FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 16, 2005
Contact: Alicia Knight (806) 885-4567 x 225, Alicia.knight@tiehh.ttu.edu
Sheila Allee, (806) 742-2136, sheila.allee@ttu.edu
Visit texastechprotects.ttu.edu
LUBBOCK, Texas, USA – An international team announced today that they have come together
to develop critically needed protective garments for first responders to natural disasters
and bio-terror attacks. The garments will provide military and emergency personnel
protective wear that is lighter, longer wearing, and offers increased protection from
contaminants and a broad range of toxic chemicals.
“This alliance will help meet the needs of the post 9/11 global environment,” said
Dr. Ron Kendall, director of The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas
Tech University. “The United States and Great Britain are placing a great deal of
emphasis on preparedness and responsiveness to emergencies. The product we are developing
will go a long way to ensuring the safety of those who respond after disasters.”
The partnership includes TIEHH, the British company Remploy Frontline, known globally
as the premiere manufacturer of CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear)
protective clothing, and U.S.-based Hobbs Bonded Fibers. The three signed an agreement
Friday to work together to develop and produce the new protective wear.
“With this new alliance, we hope to take fabric technology for protective clothing
to the next level, much like going from VHS to DVD,” Kendall said.
The new garments will be developed with a novel protective fabric technology using
cotton and synthetic fibers. The technology was created earlier this year by TIEHH
researcher Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar and is in keeping with the modernization strategy
of the chemical and biological defense program of the U.S. Department of Defense.
“The consortium hopes to take fabric technology for protective clothing to the next
level, and we are very excited to be a part of this alliance,” said Paul Dunderdale,
senior vice president of Remploy Frontline. “Remploy is constantly working on next
generation technology and this new partnership will enable all of us to move forward.”
Remploy Frontline has for more than 30 years manufactured state-of-the-art protective
clothing for military and emergency personnel throughout the world. Hobbs Bonded
Fibers for the past 50 years has specialized in developing and manufacturing specialty
nonwoven products for industrial and consumer markets.
“This project will provide a much needed boost to Texas manufacturing and agricultural
industries,” said Carey Hobbs, president of Hobbs Bonded Fibers. “This technology
provides a new niche market for cotton and other fibers.”
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For more information, visit texastechprotects.ttu.edu or contact George Sperry, Remploy
Frontline in United States, (540-845-7827) remploy@aol.com
Nia Humphreys, Remploy Frontline in United Kingdom, (+44 845 261 2990) Frontline@remploy.co.uk
Larry Hobbs, Hobbs Bonded Fibers, (254-741-0040) lhobbs@hobbsbondedfibers.com
Seshadri Ramkumar, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (806-885-0228)
seshadri.ramkumar@tiehh.ttu.edu