Sparc Technologies Ltd (ASX:SPN) has achieved a key commercial milestone with the first sale of its ecosparc® graphene-based additive, generating initial revenue from its advanced materials business and signalling early traction in the global protective coatings market.
The ASX-listed company said it has received a purchase order from an Asian coatings manufacturer for the use of ecosparc® in solvent-based protective coatings, following successful proof-of-concept testing conducted in the customer’s laboratories.
Proof-of-concept testing underpins first sale
Sparc said the laboratory testing demonstrated improved performance when ecosparc® was incorporated into coating formulations, outperforming both unmodified coatings and alternative graphene-based products.
While the value of the purchase order was not disclosed, the company described the sale as a significant step in the commercialisation of its flagship graphene additive after more than six years of research and development.
The customer is a southeast Asian paint manufacturer that is partially and indirectly owned by a national government. Sparc said the identity of the customer is not considered material, with the focus instead on the achievement of the first commercial sale.
Momentum builds across coatings trials and partnerships
The initial order builds on growing momentum behind ecosparc®, with Sparc currently involved in a range of testing programs across the coatings sector.
These include research and development collaborations with Dulux and Saudi Aramco, as well as field trials with BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Santos and the Government of South Australia, among others. Sparc is also targeting asset owners in highly corrosive environments across mining, oil and gas, government and defence sectors.
The company said multiple global coatings manufacturers are now undertaking product evaluations of ecosparc® within anti-corrosive coating systems.
Scaling sales without major capital investment
Sparc expects the first sale to act as a forerunner to increasing product sales during 2026, as it pursues direct customer sales alongside anticipated commercialisation agreements with partners.
Importantly, the company said commercial manufacturing capability for ecosparc® is already established, allowing it to support higher production volumes without a significant increase in investment or working capital.
“The first sale of ecosparc® to the protective coatings industry represents a significant step forward for Sparc Technologies,” said managing director Nick O’Loughlin. “We have spent six years developing a market-leading graphene additive for epoxy-based protective coatings, and I am very pleased to see first revenue from the product.”
Large addressable market in focus
Sparc estimates the global protective and marine coatings market at approximately US$33 billion, with the addressable market for ecosparc® within the anti-corrosive segment estimated at around US$1 billion per year.
Beyond graphene-enhanced materials, Sparc is also advancing green hydrogen technology through its Sparc Hydrogen joint venture with Fortescue and the University of Adelaide, focused on photocatalytic water splitting as a potential next-generation pathway for low-cost green hydrogen production.