PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Standardisation and New Product
Development
D Randall
PIL Membranes LtdPart of KL Technologies
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
KL Technologies Ltd
• Privately owned
• Four operating companies
– PCL Ceramics Ltd
– PIL Membranes Ltd
– KLT Filtration Ltd
– Nanoflam Ltd
• Number of employees: 150
• Offices in Hong Kong , Shanghai, Moscow, Philadelphia
• ISO 9001:2008 certified
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
PIL Membranes Ltd
• Manufacturers of polyurethane membranes for use in garment,
accessory and industrial end
markets
• Integrated from chemical building blocks through to membrane end
effect.
• Manufacture own polymers and can redesign when necessary.
• Can carry out nearly all the end testing that our customers
markets require.
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Employs 110 people responsible for:
•Permair Leather
•Porelle Membranes
•Porelle Inserts
•Aquatex Fabrics
•Porelle Healthcare
•Printing Blankets
•Nanoflam Textile Coatings
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
A microporous membrane designed to substitute the top layer of
quality grain leather
•Available in a range of different
grains and colours
•Suitable for a wide range of
applications
•Waterproof and breathable
•Highly scuff resistant
•Wipe clean and easy care
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Porelle inserts are used globally by
leading manufacturers and brands
for a range of market applications.
They are typically used as a lining
technology in gloves, footwear, hats
and socks.
•Extremely waterproof
•Highly breathable
•Durable
•Used in Sports and LeisureApplications
•Technical Applications
•Tailored Design
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
A wide range of waterproof, windproof and breathable films
• Microporous Polyurethane Membranes• Hydrophilic Polyurethane Membranes
• PTFE Bi-component Membranes
• Cross-linked Polyurethane Membranes
• Air Permeable Membranes
• Fire Retardant Membranes
Laminated into a wide range of textiles for use in:
Utilities
Military
Sports and Leisure wear
Outdoor Clothing
Industrial
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Technical– Microporous membranes
used as processing aids in
vacuum resin infusion
manufacture of wind turbine
blades
– Membrane allows for a vacuum to be drawn over a
large surface ( 90m blades )
but also acts a resin barrier.
– Improved quality, less defects in blades
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Garments– Membrane forms a
waterproof and breathable
barrier layer which is
laminated to one or between
two layers of fabric
– Changing the chemistry of and additives in the
membrane allows the
performance and end use of
the membranes / fabrics to
be chosen
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Markets Served
• Industrial
– Police
– Military
– First Responders
– Fire Fighters
– Surgeons Gowns
– Gas and Oil Field
• Sports and Leisure
– Jackets
– Gloves
– Shoes
– Socks
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Standardisation
• Different types of Standardisation and Legislation have an
impact on what we can sell and what we have to do to avoid /
benefit from them.
– European Legislation – REACH
– Industry Initiatives – Oekotex and Blue Sign
– National Norms – NFPA 1971
– Trade Barriers – Berry Amendment
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
REACH
• EU system for Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
restriction of CHemicals
• A chemical can be classified under REACH as a Substance of
Very High Concern ( SVHC ).
• Products containing an SVHC are subject to restrictions and
ultimately the use may become banned or impracticable.
• The reasons for becoming an SVHC are
– Carcinogenic/mutagenic/toxic for reproduction ( CMR )
– Bio-accumulative and toxic ( PBT )
– Very bio-accumulative ( vPvB )
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
REACH
• One product we use as an additive was classified as vPvB, a brominated fire retardant.
• An immediate change to a similar halogenated but not restricted product was possible
• However, it also provided an opportunity and reason to redesign the product and introduce to a conservative market
• The new FR package is halogen free and hence perceived to be better environmentally
• Although starting as a European legislation issue , this has had the benefit of
– Repositioning in the US as a “ greener “ alternative
– Gaining business in previously closed markets
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Oekotex and Blue Sign
• These are both standards developed by and for the fabrics
industry.
• Oekotex sets limits on chemicals that are detectable /
extractable from the fabrics.
• It has different levels depending on the end use , the most
stringent being for garments for babies.
• Blue Sign incorporates the Oekotex requirements but then
extends it to the manufacturing process and its environmental
impact
• It is expensive and complicated to become registered for
these
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Oekotex and Blue Sign
• High end sports wear companies are starting to require the
fabric manufacturers to certify their products to these
• The membrane used in the fabric has to be at the least
Oekotex compliant
• In order to meet this we faced a number of problems
– Catalyst residue from manufacture of the polyurethane
– New catalysts investigated which would not be a problem for Oekotex
– New identified product shows improvement in cycle time
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
NFPA 1971
• American Fire Fighters standard for
turn out gear.
• Upgrading of the requirements
meant that our current product that
we have been selling was no longer
suitable.
• Main change that caused us
problems was that the final fabric
was exposed to 260 C for 5 minutes
and afterwards
– No burning or dripping
– Low shrinkage
– Maintain barrier properties
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
NFPA 1971
• The type of polyurethanes PIL manufactures have an upper operating temperature of 180 C
• Exposure to 260 C causes severe discolouration and shrinkage
• In order to meet this new standard we need to develop a new generation of polymer.
• The existing building blocks are not suitable so we are redesigning our polymer.
• In the process we are learning how to upgrade part of our other product range to be able to claim higher temperature performance
PIL Membranes Ltd PAS600 Launch
Biobased Products
• The potential for a biobased polyurethane membrane is very good
• This would be an opportunity in the Sports and Leisure markets, particularly with the “ big “ brands.
• This would also align itself with our energy strategy where we have installed both a wind turbine and a solar panel array which supplies
greater than 90% of our site requirements.
• Assuming that suitable building blocks can be produced then the secondary requirements of REACH and Oekotex would also need to be
applied