Johnson Matthey is the world's leading supplier of the platinum catalysts and catalysed electrodes at the heart of the fuel cell. It also has a number of proprietary technologies for processing fuels to generate the hydrogen required by the fuel cell and for purifying the resulting gas stream. On 27th October last year, the company announced a long-term agreement with Ballard Power Systems for the joint development and supply of catalysts and catalyst containing products for Ballard's fuel cells. As a result of this agreement with Ballard, Johnson Matthey will be the major supplier of fuel cell catalysts to both Ballard and dbb.

dbb's methanol fuel cell engine is expected to be first to market and Johnson Matthey is focussing its efforts in the mobile area to support dbb's programme.

Commenting on the agreement with dbb, Neil Carson, Division Director, said: "This important agreement with Daimler Benz-Ballard reinforces Johnson Matthey's leading position as a supplier of catalysts, catalysed electrodes and fuel processing technologies to the fuel cell industry. This is a rapidly developing new market which will provide Johnson Matthey with major business opportunities in the coming years."