Nov 17 2010
NanoHorizons Inc., a leader in the creation of nanoscale performance additives for textile, health care, and industrial applications, has extended the worldwide distribution of its SmartSilver® antimicrobial products to India with sales support provided in partnership with Indorama Polyester Industries Ltd. (IPI).
SmartSilver® is presently available in other Asian markets such as Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. IPI currently integrates SmartSilver® into its Ambs® polyester fiber line. Headquartered in Thailand with annual sales of US$3.5 billion, IPI is a global leader in polyester production and the second largest producer of PET bottle polymers in the world.
“We are targeting India’s textile market with IPI, a key strategic partner, as part of our global growth strategy,” says Timothy J. Skedzuhn, Vice President Textile Business Unit, NanoHorizons. “Consumers in India are gaining buying power and are constantly looking for new and innovative products. At the same time, India’s textile industry produces high quality materials and seeks out value-add technologies as the consumer market expands. We believe SmartSilver® technology with its high durability, safety, efficacy, and ease of integration will generate significant interest in this market.”
As a result of India’s growing medical tourism industry, the medical textile market is a specific target for SmartSilver®. “India’s medical textile market is emerging, and is poised for take-off,” states Prabeer Mukherjee, Senior Vice President Polyester Business for Textiles and Packaging, IPI. “Securing healthcare personnel and patients from secondary infections has become a key priority given the country’s booming medical tourism. India is currently the world’s second largest producer and exporter of textiles and footwear, representing a US$2 billion business. We believe our Ambs® fiber with SmartSilver’s durable and safe antimicrobial protection provides exceptional multi-functional value for a variety of textile products, including those in the demanding medical marketplace. Ambs® is an inherently antimicrobial yarn that is ready to knit and requires no additional treatment.”
NanoHorizons’ Skedzuhn recently introduced SmartSilver® to India’s medical textiles market by delivering the central technology address at the inaugural InterActive Workshop on Medical Textiles in Mumbai in September. The event was presented by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in conjunction with India’s Office of the Textile Commissioner. Skedzuhn addressed an audience of textile manufacturers, doctors, hospital administrators, academic researchers and technologists. His presentation spoke to the importance of silver-based antimicrobial solutions in managing the transmission of hospital-acquired infections, with specific focus on the growing medical tourism market in India.
SmartSilver® antimicrobial additives are registered with the US EPA for fiber, coating, and polymer applications, and are approved as free from harmful levels of substances dangerous to humans by the International Oeko-Tex® Association, a recognized international textile standard organization.