DuPont Safety & Construction announced a $50 million investment commitment for DuPont Kevlar.
The investment will help meet increased customer demand, boost productivity and improve quality through increased automation.
DuPont spokesperson Megan Morris said the bulk of the investment will to modernizing the company’s Spruance site in Richmond, VA. Morris noted that demand for Kevlar has been strong.
“Kevlar is recognized for creating the protection solutions category 50 years ago and customers have turned to our technology for quality, reliability and performance ever since,” stated John Richard, vice president and general manager for DuPont Kevlar and Nomex. “The market leadership of Kevlar comes from our ability to solve some of today’s toughest challenges. This investment in our operations will position the business to push the boundaries of fiber science and what is possible for our customers for the next 50 years.”
The Kevlar business has nearly 50 people around the world researching the continuous improvement of Kevlar fibers and the development of next-generation technology.
“These investments are only just the beginning,” Richard added.
Kevlar is best known for its use in bulletproof vests. However, the material discovered at DuPont’s Experimental Station by Stephanie Kwolek, has found uses in aircraft, tires, and helmets, just to name a few areas.
Nomex is used in fire protection gear.
DuPont Safety is part of DuPont Specialty Products, for now, a part of DowDuPont. Specialty Products will be spun off into a separate publicly traded company that will operate under the DuPont name.
