Selina Ambrose, technical manager at UK manufacturer Promethean Particles, discusses the industry partnerships the company is seeking at Innovate Textile & Apparel in order to strengthen the capabilities of its nanomaterials for various textile applications including PPE for the healthcare sector.
Why did Promethean Particles choose to exhibit at Innovate Textile & Apparel?
As a manufacturer of nanomaterials our products can be applied to a lot of markets, and we’ve seen that our nanomaterials can be applied to textiles to impart additional functionality; for example, antimicrobial activity or increased stab resistance (for body armour). We are keen to engage with other companies in the value chain who have the required expertise to incorporate our nanomaterials into various textiles and maximise the technology. Innovate Textile & Apparel looks like it will be the perfect event to find those companies and build our network.
We also chose to exhibit because we’ve recently worked with WTiN on press releases relating to our work in the technical textiles sector, as well as participating in a roundtable panel discussion for the event, so we’ve formed a good working relationship with WTiN; we’re keen to continue our ongoing collaboration with this proactive network.
Innovation is often generated from necessity so, at the most testing of times, we may find the most revolutionary technologies come to light. Finding a way for the industry to come together despite the global issues means ideas can be shared to spark innovative thinking and catalyse the development of new technologies, so a virtual trade show facilitates this. While virtual trade shows are a new concept for Promethean, and probably for most organisations, this could be the future for many industries as it is a far more environmentally sustainable way to meet than physical events, and addresses another global challenge as well as Covid-19.
What is the focus of Promethean Particles’ exhibit at Innovate Textile & Apparel?
With the current global pandemic, there are significant drivers for technologies which minimise the risk of disease or microbe transmission. At Promethean, we manufacture a range of nanomaterials and have seen that our copper particles show strong antibacterial properties and may be relevant as an antiviral agent, too. These particles could have huge benefits as a textile additive for wide-ranging applications, so we’re keen to meet textile coaters or fibre manufacturers who we can work with to incorporate these particles into their products.
What else is the company looking forward to discovering at the event?
We are excited to learn about the technologies and developments in this industry. We are chemical manufacturers, rather than experts on textiles, so there will no doubt be a lot of discovering to be done.
What are Promethean Particles’ goals for the next year or two?
Last year, we received additional investment into the business and recently had a new CEO join the company. With both factors, our aim is to grow the business as a volume supplier of high-quality nanomaterials. We already have significant manufacturing capacity at our site in Nottingham, UK, but are looking at ways to expand globally which may involve a second manufacturing site elsewhere in the world.
To learn more about Promethean Particles, click the above link to its Innovate Textile & Apparel booth or visit www.prometheanparticles.co.uk
