SINGAPORE, May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont Protection Solutions today launched its first Asian DuPont™ Thermo-Man™ testing facility in Singapore. This new facility will facilitate the collaboration between DuPont and manufacturers on the development of innovative design and material for the next generation of personal protective equipment and test protective apparel for those most at risk to flash fires including firefighters, industrial workers, emergency response professionals and military personnel across the Asia Pacific region.
As a world leader in heat and flame protection, DuPont strives to deliver trusted products such as its leading flame-resistant fiber, DuPont™ Nomex®, coupled with state-of-the-art testing facilities that is consistent with the highest global standards, training and product selection tools. With the support from Singapore's Economic Development Board, DuPont is committed to leveraging its world-class technical capability in Singapore to help advance standards for work safety protection and serving as a testing hub in Asia Pacific region.
The DuPont™ Thermo-Man™, a life-sized, instrumented mannequin covered with 122 heat sensors, is one of the most advanced thermal burn injury evaluation devices in the world. It can be used to measure the protective performance of a variety of garments under realistic flash fire conditions.
This test simulates the exposure of a garment to a typical excess fuel fire with temperatures rising up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. It predicts the garment's protective performance and integrity against heat, flame and fire during such a typical fire incident. It was originally developed in conjunction with the U.S. Government to help protect military personnel from burns. Based in Singapore, this Thermo-Man™ testing manikin facility can become a mobile testing unit for travelling around the region to support key safety research and serve customers' needs.
"Our new facility provides customers in the Asia Pacific region easier access to DuPont's full suite of services, even allowing them to witness product testing in person. The decreased time between prototyping, testing, and development, will enable our customers to react swiftly to market needs. Supporting the fast-paced innovation and research in the region, this advanced testing facility will help to save lives by simulating worst-case scenarios with real-world factors to achieve advancements in worker safety protection," said Dr Yi Zhang, Global Business Director, DuPont™ Nomex® Enterprise at the inauguration of the new DuPont™ Thermo-Man™ facility.
This new DuPont™ Thermo-Man™ proprietary testing labs in Singapore brings the total number of the facilities to five globally, including those currently in service in the United States, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil which opened last month, enabling innovation and product development with customers in all regions.
"DuPont's decision to invest in the Thermo-Man™ facility in Singapore reinforces our value as a strategic base for companies to chart their regional growth," said Ms Cindy Koh, Director, Energy & Chemicals, Singapore Economic Development Board. "Companies can leverage Singapore's research ecosystem and geographical proximity to their customers to quickly develop solutions and tackle complex problems arising from an increasingly industrialised and urbanised Asia."
"Beneficiaries include garment manufacturers that develop flame resistant clothing for a wide range of industries, including emergency services, petroleum, petrochemical, automotive and chemical, providing a critical safety barrier from flash fires and other hazardous environments. Protected by apparel made with Nomex®, there are millions of people around the globe who rely on the inherent heat and flame resistant properties and durability of Nomex® fiber to help keep them safe from the everyday hazards and go home safely after work," added Ms Kelly Reichert, DuPont Global Market Manager for Thermal Apparel.
DuPont™ Nomex® has been a leading flame-resistant fiber for close to 50 years. More than 3 million firefighters, as well as workers across the manufacturing, chemical, oil and gas industries, emergency response and armed forces personnel, depend on its thermal protection to help keep them safe. Nomex® fiber can help enable protective apparel to have the lowest possible weight at the highest level of protection, breathability for reduced heat stress, and the ability to effectively wick away moisture. For more information about Thermo-Man™, please visit http://protectiontechnologies.dupont.com/Thermo-Man-in-Asia.
DuPont Protection Solutions is global leader in products and solutions that protect what matters -- people, structures and the environment -- and enables its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands. DuPont™ Kevlar® helps protect law enforcement officers, military personnel, athletes and astronauts; DuPont™ Nomex® helps protect firefighters, industrial workers and race car drivers, as well as mass transit and wind energy systems; DuPont™ Tyvek® helps protect chemical industrial and healthcare workers, as well as sterile medical devices and building construction; and DuPont™ Corian® helps protect hospital patients against infection. For more information about DuPont Protection Solutions visit: http://www.dupont.com/corporate-functions/our-company/businesses/protection-solutions.html.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.
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