16 Sep 2010
END USERS DEMAND HIGHEST QUALITY MATERIALS FROM NORDIC VEST MANUFACTURERS
URMOND (NL), 16 September 2010 - DSM Dyneema have confirmed that a Nordic-based manufacturer of body armor has recently stopped using ballistic material imported from China in their vests. The decision reflected the market’s strong position on non-acceptance of anything other than first class, genuinely legitimate materials such as Dyneema® for these life-critical applications.
DSM Dyneema, manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™ disclosed that a customer originally alerted them to the fact that material from China that may have infringed on their intellectual property was being supplied to the market and used in body protection vests. However, before any legal action was required, the company involved approached DSM Dyneema and both parties have since entered into close discussions to resolve and rectify the situation.
“This is an important development for the end-user, our customers, and for DSM Dyneema. It means buyers of ultra-high performance materials like Dyneema®, are effectively regulating the supply chain and will not tolerate sub-standard materials for their products and their customers” said Marco Kleuters, Area Manager Life Protection EMEA at DSM Dyneema.
“The company, which we cannot name, fully admits to their actions and they are now committed to fixing the situation. They recognize that only legitimate brands and superior materials like Dyneema® will help them succeed in the market and we are looking at how we can work together to resolve this. It is encouraging to see how the market behaves in this manner to ensure that only legitimate, quality products are in the supply chain, and we are pleased to see this being settled without taking legal action,” Kleuters added.
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About DSM Dyneema
DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. Dyneema® is an ultra strong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema® floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema® is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema® is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, Dyneema® is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel. Dyneema® is produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands), Flaach (Switzerland) and in Greenville, North Carolina (U.S.A.). DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) manufacturing joint venture in Japan. Further information on DSM Dyneema is available at www.dyneema.com and www.dyneemamatters.com.
DSM – the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance. Its end markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics, life protection and housing. DSM manages its business with a focus on the triple bottom line of economic performance, environmental quality and social responsibility, which it pursues simultaneously and in parallel. DSM has annual net sales of about € 8 billion and employs some 22,700 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations on five continents. DSM is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information: www.dsm.com.
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