DSM Dyneema

HONG KONG POLICE SELECTS BODY ARMOR MADE WITH DYNEEMA® UD FOR PROTECTION AGAINST STEEL CORE AMMUNITION

DSM’s Innovative Material is First to Enable Soft Ballistics with Unique Combination of Stopping Power, Lower Weight and Flexibility

URMOND (NL), 27 September 2007 - DSM Dyneema today announced that the Hong Kong police force is using body armor made with Dyneema® SB21 unidirectional (UD) composite for protection against steel core ammunition. The bullet-resistant vests are the first soft ballistics to meet the required level of protection of the Hong Kong police force; conventional vests utilize hard-pressed panels or metal. Dyneema® SB21 UD offers a unique combination of stopping power, light weight and flexibility to this body armor, which incorporates ballistic packs manufactured by Chongqing Jinguan New Technology Co. under the close supervision of Techcom Security Technology Limited of Hong Kong. Intellectual property protection has been obtained to guard this unique body armor.

By meeting the stringent technical requirements of the Hong Kong police force – stopping Chinese Type 51B steel core ammunition shot from a Type 54 pistol at a speed of 411 +/- 12 m/sec – Dyneema® SB21 UD composite can replace metal and other rigid materials in bullet-resistant vests. Its ultra-high energy absorption helps to protect against many threats. Further, body armor made with Dyneema® UD provides enhanced comfort and greater freedom of movement to law enforcement officers. Moreover, it will save more lives as it offers the possibility for better engineered solutions for concealable body armor.

Hong Kong’s police force has exceptionally strict protection requirements for body armor that exceed those of other major Chinese cities,” said Mr Eddie Ho CEO Techcom Security Technology Ltd.. “At the same time, the organization wished to find a more comfortable and flexible product. Only vests made with Dyneema® UD allowed us to provide this customer with a solution that met all specifications. We also employed skillful tailors in designing the style of the vest to ensure that it fits the everage body size of the local policemen. This next-generation material sets a new standard for protection and wearability.”

"We choose Dyneema® UD composite after conducting numerous tests and extensive process optimization", said Mr. Sun Lu, CEO of Chongqing Jinguan New-Tech Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of the ballistic vests.

"The ballistic vests which we supplied to the Hong Kong Police are the result of a long-term cooperation between Jinguan and DSM Dyneema in which we addressed the technical challenge of soft ballistic vests’ inability to protect against steel core bullets. We believe that ongoing cooperation with DSM Dyneema will enable us to provide our customers with better, optimized solutions for safety and protection applications in the future."

Mr. Brian Hoggard, Assistant Commissioner (Support) of the Hong Kong Police, praised that the new vests provide a higher level of ballistic protection, contoured body fit and additional body protection around the waist when compared with the existing ones. The successful procurement of the new body armor is a milestone in terms of supply of new personal protective equipment. "It's lighter and fits the body better," Police Constable Tsang remarked after putting on the new body armor. Overall, officers were delighted with the new body armor, which meets desirability features, comfort and the necessary level of ballistic protection.

Josse Kunst, Vice President Life Protection APAC of DSM Dyneema, said, “Through continuous innovation, DSM Dyneema is meeting law enforcement’s increasingly tough requirements for ballistic protection. Our high-performance composites helped our customers, Chongqing Jinguan New Technology Co. and Techcom Security Technology Ltd., to develop an innovative product that addresses the demands of the Asian market. In fact, police forces from mainland China are expected to upgrade their protection specifications to match Hong Kong’s, opening additional opportunities for this unique body armor.


About DSM Dyneema

DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. Dyneema® is an ultra strong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema® floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema® is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema® is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, Dyneema® is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel.

Dyneema® is produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and in Greenville, North Carolina (U.S.A.). DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) manufacturing joint venture in Japan. Further information on DSM Dyneema is available at www.dyneema.com.

About DSM

DSM is active worldwide in nutritional and pharma ingredients, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The company develops, produces and sells innovative products and services that help improve the quality of life. DSM’s products are used in a wide range of end-markets and applications, such as human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive and transport, coatings and paint, housing and electrics & electronics (E&E). DSM’s strategy, named Vision 2010 – Building on Strengths, focuses on accelerating profitable and innovative growth of the company’s specialties portfolio.

The key drivers of this strategy are market-driven growth and innovation plus an increased presence in

emerging economies. The group has annual sales of over €8 billion and employs some 22,000 people worldwide. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas. More information about DSM can be found at www.dsm.com.

Dyneema®, Dyneema Purity® and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™ are trademark(s) (applications) owned by Royal DSM N.V.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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Body armor made with Dyneema® SB21 unidirectional (UD) composite for protection against steel core ammunition.

 

 

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