ALMELO, Netherlands – TenCate Protective Fabrics in partnership with Lion Apparel has secured a major TenCate Tecashield order for the delivery of inherently heat- and flame-retardant materials for the turn-out gear of the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire brigade in the Netherlands. The TenCate material used will be mainly for the lightweight outer shell, the protective thermal liner and reinforcement inserts.
Until recently the various fire brigades within the Amsterdam-Amstelland safety region were wearing different uniforms. The purchase of a single type of uniform will ensure that the brigades are identical on deployment and have maximum joint safety. As a result of European tendering, the different uniforms used by the fire brigades were all replaced at the same time.
Karin Klein Hesselink, end-use market manager at TenCate Protective Fabrics explains: ‘During tendering the uniforms were intensively tested by a project team, consisting of professional and voluntary fire-fighters. The team conducted tests on ergonomic function, heat resistance, extreme cold and performance in water. Following the test period it was decided to opt for the uniform from Lion Apparel, which is made of a variety of fabrics from the TenCate Tecashield product portfolio. The general performance of this uniform proved to be the best in the test. This order is also an excellent reference for the fire-fighting market’.
Innovative textile technologies
The new turn-out uniform of the Amsterdam-Amstelland fire brigade is based on maximum protective materials that have been developed by TenCate Protective Fabrics and produced using innovative textile technologies. TenCate will supply a range of clothing for the uniform, including the lightweight outer shell from the TenCate Tecashield collection: MI 9180 (Millenia Light(TM)). TenCate Tecashield represents a portfolio of inherently heat- and flame-retardant materials. The benefits of these protective fabrics are optimal thermal protection, moisture management, comfort, durability and ease of maintenance.
Intensive tests have once again demonstrated that this fabric does not break open or become porous after extreme exposure to heat and fire. The protective materials will be used in 2000 new fire-fighting suits for the brigades in Amsterdam-Amstelland, thus providing all their turn-out gear with the same level of protection. In this way the safety region will have both an identical image and optimum safety.
TenCate Protective Fabrics is a world leader in the development, production and marketing of protective and safety fabrics for industry, services, firefighting and defence. TenCate Protective Fabrics has production facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.
Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multinational company which combines textile technology, chemical processes and material technology in the development and production of functional materials with distinctive characteristics. TenCate products are sold worldwide. Systems and materials from TenCate come under four areas of application: safety & protection, space & aerospace; infrastructure and the environment; sport and recreation. TenCate occupies leading positions in protective fabrics, composites for space and aerospace, antiballistics, geosynthetics and synthetic turf. TenCate is listed on the NYSE Euronext (AMX).
