News Flash

Tegris, new polypropylene composite by Milliken

22 Dec '07

3 min read

"I don't know why we didn't do something like (the aero splitter) in the first place. The material has to be really durable … and (Tegris) is really good stuff."

Tegris is also found inside the right door panel, as part of protective foam designed to keep the cage from hitting the driver in a crash.

"There's a foam product on the inside of the door," Kleman said. "If (the car) crashes, it absorbs the energy and the foam attaches to our product."

The Tegris inside the door panel is the same material as that found in the aero splitter, just of a different thickness.

"There are big blocks of foam mounted to our material," Kleman said. "If the car is T-boned in an accident, the aluminum (door) is not going to do anything."

Most of the energy is absorbed by the foam, Kleman said, and the Tegris is what prevents it from being pushed against the cage.

Auto racing is not the only market for Milliken's state-of-the-art composite, either.

Tegris has also been integrated into the armor market, specifically U.S. military vehicles currently deployed in Iraq.

It's also being used in watersports. A new line of kayaks made out of Tegris have hit the market and offer the same type of benefits.

"The (Tegris) kayaks weigh 34 pounds. Traditional ones weigh 55," Kleman said. "It takes a lot of weight off and they are very, very durable."

Tegris was introduced in April 2005 at the JEC Show in Paris, the largest composite show in Europe.

Milliken, working in conjunction with NASCAR, will continue to look for ways to improve Tegris as well as different applications to use it.

Milliken & Company

More Milliken & Company News... More Textiles News - United States Of America...