Ashburn to exhibit prototype 70E garments & TECGEN at VPPPA Expo

20 Aug '09

3 min read

At this year's Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association Exposition (VPPPA Expo 09) in San Antonio on August 24 through 26, attendees will get a first look at the latest TECGEN fiber technology developments for industrial worker apparel. The prototype 70E garments, exhibited by Ashburn Hill Corp., will be formally launched later this year.

The most revolutionary product is a lightweight, 6.5 oz, open-weave HRC2 fabric designed for the 70E market. When asked about the results of the performance tests, Hugh Hoagland, Founder of ArcWear, the company that tested the fabric for Ashburn Hill Corp., said, “I wasn't surprised. This could be a market changer. What if you could make the first 5.5 oz 8 cal/cm² system?”

Hoagland continued, “This new 6.5 oz material is the lightest weight 9.8 cal/cm² system ever tested to date. TECGEN has broken another record.”

Like other products within the TECGEN fiber family, this product is designed to provide industrial workers safety and comfort year-round. The fabric not only passes the NFPA 70E standard with an Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) of 9.8 (the minimum requirement is 8.0), but it also takes comfort and moisture management in flame-resistant protective apparel to the next level. The flexibility of fabric design with Ashburn Hill's patented bi-regional TECGEN fiber enables them to create next-generation protective apparel garments.

In addition to outstanding performance test results, these garments also help the wearer maintain body temperature.

“Evaporation and convection are the body's two most important cooling mechanisms. When we perspire, we want the garment to transfer our sweat from our skin and wick it across a large fabric surface to promote quick drying. We also want our body's heat to transfer from our body into the atmosphere around us. Garments that help keep you cool have higher air permeability for the air and heat to flow through the garment, wicking action to transport moisture away from the skin, and are lightweight. Ashburn Hill Corp. is developing garments under the TECGEN fiber brand that focus on thermal management and meet and exceed regulatory compliance standards,” explained Jon Heard, president and CEO of Ashburn Hill Corp.

Ashburn Hill will also display TECGEN XTREME protective apparel at VPPPA Expo 09. This unique, dual-certified product meets the National Fire Protection Association's specifications for wildland firefighting (NFPA 1977-2005) and technical rescue ensemble (NFPA 1951-2007). The apparel provides a comfortable, breathable alternative to turnout gear that is compliant for up to 75 percent of firefighting responses. TECGEN XTREME protective apparel was launched in June at the Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs' Annual Leadership Conference.

Ashburn Hill Corp

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