produces, Grand Forks was an obvious choice because of the high-tech ecosystem we’ve built, which creates real opportunities for innovative companies to partner with the Department of War and meet the needs of our warfighters. The PFAS-free fire suppressant the company produces is just the start. The work Vorbeck is doing on graphene-based antennas is a natural fit with our state’s leadership in UAS and space operations, demonstrating how each new partnership and initiative we bring to North Dakota builds our momentum and expands our role in the future defense of our nation.”
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