NEW, BREAKTHROUGH DYNEEMA^® DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY TAKES CUT-RESISTANT GLOVES TO THE NEXT LEVEL

URMOND (NL), November 04, 2010 - Innovative new production technology developed by DSM Dyneema enables the manufacture of yarn that delivers significantly increased cut resistance performance. New Dyneema® Diamond Technology now makes possible the production of protective gloves that combine the ultimate in cut resistance with extreme comfort.

Developed over a period of four years, the patented ultra-high strength yarns produced with Dyneema® Diamond Technology enable production of light-weight gloves that provide outstanding comfort and durability at the higher levels of cut resistance standards (ANSI level 3 and EN388 level 4) for the first time. Wearers will enjoy the same comfort levels as before with Dyneema® based gloves, but now with higher protection. This means that they will be considerably more comfortable than gloves made with competing materials, some of which contain metal or glass reinforcements to achieve the higher level of cut resistance, but which adds to their weight, restricts movement and means a less comfortable wearing experience.

For example, aramids are thick, bulky and hot and therefore uncomfortable. Engineered yarns with glass fiber can be lightweight, but offer less durability and less comfort, while engineered yarns with steel wire reinforcement are uncomfortable due to the stiffness of the steel wire.

“Traditionally, the thicker and more sturdy the glove, the less comfort and flexibility it offered the wearer,” says Noud Steffens, Global Marketing Manager for Yarn at DSM Dyneema. “But now, glove buyers no longer need to choose between performance and comfort - they can have both.” Gloves incorporating Dyneema® Diamond Technology are available from a select pool of DSM Dyneema licencing partners to ensure that end-users get the best advice on what type of protection they need.

“Our new Dyneema® Diamond Technology will raise the cut resistance performance of Dyneema® yarns by as much as 200%,” says Noud Steffens. “It offers higher cut resistance than bulky medium-weight aramids, and far more comfort than thick heavy-weight aramids and tougher engineered yarns that are traditionally combined with glass or steel fibers to increase their cut resistance.”

Gloves made with Dyneema® fibers incorporating the new technology are lighter, thinner, more tactile and keep the wearer’s hands considerably cooler than those made with other materials - including aramids. Gloves with Dyneema® are already well known for their longevity, and the same applies to gloves made with Dyneema® Diamond Technology. They last much longer than traditional safety gloves and can be laundered many times, quickly providing a return on investment.

“Dyneema® Diamond Technology complements and enhances our existing Dyneema® Continuous Filament Technology,” says Noud Steffens. “It means that specifiers and buyers will now have a wider choice than ever of durable, gloves with Dyneema® at different levels of cut resistance, all with the same high level of comfort for which Dyneema® has become a byword.”

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