standardisation and new product development · 2013-12-19 · standardisation and new product...
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Standardisation and New Product
Development
D Randall
PIL Membranes LtdPart of KL Technologies
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
KL Technologies Ltd
• Privately owned
• Four operating companies
– PCL Ceramics Ltd
– PIL Membranes Ltd
– KLT Filtration Ltd
– Nanoflam Ltd
• Number of employees: 150
• Offices in Hong Kong , Shanghai, Moscow, Philadelphia
• ISO 9001:2008 certified
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
PIL Membranes Ltd
• Manufacturers of polyurethane membranes for use in garment,
accessory and industrial end
markets
• Integrated from chemical building blocks through to membrane end
effect.
• Manufacture own polymers and can redesign when necessary.
• Can carry out nearly all the end testing that our customers
markets require.
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Employs 110 people responsible for:
•Permair Leather
•Porelle Membranes
•Porelle Inserts
•Aquatex Fabrics
•Porelle Healthcare
•Printing Blankets
•Nanoflam Textile Coatings
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
A microporous membrane designed to substitute the top layer of
quality grain leather
•Available in a range of different
grains and colours
•Suitable for a wide range of
applications
•Waterproof and breathable
•Highly scuff resistant
•Wipe clean and easy care
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Porelle inserts are used globally by
leading manufacturers and brands
for a range of market applications.
They are typically used as a lining
technology in gloves, footwear, hats
and socks.
•Extremely waterproof
•Highly breathable
•Durable
•Used in Sports and LeisureApplications
•Technical Applications
•Tailored Design
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
A wide range of waterproof, windproof and breathable films
• Microporous Polyurethane Membranes• Hydrophilic Polyurethane Membranes
• PTFE Bi-component Membranes
• Cross-linked Polyurethane Membranes
• Air Permeable Membranes
• Fire Retardant Membranes
Laminated into a wide range of textiles for use in:
Utilities
Military
Sports and Leisure wear
Outdoor Clothing
Industrial
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Technical– Microporous membranes
used as processing aids in
vacuum resin infusion
manufacture of wind turbine
blades
– Membrane allows for a vacuum to be drawn over a
large surface ( 90m blades )
but also acts a resin barrier.
– Improved quality, less defects in blades
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Garments– Membrane forms a
waterproof and breathable
barrier layer which is
laminated to one or between
two layers of fabric
– Changing the chemistry of and additives in the
membrane allows the
performance and end use of
the membranes / fabrics to
be chosen
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Industrial
– Police
– Military
– First Responders
– Fire Fighters
– Surgeons Gowns
– Gas and Oil Field
• Sports and Leisure
– Jackets
– Gloves
– Shoes
– Socks
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Standardisation
• Different types of Standardisation and Legislation have an
impact on what we can sell and what we have to do to avoid /
benefit from them.
– European Legislation – REACH
– Industry Initiatives – Oekotex and Blue Sign
– National Norms – NFPA 1971
– Trade Barriers – Berry Amendment
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
REACH
• EU system for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
restriction of CHemicals
• A chemical can be classified under REACH as a Substance of
Very High Concern ( SVHC ).
• Products containing an SVHC are subject to restrictions and
ultimately the use may become banned or impracticable.
• The reasons for becoming an SVHC are
– Carcinogenic/mutagenic/toxic for reproduction ( CMR )
– Bio-accumulative and toxic ( PBT )
– Very bio-accumulative ( vPvB )
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
REACH
• One product we use as an additive was classified as vPvB, a brominated fire retardant.
• An immediate change to a similar halogenated but not restricted product was possible
• However, it also provided an opportunity and reason to redesign the product and introduce to a conservative market
• The new FR package is halogen free and hence perceived to be better environmentally
• Although starting as a European legislation issue , this has had the benefit of
– Repositioning in the US as a “ greener “ alternative
– Gaining business in previously closed markets
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Oekotex and Blue Sign
• These are both standards developed by and for the fabrics
industry.
• Oekotex sets limits on chemicals that are detectable /
extractable from the fabrics.
• It has different levels depending on the end use , the most
stringent being for garments for babies.
• Blue Sign incorporates the Oekotex requirements but then
extends it to the manufacturing process and its environmental
impact
• It is expensive and complicated to become registered for
these
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Oekotex and Blue Sign
• High end sports wear companies are starting to require the
fabric manufacturers to certify their products to these
• The membrane used in the fabric has to be at the least
Oekotex compliant
• In order to meet this we faced a number of problems
– Catalyst residue from manufacture of the polyurethane
– New catalysts investigated which would not be a problem for Oekotex
– New identified product shows improvement in cycle time
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
NFPA 1971
• American Fire Fighters standard for
turn out gear.
• Upgrading of the requirements
meant that our current product that
we have been selling was no longer
suitable.
• Main change that caused us
problems was that the final fabric
was exposed to 260 C for 5 minutes
and afterwards
– No burning or dripping
– Low shrinkage
– Maintain barrier properties
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
NFPA 1971
• The type of polyurethanes PIL manufactures have an upper operating temperature of 180 C
• Exposure to 260 C causes severe discolouration and shrinkage
• In order to meet this new standard we need to develop a new generation of polymer.
• The existing building blocks are not suitable so we are redesigning our polymer.
• In the process we are learning how to upgrade part of our other product range to be able to claim higher temperature performance
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PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Biobased Products
• The potential for a biobased polyurethane membrane is very good
• This would be an opportunity in the Sports and Leisure markets, particularly with the “ big “ brands.
• This would also align itself with our energy strategy where we have installed both a wind turbine and a solar panel array which supplies
greater than 90% of our site requirements.
• Assuming that suitable building blocks can be produced then the secondary requirements of REACH and Oekotex would also need to be
applied