K&K Antistatic Creates New ESD, EMF Fire Resistant Materials
By
Steve Vanderwalde Tel Aviv-----October 29.....There is a saying that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. But in reality if you can make it in Israel, you can truly make it anywhere. Companies in Israel face the adverse effects of terrorism, resulting in a loss of tourism and venture capital investment. So where other companies in the US, Europe and Asia face the challenges of external marketing forces, companies in Israel are faced with twice as many problems. K&K Anti Static, a Tel Aviv based firm specializing in the production of ESD, EMF and fire resistant materials is an example of an Israel company which through determination and creativity has survived, grown and prospered. The textile industries of the United States, England, Germany, France, Sweden and the rest of the Western world was conquered by the Far East. China, South Korea, Japan and other nations in the Far East under cut labor costs and textile manufacturers of the west had two choices: either close down or fight. K&K decided to take on the challenge of Asia textile fabric dominance with every creative resource they had at their disposal. K&K
Antistatic Ltd. started as a manufacturer of antistatic (ESD: Electro-Static-Discharge)
fabrics and antistatic garments. As a result of the merge of these two professional fabric weavers, K&K Antistatic Garments and Materials Ltd. was established. They dedicated themselves to innovate and develop new technology of antistatic (ESD) textiles, clean room apparel, fire resistant (fireproof) and EMF (Electromagnetic Field) radiation protection solutions and materials for the electronic, communications, vehicle, medical, biological, defense, military and health industries. K&K has become a leading manufacturer, developer and exporter of technological and smart textiles, among them - ESD fabrics, antistatic (ESD) garments and clothes. Today K&K specializes in Antistatic (ESD) fabrics, woven antistatic garments and knitted antistatic garments, materials and packaging for use in Electrostatic Protection Areas (EPA). K&K's antistatic fabrics and garments are IEC 61340-5-1 compatible and comply with the ESD Association Garment Standard, ESD-STM2.1. As ESD fabrics and materials manufacturers, K&K Anti Static also developed a large range of high quality ESD garments such as smocks (coats), jackets, men and women button-down shirts, pants, polo shirts, T-shirts, Sweatshirts, cardigans and more. All are produced under tough QA process and with the best experience and knowledge in both area – ESD and Textile. K&K's high-quality, anti static garments were tested and found to be of the highest performance materials, having the ability of preserving their ESD properties for more than 100 washings at industrial laundries. K&K Antistatic markets its anti static garments, materials, fabrics and packaging to Europe, US, Canada and Asia, mostly to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, France and India. But K&K Anti Static Garments and Materials was not satisfied in being ranked number one for ESD fabrics. Realizing the harmful and dangerous effects of electromagnetic radiation and cellular radiation K&K branched out into creating fabrics and materials which would address the harmful effects of UV radiation. K&K created Shieldon, containing a low percentage of unique metal fibers which grant the materials the ability to provide protection against harmful electromagnetic radiation. Shieldon was tested at the Standards Institution of Israel and was found as an active shield that reduces radiation by 50 to ninety-nine percent at frequencies between 10 MHz- 5 GHz. Shieldon fabrics are user and environmentally friendly according to the Oeko-Tex100 Standard, and provide antimicrobial protection. Shieldon materials are soft, easy to process, and produced in a large variety of colors. K&K further branched out and created Fireon - fire resistant fabrics. Heat resistant materials and fabrics which could endure up to temperature: 1200^(o) C - Fireon fabrics are constructed from Oxidized/Stabilized Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) yarns and fibers, which are inherently fire resistant, thermally stable and exhibit excellent resistance to chemicals and solvents. The fibers are derived from the heat stabilization of (PAN) fibers to a carbon level of 62 percent, and are manufactured in a similar process and from similar raw materials that are being produced for aircraft carbon brakes and other high performance applications. Fireon fabrics are suitable for a variety of applications such as: fire place escape (blankets / carpets), protective clothing, traffic and transportation, constructions materials, military and defense sectors and fire resistant barrier in aircraft seats. One of the important tasks of modern technique is the creation of a new class of ecologically safe heat-shielding and heat-insulating materials. It is caused by the circumstance that the heat-insulating materials based on asbestos; being known and widely used in an industry, already are forbidden in USA and Europe as a result of carcinogenic properties of these materials. Recently the materials based on ceramic fibers also were recognized as carcinogenic, about that have informed the OSNA - administration of USA on the professional public health, the California university and the laboratory in Los Alamos. In the advanced countries the volume of application of ceramic fibers is sharply reduced and the works on their prohibition are conducted. The mentioned circumstances became the reason of intensive development during the last years of production and consumption of a new ecologically safe multifunctional (warmly, electro, sound protective) materials based on the silica fibers containing 98 -99 percent SiO2. For the last three years the production of a silica fibrous materials, which were applied earlier in military and space techniques, has been increased by 5 - 7 times. The special interest represent nonwoven needled materials from the silica fibers possessing the high insulation characteristics and the long-term stability at temperature up to 1200 oC, the short-term - up to 1700 oC. Nowadays such heat shielding and heat insulating materials are being manufactured under the trade mark Supersil. Supersil heat and electric insulation is efficiently applied in the following fields: electric and combustion furnaces - for heat insulation of the melting space as well as other components of the structure, Induction furnaces - for heat and electric insulation of induction coils as well as of constructions, network nodes, substrates for overflow launders etc., foundry - for thermal insulation of pouring gates and ladles nuclear and steam power plants - for pipeline heat insulation and to remove efforts at thermal handling after welding of a pipes and other work pieces as well as to make fire-protective shutter and fire-protective suits. Supersil heat and electric insulation is also applied to electro and gas welding - for the thermal and fire protection, appliances (irons, coffee pots, teapots etc.) - for thermal and electric insulation, warmth keeping lagging for industrial and residential buildings, cottages, saunas, garages, workshops and gaskets and seals made by stamping and used in gas aggressive media at high temperatures. "Supersil is flexible, it will outlines complicated surfaces, is not frayed," says Michal Gaist-Casif, VP Marketing of K&K Antistatic Ltd. "Supersil keeps its structure at high temperatures, and is successfully used in airspace application. Gaist-Casif also states that Supersil is fire resistant sound insulation, is used successfully in construction and increases the resistance of building`s internal premises to ignition improves the heat and noise insulation. She states that Supersil provides a high level of impact sound insulation of ceiling floors. A thin layer of Supersil reduces impact sound between load bearing slab and covering 27 dB, considerable reduction (by 85%) of impact noise in the buildings made of small-size elements (SUPERSIL layers are placed between the basic carrying elements of the building), efficient sound absorption in spaces where high fire safety is required: in carriages - including underground and subways and in crowded buildings, in controller's offices. Sound absorption in multi layer sound insulating structures, in structures of metal perforated ceilings, perforated wall panels. Supersil's fire-prevention cloths are made from fabrics based on the special heat-resistant silica fibers being used in space engineering, is fireproof and does not melt, for 2-3 minutes can extinguish a fire in an apartment, garage, shop and in a summer residence, possesses unlimited service life, is asbestos free and is not electro conductive. K&K Solutions combines Russian airspace industry material and the US airspace industry material. K&K Anti Static integrates Fireon and Metalloid, providing a large variety of fabric, garments and materials solutions to a variety of industries such as military, bombs, airplanes, space, security, cars, glass, metal, electricity, construction, oil, gas, fire escaping and even to synagogues all over the world. "We are very proud
of our research and marketing teams," said Gaist-Casif. "We have proven
that a small fabrics and anti static, fire resistant material
manufacturer in Israel can take on global markets and win. Recently, we won a
prestigious award from the Israel Export Institute, a branch of Israel's Ministry
of Trade and Labor, for excellence in Internet marketing. We will continue to
maintain an aggressive and friendly approach both on-line and off in securing
market share in the anti-static and fire resistant defense and commercial materials
garments industries."
Sponsored by IsraelPr |
