DSM Dyneema unveils Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology, combining exceptional protection and wearer comfort

The Netherlands, 9 December 2015 - DSM Dyneema, the manufacturer of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, branded as Dyneema®, and world leader in life protection materials and high-performance fibers, today debuts Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology, a patented anti-stab material for soft armor applications. Vests manufactured with Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology combine outstanding protection against knives and other sharp weapons with unmatched light weight, flexibility and comfort. This new technology can be combined with Dyneema® soft ballistic materials, to develop a new generation of multi-threat protective gear. DSM Dyneema is collaborating with Aegis Engineering Ltd., a global manufacturer of personal protective apparel, on a multi-threat prototype vest to assess the new material for compliance with international standards, including the HOSDB Body Armour Standards for United Kingdom Police.

“Innovation in anti-stab technology has lagged for more than a decade and the body armor industry was in need of advancement,” said Marcio Manique, global business director, Life Protection at DSM Dyneema. “We developed Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology to deliver maximum protection against knife stabs, meeting the specific needs of law enforcement officers in hostile confrontations, as well as military personnel engaged in urban warfare. Of course, it also provides the light weight, freedom of movement and all-day comfort that Dyneema® is renowned for. We look forward to working with the industry to develop a new generation of multi-threat protective gear based on this technology.”

“We carefully assessed the performance of the new Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology and believe it is exactly what law enforcement is looking for,” said Steve Jenkins, managing director, Aegis Engineering Ltd. “DSM Dyneema has created a breakthrough innovation that surpasses traditional solutions and represents a major advancement in the overall weight, wearability and thermal burden of multi-threat vests.”

Compared to traditional materials, this new Dyneema® technology platform enables designers to create protective vests that are up to 25 percent lighter and thinner. For example, the areal density of a protective vest prototype designed by Aegis Engineering Ltd. is approximately 5.6 kg/m². In contrast, vests made from traditional materials that offer the same level of multi-threat protection against knives and handgun ammunition (according to standard HG1A-KR1 HOSDB 2007) have areal densities ranging from 6.7 to 7.7 kg/m².

Dyneema® Anti Stab Technology provides exceptional flexibility and comfort that help police officers and military personnel perform their jobs more effectively.

Manufacturers of personal protective gear will benefit from receiving the new material in rolls rather than sheets, which increases manufacturing efficiency and therefore contributes to waste reduction. It will be commercially available worldwide in 2016.

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