Kia Motors Delivers 15,000 Medical Use Face Shields To The Georgia Emergency Management Agency

IRVINE, Calif.— April 23, 2020 — Protective face shields assembled at kia motors manufacturing georgia will be distributed to healthcare workers across the state.

  • Using CDC social distancing guidelines, a portion of Kia’s U.S. plant has transformed into a specialty production area
  • Production of personal protection equipment expands Kia’s “Accelerate the Good” efforts to help people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

In response to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kia Motors has delivered an initial supply of 15,000 face shields produced at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).

“Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia asked how they could help, and then stepped up to provide life-saving equipment for the heroes on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner, Pat Wilson. “We thank Kia once again for being such a strong partner in our Georgia-made family.”

Face shields are being assembled by paid volunteers from KMMG, which has implemented a series of safety measures to protect team members, including: conducting temperature scans, providing face masks and gloves, and staggering workstations.

Kia will be gradually increasing face shield production, ultimately reaching a capacity of 200,000 units per month, in support of donations the company has scheduled over the next several weeks to medical facilities in Southern California and New York. Face shield production is the latest extension of Kia’s Accelerate the Good program following the company’s pledge to donate a total of $1 million to non-profit partners that assist homeless youth nationwide, including Covenant House, StandUp for Kids and Family Promise. Kia’s donation will help provide much needed shelter and care to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Earlier, Kia donated N95 masks and gloves to medical facilities throughout Orange County, California, where the brand’s U.S. headquarters is located.

“Kia is a proud member of the Georgia community and the talented team members of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia are giving it everything to supply desperately needed protective equipment to those on the frontlines of this pandemic,” said Sean Yoon, president and CEO, Kia Motors North America. “Kia is grateful to both GEMA representatives and the healthcare workers on the frontlines of this crisis for their ongoing courage and bravery and hope that this donation helps them continue to give it everything.”

Kia will continue to look for ways to best utilize its resources and support its valued customers and communities during this time.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: KIA Motors Corporation

ACAMP Working With University Of Alberta Has Developed A Washable Cloth Based Filter And Plastic Respirator With Over 95% Filtration Efficiency

EDMONTON, Alberta — April 28, 2020 — Imagine protecting every Albertan with a high-quality respirator. With guidance from researchers at the University of Alberta, ACAMP, an Alberta non-profit organization helping companies develop high-tech products has designed and built an effective, reusable respirator to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The respirator’s filters can be washed and are reusable. Their effectiveness was tested against N95-rated respirators by a team at Engineering at Alberta led by Distinguished Professor Warren Finlay, an internationally respected expert in the science of aerosol mechanics. Their findings rate the ACAMP A95 filters at the same level of filtration efficiency as commercially available N95 filters.

ACAMP CEO Ken Brizel had the idea to produce enough masks for every person in Alberta four weeks ago, after being shocked to see many unprotected people shopping for groceries. Brizel has been working with local businesses and the University of Alberta to design and manufacture the respirators.

The body of the respirators is made of polyurethane or polypropylene, comes in an adult size only at this time, and provides an effective seal around the nose and mouth. The respirators filter two ways, protecting the wearer from inhaling the virus, and preventing wearers from exhaling it.

The respirators are available online now at www.actionbyacamp.ca and go into production this week.

This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate Program, under the special COVID-19 call for proposals.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: ACAMP — Alberta Center For Advanced MNT Products

Hanes Hosiery Donates Leggings To GLAM4GOOD To Assist Homeless Shelters In New York City

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — April 28, 2020 — To help some of the most vulnerable residents of New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanes Hosiery is donating 1,000 pairs of ComfortSoft™ leggings to GLAM4GOOD.

GLAM4GOOD, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people in need, will distribute the leggings to homeless shelters.

“GLAM4GOOD is working around the clock to team up with our donors and corporate partners to respond, facilitate and deliver aid to as many of our giving partners as possible to meet the needs during this unprecedented and difficult time,” said Mary Alice Stephenson, CEO and Founder of GLAM4GOOD Foundation. “We appreciate support from Hanes Hosiery, and hope that others will help in any way they can.”

Jill King, general manager of hosiery for HanesBrands, said, “We are honored to provide this small token of comfort and support to those in need in a city significantly impacted by COVID-19.”

HanesBrands, the parent company of Hanes Hosiery and the world’s largest basic apparel manufacturer, is committed to doing its part during the pandemic. The company’s brands are making a variety of product donations across the globe. Additionally, the company — and a consortium of other apparel makers — are supplying the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with hundreds of millions of all-cotton face masks for use in healthcare and other settings when technical N95 respirators or surgical medical masks are not required.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: Hanes Hosiery

HZO’s Spectrum Of Protection™ Offers OEMs Diverse Solution Suite For The Most Demanding Waterproofing Challenges

RALEIGH, N.C. — April 28, 2020 — HZO, a global supplier delivering protective nanocoatings that safeguard electronics from the most demanding corrosive and liquid environments, today unveiled new branding for its Spectrum of Protection™ portfolio. This comprehensive line of coating solutions provides customers with alternatives to how best address their specific protection requirements.

HZO’s Spectrum of Protection draws upon a wide range of materials to offer coatings designed for Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEMs) looking to protect electronic devices, printed circuit boards, semiconductors, and other sensitive circuitry. HZO’s solution suite ensures that manufacturers are not limited to a single approach to protection, but can optimize their choice based on the level of protection required, the environmental conditions in question, durability, and cost. Rather than limiting manufacturers to a “one-size-fits-all” approach, HZO draws on deep domain expertise in material sciences to bring cutting edge, prescriptive approach, with proven results. Coatings include:

HZO Guardian Series™ – Parylene Thin-film Coatings

Considered the gold standard, Parylene coatings protect against the harshest environments. HZO enhances the Parylene solution with proprietary know-how, advanced material management, and automation that drives out costs and improves quality.

HZO Sentinel Series™ – Plasma-based Nano Coatings

Plasma-based technology allows HZO to leverage a variety of chemistries that can quickly be adapted to OEMs’ specific requirements, providing a comprehensive solution at a competitive price point.

HZO Shield Series™ – Hybrid Thin-Film Coating Alternatives

Industry-exclusive hybrid coatings bring together the diversity of materials and processes to deliver a truly tailored solution for the most complex of challenges.

HZO Defender Series™ – Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Solutions

Atomic Layer Deposition provides exceptional uniformity and control throughout the coating process and leverages a more diverse mix of materials than other thin-film applications.

“With our new brand nomenclature, we can more effectively communicate the value of our solutions – which is protecting electronics from the harshest environments. This protection provides OEMs with more durable and longer-lasting products that mitigate risk, decrease cost, and increase revenue,” said Stephen Gold, Chief Commercial Officer.

HZO’s Spectrum of Protection™ contains a wide portfolio of materials capable of protecting sensitive electronics against a wide variety of environments and hazards. The materials used in the Spectrum are crafted in specific combinations of pressure, chemical reaction, temperature, and application methods to successfully waterproof and coat electrical components to desired specifications in markets including Consumer Electronics, Automotive, IoT, Industrial and Medical Devices.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: HZO Inc.

Karl Mayer Enables The Automated Production Of Textile Face Masks

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — April 20, 2020 — In many places, face masks are now an essential item on the agenda of the compulsory program relating to the exit from the corona lockdown. These masks are required in large quantities, but they are scarce goods. In view of the massive shortage of masks, the textile machinery manufacturer KARL MAYER reacted quickly, and together with partners for production and testing, set up a highly efficient production in record time. One of the used double needle bar raschel machine made by Karl Mayer enables the production of roughly a quarter of a million masks per month.

This innovative company based in Obertshausen initially developed face masks that can be made on Karl Mayer machines in high numbers and in a one-step production cycle. In other words: the masks are produced entirely without the need of any sewing work. Two models are available for the various demands.

Type 1 is produced at short notice and is suitable for everyday life. Due to their 3D shape, these masks have a tight fit and good wearing properties. They offer a convenient air exchange, a soft skin feeling, and prevent friction points on the ears, even after long-term use. The masks can be reused after their utilization. Simply wash and dry them, and the next application can start immediately.

Type 2 provides all the advantages of type 1, but it can be equipped with a replaceable nonwoven lining via a pocket. This increases the filtration capacity, at the same time ensuring minimum waste after use.

Regarding the filtering effect, the certification process is currently underway for a medical standard for both mask types.

To ensure a fast use of the face masks in Germany, Karl Mayer equipped a customer with the required machine technology and the instructions for the production of the masks. The mask manufacture will start at the end of April.

Once the installed Karl Mayer machine is running at full speed, it is possible to produce up to 400 masks per hour or 240,000 pieces per month. At the same time, Karl Mayer is working on reducing the production time for additional machines, so that capacity can be increased as quickly as possible. “By mid-May we can achieve a production of up to half a million masks per month. We are pleased that we can contribute to more safety for people with our know-how and our machines. Further developments, such as mask sizes for children, are in preparation,“ explained Oliver Mathews, sales director of the Warp Knitting Business Unit at Karl Mayer.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH

Indorama Ventures Sanitizers To Fight Covid-19 Outbreak In United States

BANGKOK, Thailand — April 28, 2020 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global chemical producer, led by its Integrated Oxides and Derivative business (IOD), successfully adapted its facilities in the US to manufacture hand sanitizers. These are hygiene products that help protect people from COVID-19 infection.

The initiative was a result of close collaboration between IVL’s experts in The Woodlands, Port Neches and Dayton, in the United States, Ankleshwar in India, and Botany in Australia provide more than 50 tons of sanitizers to government and public sectors throughout the United States. The company also expects to apply the same process to manufacture sanitizers at its international sites in order to help relieve the global shortage of essential supplies.

Alastair Port, president of IOD, said, “we are very proud of our teams, who have worked on a global platform, to rapidly bring these products to our local communities and front line workers, to help them fight the spread of this virus.”

Dilip Kumar Agarwal, CEO of the PET and Feedstock Business at IVL, said: “In this moment, every sector wants to help battle the Covid-19 outbreak together. At IVL, apart from other forms of social contribution, our experts have collaborated to develop products with an aim to help relieve the stress of this pandemic. With our specialized knowhow, IVL facilities across the world are now developing their business to be able to produce hygiene necessities where possible. We aim to do our best and will explore what more we can do. We believe that a joint effort is needed to lead our society to overcome this crisis soon.”

The Integrated Oxides and Derivative business (IOD) of IVL is a producer of surfactants used to manufacture home and personal care and agrochemical products, globally serving major brands. This enables the company to address a wider range of needs at this critical time.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: IVL

DuPont™ Sorona® Brand Launches Fabric Certification Program And New Branded Fabric Collections

WILMINGTON, Del. — April 28, 2020 — The DuPont™ Sorona® brand team is launching a new brand architecture and hang tag program designed to bring simplicity of choice and fabric confidence to designers and apparel brands. New fabric collections offered by mills are tested and certified through the DuPont Sorona Fabric Common Thread Certification Program to assure the fabrics have the unique molecular footprint of partially plant-based Sorona polymer as well as meet key fabric performance attributes. Starting now, apparel brands and designers will be able to request that mills provide their DuPont Sorona Fabric Common Thread Certificate to show their Sorona fabrics truly have the unique fabric performance and feeling that Sorona fibers provide.

“Fiber producers are able to create many unique constructions from Sorona polymer enabling a wide variety of textiles exhibiting diverse performance properties from wrinkle-resistant outerwear fabrics to lightweight breathable insulation products, permanent stretch and recovery, and newly launched Sorona faux fur,” explained DuPont Biomaterials Global Marketing Director Renee Henze. “We are committed to ensuring that mills, designers and brands have clarity on our offering and that they can trust the source of the materials when they’re choosing fabrics using Sorona.”

New fabrics which are certified through the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program will provide the Sorona fabric performance characteristics that designers and apparel brands are searching for:

Long-Lasting

Stretch: Do more of what moves you. Sorona® – Agile fabrics help to provide better resistance to heat, UV rays and chlorine. Sorona® Agile fabrics are ideal as an alternative in any garment where spandex-free stretch is needed.

Outstanding

Shape Recovery: Keep your perfect fit. Sorona – Revive fabrics provide long-lasting performance with shape retention and stretch recovery – thereby avoiding undesired fabric sagging and bagging. When used in athletic wear to casual wear, Sorona Revive fabrics are soft with dimensional stability.

Easy Care

Fold it, pack it, move it, wear it. Sorona® – Profile fabrics retain their shape and provide a consistently smooth look wear-after-wear. Used as a replacement for 100 percent nylon-based fabrics, Sorona® Profile fabrics have improved crease recovery while maintaining a rich handfeel that redefines softness.  Sorona® Profile fabrics help every garment it is used in return to form time and time again.

All Day

Softness: How performance should feel. Sorona® – Luxe fabrics afford natural fiber blends enhanced performance, softness and recovery.  From linen and wool to silk and cotton, natural fabrics now have a smooth handfeel with comfort stretch, dimensional stability and reduced pilling.

Lightweight

Breathable Warmth: Comfort in almost any climate. Lightweight Sorona® – Aura insulation fill provides unparalleled softness that redefines how warmth should feel with outstanding fill power and a higher level of thermal insulation. From jackets and pants to gloves and hats, the only thing Sorona® Aura insulation fill retains more than its shape is warmth.

“We believe in trust, traceability and transparency throughout the entire supply chain,” stated DuPont Sorona Marketing Manager Kiki Chen. “Our customers trust us and expect us to deliver performance with quality. That’s why we strictly test all fabric solutions before they’re certified.”

For more information about the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program, Sorona fabrics, and marketing tools please contact us through www.sorona.com or contact a regional channel manager.

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: DuPont

The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) Responds to Kenya’s Used Clothing & Shoe Ban

ABINGDON, Md. — April 28, 2020 — The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) is urging Kenyan officials to reverse their recent COVID-19 related ban on the importation of used garments (Mitumba) and shoes, noting that all available research on the virus shows they are not a threat to those who wear them.

Representatives of SMART, a nonprofit association of for-profit businesses in the textile reuse and recycling industry, were notified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) on April 1, 2020, that the country’s importation of used garments and shoes had been suspended until further notice. KEBS said it was implementing the ban as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) — a decision made under the false pretenses that the virus can be transmitted through used footwear and textiles.

While numerous studies including those published in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet have shown that COVID-19 may be detectable on hard, non-porous surfaces like plastics and metals for hours and potentially up to 2 to 3 days, they also reveal the virus is even less likely to survive on soft, porous surfaces like textiles including rugs, carpets, shoes and clothing — whether they might be new or used.

According to guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mitigating whatever small risk might be present on soft, porous surfaces like textiles is easily addressed by laundering the textile according to manufacturer instructions in warm water. This advice is supported by the fact that countless hospitals and other medical facilities are utilizing reusable linens and personal protective equipment/hospital apparel to protect healthcare workers that are treating patients infected with COVID-19. Furthermore, used clothing that is shipped overseas is typically in transit for weeks, if not months at a time — far longer than the virus has ever been shown to survive on even the most hospitable non-porous hard surfaces.

“Like so many others around the world, SMART and its members are engaged in the worldwide fight against a common enemy: COVID-19,” says Jackie King, the association’s executive director. “SMART and its members are committed to working with governments, businesses and individuals to slow the progression of this disease, embrace mitigation measures and protect the most vulnerable among us. However, as the situation currently presents itself, there is absolutely no supporting evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through secondhand textiles,” she continues. “We believe Kenya’s recent ban is a disingenuous attempt to stop secondhand clothing trade masquerading as a measure to protect its citizens.”

Posted April 28, 2020

Source: The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART)

ASTM International Cancels June In-Person Standards Meetings

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — April 27, 2020 — In light of COVID-19 and ongoing safety concerns for members and staff, ASTM International announced today that all previously scheduled in-person June standards development meetings (including independent meetings) have been canceled.

Last month, ASTM International announced the cancellation of all May in-person meetings.

These decisions were based on several factors, including, but not limited to:

  • Continued review of information and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other governmental bodies;
  • Input from ASTM International members whose organizations are increasingly concerned with travel; and
  • Specific information on the projected city restrictions in Boston and Washington, D.C., with input from the hotels.

ASTM International staff will be contacting committee leaders to plan alternatives for conducting committee business.

Looking forward, ASTM International will rely on these and other relevant criteria and input points to assess the status of ASTM’s future standards development meetings.

Please visit www.astm.org or www.astm.org/MEETINGS/ for the most up-to-date information and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Last month, ASTM International also announced it is providing no-cost public access to a suite of more than two dozen standards used in the production and testing of personal protective equipment to combat the coronavirus public health emergency. For more information, visit www.astm.org/COVID-19.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: ASTM International

Toray Obtains Joint Research Findings That Could Drive R&D Boosting Reverse Osmosis System Performance

TOKYO — April 27, 2020 — Toray Industries Inc., announced today that it recently obtained important joint research findings that could help enhance the water permeability and substance removal capabilities of reverse osmosis (RO) systems1. The company teamed with the Bioengineering Laboratory and Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory of Riken, a leading national research and development institute based in Wako, Japan, to undertake this work

The research clarified the relationship between the strength of interacting networks of polyamide molecules that handle water permeability and water molecule diffusion2. Toray will draw on the results of analysis to accelerate its drive to develop advanced separation materials. These include innovative energy-saving RO membranes for desalination and wastewater reclamation that deliver zero liquid discharges3.

The world faces increasingly dire water scarcity and quality issues. Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Public and private entities around the world are therefore adopting RO membrane-based purification techniques to secure sustainable water resources.

There is a trade-off with conventional RO membranes between higher water production and quality. This situation made it desirable to work out the mechanism of water molecule diffusion in RO membranes to enhance water permeability and substance removal thereby obtaining high-quality water while conserving energy.

Toray and Riken’s laboratories analyzed interactions between polyamide and water molecules within the polyamide structure of RO membranes. The team successfully identified the impacts of the collective states and mobility of water molecules in polyamide molecular assemblies. The team confirmed that the sparser the networks of interactions between polyamide molecules the more there are interactions between water molecules, leading to the creation of highly mobile water molecule assemblies.

Toray earlier engaged in research with the University of Tokyo that identified the relationship between bound water4, with its restricted movements through interactions with polyamide molecules in polyamide molecular assemblies, and free water5, with its high mobility. This work found that free water diffuses more than 10 times faster than bound water. Applying that finding, the ability to precisely control the structures of fine pores and water movements within them would make it possible to create high-performance RO membranes with outstanding water permeability and substance removal.

The Toray and Riken team received support under the Center of Innovation Program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, obtaining its findings as part of a business and research project of that agency’s Global Aqua Innovation Center for Improving Living Standards and Water-sustainability6.

Toray will push ahead with research and technical development through industry/academia/government collaborations that contribute to social progress worldwide by providing everyone with plentiful access to clean water.

References

  1. Reverse osmosis membranes
    When concentrated and dilute solutions are in contact through a semipermeable membrane, the water moves from a dilute to concentrated solution as a result of osmotic pressure because the concentrations differ. Under a pressure exceeding that of osmotic pressure on the concentrated aqueous solution, water passes through the semipermeable membrane and goes to the dilute solution. Membrane separation employing this phenomenon is called reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis membranes remove sodium, calcium, and other metal ions, chlorine and sulfate ions and other anions, and such low molecular organic compounds as pesticides.
  2. Diffusion
    This is the speed and movement of water molecules inside reverse osmosis membranes during interaction with the membranes.
  3. Zero liquid discharge
    This is a framework for water reuse by ultimately discharging only solid waste with concentrators and crystallizers after RO membrane and other treatment, eliminating environmental or sewage releases of wastewater from factories and other facilities.
  4. Bound water
    The water molecules have low mobility owing to interactions with substance surfaces.
  5. Free water
    These are water molecules with high mobility because interactions with substance surfaces are weak or nonexistent.
  6. Global Aqua Innovation Center for Improving Living Standards and Water-sustainability Spearheaded by Shinshu University, this unit fosters industry-academia-government collaborations through the Center of Innovation Science and Technology based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Posted April 27, 2020

Source: Toray Toray Industries Inc.

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