KANSAS CITY, Mo. —October 11, 2011 — GE announced today an alliance with Burlington Worldwide to
bring air permeable and bi-component waterproof fabrics to the European workwear market.
The alliance will allow customer brands to use a wide range of Burlington substrates combined
with GE membranes to create unique apparel, footwear and accessories for the workwear market, which
includes the construction, railway and postal industries. Each new top-of-the-line fabric is
designed to meet EN471, the European technical standard for high-visibility warning clothing, as
well as EN343, the technical standard for waterproofness and breathability in clothing.
The collaboration is part of GE’s strategy for its eVent® fabrics waterproof breathable
product line, which gives customers the flexibility to pair proven GE membranes with a range of
laminates and fabrics.
“The European market for workwear has grown substantially, and our customers are demanding an
alternative to what’s already on the market,” said Peter Cook, EU sales manager, Burlington
Worldwide. “We already supply fabrics to GE for lamination, so when Burlington moved into
high-visibility fabrics, it was logical to collaborate in this way. And the flexibility we have
working with GE will allow us to move into other sectors as well.”
Burlington is well-known in the workwear industry for expertise in creating fabrics suitable
for many personal protective equipment (PPE) applications. Combined with GE’s technical innovations
in membranes and textiles, the fabrics developed by the two companies will bring new options to the
workwear space.
“With the ability to offer both air permeable and bi-component technology, GE gives customers
the flexibility they need to create great products for demanding applications,” said Chad Kelly,
global product manager for eVent fabrics at GE. “Burlington has a great reputation in the workwear
space, and I’m excited about the great products that we have collectively developed and the
differentiation our alliance will bring to the marketplace.”
Both companies are debuting products from their collaboration at upcoming trade fairs across
Europe. GE will be exhibiting at Milipol 2011 (Stand 1K072 in the U.S. International Pavilion) in
Paris, from 18-21 October. Burlington will be exhibiting at A+A 2011 (Hall 10, Stand F09) in
Düsseldorf, Germany, also from 18-21 October. Not only can visitors see a sampling of new fabrics
and garments, but they also can preview the many other options each company provides in the
professional workwear space.
Posted October 18, 2011
Source: GE
