Richmond, Va.-based DuPont Protection Technologies, a business unit of Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont, has announced it will increase production capacity of specialty colored DuPont? Kevlar? yarn at its Richmond plant.
The company reports it has seen increasing customer demand for the colored para-aramid yarns, which it offers in black, red, orange, green and blue in addition to its natural yellow color. Colored Kevlar yarns are used in industrial applications including cut- and heat-resistant gloves, military apparel, firefighter turnout gear and flame-resistant industrial and racing apparel, as well as in consumer applications such as kayaks and Motorola smartphones.
The investment comes on the heels of DuPont's $500-million investment to build its Cooper River Kevlar production facility near Charleston, S.C., which opened in the fall of 2011 (see " DuPont Begins Production At $500 Million Kevlar Facility," TextileWorld.com, October 11, 2011). In addition to the Richmond and Charleston plants, DuPont has Kevlar production sites in Northern Ireland and at its joint venture DuPont-Toray Co. in Japan.
"DuPont is committed to fostering inclusive innovation to address a number of challenges on a global scale," said Marc Doyle, president, DuPont Protection Technologies. "Our continued investment in Kevlar enables us to take on new challenges, as we continuously innovate and collaborate with our customers to make the world a safer place."
