CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Polymer Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: POLGA; POLGB) is expanding sales nationwide of flame retardant (FR) fabrics that will help mattress manufacturers meet new federal bed safety standards that went into effect July 1, 2007.
Mattresses made with the company's new nonwoven FR fabrics comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commission flammability standards (16 CFR Part 1633) enacted to reduce the number of mattress fires from open flame sources.
Originally developed to meet the California open flame fire standards (Technical Bulletin 603) that went into effect in January 2005, PGI has enhanced the high-performance product that has been successfully tested and sold regionally to offer it economically in more colors and sizes.
PGI has partnered with Hanes Industries, the leading distributor to the home furnishings industry, to distribute the fabric that is used as a facing material on the bottom of no-flip mattresses under Hanes' brand name Stratus(TM). The products were already being sold to several leading manufacturers in advance of the federal deadline.
Stratus(TM) fabric acts as a FR facing material so an additional fabric layer is not needed in the mattress construction. Available in beige and gray, it is aesthetically appealing, soft and sewable. It also meets UL's Recognized Component standards.
Stratus(TM) fabrics are made with PGI's proprietary Apex(TM) technology that produces stronger and heavier fabrics with enhanced tear and abrasion resistance when compared to traditional alternative materials. This technology also allows three-dimensional images to be imparted directly into the fabric for improved performance.
"With more than 22 million mattresses sold nationwide, the new federal bed safety standards have created a tremendous opportunity for the nonwovens industry unlike any other we've seen in the past," said Rick Pearce, senior director of PGI. "We are offering a high-performance FR product that assures quality and helps mattress manufacturers of all sizes meet the new regulations. Through our supply chain partnership with Hanes, we are able to deliver FR fabrics to the market in the quickest and most efficient manner, meeting this real-time need."
PGI is working on development of the next generation of the fabrics to add even greater performance characteristics, and to meet any future requirements for bedding, upholstery and other home furnishings applications.
Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 21 manufacturing and converting facilities throughout the world.
Safe Harbor Statement
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements include: general economic factors including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, foreign currency translation rates, consumer confidence, trends in disposable income, changes in consumer demand for goods produced, and cyclical or other downturns; substantial debt levels and potential inability to maintain sufficient liquidity to finance the company's operations and make necessary capital expenditures; inability to meet existing debt covenants; information and technological advances; changes in environmental laws and regulations; cost and availability of raw materials, labor and natural and other resources and the inability to pass raw material cost increases along to customers; domestic and foreign competition; reliance on major customers and suppliers; and risks related to operations in foreign jurisdictions. Investors and other readers are directed to consider the risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed by Polymer Group, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
For further information, please contact:
Dennis Norman
Vice President - Strategic Planning & Communication
(704) 697-5186
