U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) on May 6 helped mark the grand opening of the Vorbeck Materials Corp. manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, N.D.
Vorbeck Materials, originally founded in Maryland in 2006, decided to relocate to North Dakota, where it will now manufacture its graphene-based materials to benefit first responders, the state’s drone economy, and University of North Dakota students looking for research opportunities and career advancement.
“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 [unmanned aircraft systems] ecosystem we have established,” Sen. Hoeven said on Wednesday.
The lawmaker also discussed what will be happening inside the new 47,000-square-feet facility. For instance, it will serve as the company’s hub to produce advanced fire suppressants using graphene-based materials, initially producing one million gallons of firefighting foam.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, Sen. Hoeven secured $7 million to support development of Vorbeck’s graphene-based fire suppressant in Fiscal Year 2026.
In addition to its fire suppressant, Vorbeck Materials is working to develop lightweight and flexible graphene-based antennas, which would have applications in special operations, UAS, and space.
Further, the facility will contribute to the ecosystem by providing internship opportunities for University of North Dakota College of Engineering students.
“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 senator said.
He pointed out that the PFAS-free fire suppressant the company produces is just the start as Vorbeck Materials is also working on graphene-based antennas, which would be “a natural fit with our state’s leadership in UAS and space operations.”
“Each new partnership and initiative we bring to North Dakota builds our momentum and expands our role in the future defense of our nation,” said Sen. Hoeven.