French deep-tech leader brings vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) production to Ohio in $10M investment — from site selection to operations in under 12 months
ENGLEWOOD, Ohio — June 10, 2026 — NAWAH, the global leader in vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) materials for composites, today inaugurated its first North American manufacturing facility in Englewood, Ohio. The $10 million, 38,000 sq. ft. site — built in close partnership with JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition, and the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) — went from site selection to production-ready in less than 12 months, among the fastest greenfield builds of its kind in Ohio’s advanced-manufacturing corridor.
The Dayton facility positions NAWAH at the epicenter of American aerospace, defense, and advanced industry — and establishes a strategic Franco-American industrial alliance in a class of materials critical to next-generation sports equipment, aviation, aerospace, and mobility applications.
A FRANCO-AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL ALLIANCE
NAWAH’s Dayton plant illustrates a new model of transatlantic industrial cooperation: French deep-tech innovation — born from pioneering collaboration between the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and MIT — combined with American advanced-manufacturing scale. As both nations invest in supply-chain resilience for critical materials across defense, aerospace, and energy, NAWAH stands at the intersection of France’s France 2030 industrial sovereignty program and the United States’ reshoring of advanced manufacturing.
“Fifteen years ago, our research at MIT demonstrated that integrating vertically aligned carbon nanotubes as interlaminar reinforcement could fundamentally transform composite materials. Seeing NAWAH bring this technology to full industrial production is deeply gratifying. This inauguration marks a milestone not just for one company, but for the entire field of structural nanomaterials — proof that breakthrough science can become a manufacturable reality.”
— Prof. Brian Wardle, MIT, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and
Department of Mechanical Engineering
“Dayton has long been a hub of innovation, from aviation to advanced composites. NAWAH’s decision to establish its U.S. production facility here is a powerful testament to the strength of our region’s manufacturing ecosystem. Bringing vertically aligned carbon nanotube technology to industrial scale in Ohio opens a new chapter for advanced materials, and we are proud to welcome NAWAH as a key contributor to Dayton’s dynamic future.”
— Sarah E. Spees, Director, Business Development Dayton Development Coalition
“Less than one year ago, this facility was a vision on paper. Today, it is a reality — and has been achieved entirely by our team, on both sides of the Atlantic, who worked with extraordinary dedication and speed to make it happen. This inauguration is not an endpoint; it is the starting line. NAWAH is determined to become the world’s leading producer of VACNT, and Dayton is where that journey truly begins.”
— Alain Guinot, CEO, NAWAH