Elkton, Maryland, January 31, 2015 – OEKO-TEX® has selected W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) as the January 2015 Company of the Month for its sustainability program in the Fabrics Division. OEKO-TEX® launched this campaign to recognize textile companies for their ongoing commitment to product safety and sustainable production processes. The International OEKO-TEX® Association is responsible for testing textiles for harmful substances listed in the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

Since 1996, Gore Fabrics has been working with the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification to demonstrate that its products are safe for its customers. The current award recognizes Gore as one of the first to eliminate perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from all raw materials for its fabrics products, which they completed in 2013. Dr. Jean-Pierre Haug, general secretary of OEKO-TEX®, explained the selection, saying, “In the areas of product safety and sustainable production conditions, Gore sets the standards for the textile industry….We have named Gore as the OEKO-TEX® January 2015 Company of the Month in recognition of its constant efforts to find new ways forward that ultimately provide a role model for the rest of the textile industry.”

Gore’s Technical Fabrics team has also been working to ensure the safety of fabrics used in gear worn by first responders. For example, in March 2010, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the chemical industry undertook an initiative to ban particular brominated flame retardants from the firefighting market. But prior to this initiative, Gore had removed any bromine and antimony-based retardants from its fabrics.

The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 evaluates textiles for 18 types of forbidden flame retardants, including approximately nine types of brominated products. In 2011, Gore’s US-based fire and public safety team applied for and received OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification — making GORE® RT7100, CROSSTECH® 3-layer, and CROSSTECH® black moisture barriers the only moisture barriers in the North American fire market to be free of bromine and antimony-based flame retardants and have this certification today. This certification ensures that Gore’s moisture barriers do not contain or contribute any potentially harmful substances to the structural turnout gear in which they are incorporated.

According to Bernhard Kiehl, global sustainability leader for Gore Fabrics, “As a company whose core competence lies in the field of innovation, it is our commitment to continually drive ecological and social development efforts without compromising the functionality or durability of our products. We are extremely pleased that OEKO-TEX® has recognized our sustainability program as exemplary in the textile industry.” For more information about OEKO-TEX®, visit www.oeko-tex.com.

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well-known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company’s portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs more than 10,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. Learn more at www.gore.com.

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Media Contact:
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117

Indianapolis, Indiana, April 20, 2016 – At the FDIC International 2016 Conference, W. L. Gore & Associates presented the results of a human study that evaluated the physiological impact of protective barriers currently available in turnout gear. Conducted by a third party, this study confirmed that wearing the GORE^® PARALLON™ liner system delivered the highest breathability followed closely by CROSSTECH^® black moisture barrier, with both significantly better than the competition.

A group of firefighters wearing turnout gear completed a defined work/rest cycle in a controlled environment while their body core temperatures, heart rates, and skin temperatures were monitored. Over a period of several weeks, the same participants repeated the trial three times so they could wear each set of gear containing one of the three different protective barriers. Before the trial began, each turnout gear composite was tested for Total Heat Loss (THL) and Resistance to Sweat Evaporation (RET) to determine which test method was more aligned with human physiological results. Several results of the trial were significant:

• First, the firefighters’ physiological responses were the best when they were wearing gear with Gore’s protective barriers.
• Second, all of the firefighters were able to complete the trial while they were wearing gear with Gore’s protective barriers. On the contrary, 40 percent of them could not finish the test when wearing the competitive barrier because their heart rates exceeded their maximum rates, which were established as part of the safety criteria before the trial began.
• Finally, the RET results directly correlated with the participants’ physiological response, whereas THL did not.

According to Matthew Decker, research scientist in Gore’s Fabrics division, “The human body can be extremely sensitive to small increases in core temperature. U.S. military studies have shown that once your body core temperature reaches 100°F, each increase of only 0.1°F is physiologically significant. The results of this study clearly show that the choice of protective barrier in turnout gear has a measurable impact on a firefighter. And GORE^® protective barriers manage firefighter heat stress significantly better than the competitive barrier.” .

Visit www.GoreProtectiveFabrics.com/Heat-Stress-Management for more information about this study.

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company’s portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing GORE^® Protective Barriers Shown to Reduce heat Stress Better CROSSTECH, GORE‐TEX, PARALLON, GORE and design are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs more than 10,000 associates worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. Learn more at www.gore.com.

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Media Contact:
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117
mysmith115@comcast.net

(Elkton, Maryland - April 10, 2008) In an effort to assist the fire industry in implementing NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition, W. L. Gore & Associates has developed a CD-based instructional guide that addresses compliance with this updated Standard as it relates to liner systems and, specifically, to Gore's family of moisture barriers. Drawing on Gore's 25 years of expertise in leading-edge barrier technology, this guide discusses cleaning, inspecting, testing, and repairing CROSSTECH® 2-Layer Moisture Barrier, CROSSTECH® 3-Layer Moisture Barrier, and GORE™ RT7100 Moisture Barrier.

The new edition of NFPA Standard 1851 identifies the necessary considerations for selecting gear and procedures for reducing risks that result from poorly maintained or contaminated gear. As a result, the Standard now places a new emphasis on the ongoing compliance and durability of structural and proximity firefighting ensembles, which translates to a more rigorous inspection of the entire garment and all of its components. Gore's new instructional guide responds to this emphasis by providing information regarding inspecting, testing, and repairing its moisture barriers. For example, the guide includes step-by-step demonstrations of both the leakage evaluation test and the water penetration test to identify potential repairs needed to ensure barrier effectiveness. It also provides some basic information regarding the thermal liner light evaluation test.

According to Holly Blake, Gore's product specialist for structural firefighting garments, compliance with NFPA 1851, 2008 Edition means that departments have many issues to address - decisions like how to assign the various compliance responsibilities, how much of the compliance work to do within the department, whether to contract an independent service provider (ISP) for all or part of the services needed, and how to train all personnel on their individual responsibilities. Blake says, “For over 25 years, Gore has worked closely with the fire service industry to develop the most effective products to meet the industry's performance expectations of moisture barriers. As the industry addresses inspecting, testing, and repairing turnout gear, we felt it may be beneficial to share our expertise on these issues. By creating this instructional guide, we continue to support manufacturers, ISPs, and fire departments as they develop their specific procedures for ensuring compliance with NFPA 1851.” .

With more than $2 billion in sales and 8,000 employees worldwide, W. L. Gore & Associates specializes in fluoropolymer innovations that improve the quality of life. Gore has applied its world-renowned expertise to thousands of high-performance solutions in pharmaceutical, consumer, industrial, electronic, medical, and surgical markets. Specifically in the protective fabrics arena, Gore has been a pioneer in developing high-performance barrier products for use in firefighting, EMS, technical rescue, law enforcement, military, and domestic preparedness applications. The company operates more than 45 facilities worldwide with headquarters in Newark, Delaware, USA. For more information about CROSSTECH® Moisture Barriers, call 800.431.GORE or 410.392.3600, or visit crosstech.com.

ABOUT W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well-known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company’s portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs more than 10,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. Learn more at www.gore.com.

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Media Contact:
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117

Elkton, Maryland, April 25, 2013 – W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., has announced the next-generation GORE® CROSSTECH® glove insert with film technology engineered for structural firefighting gloves. Gloves made with this insert combine improved dexterity and feel with the protection, durability, and thermal stability that firefighters have come to expect from all GORE® CROSSTECH® products.

A breakthrough in the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) film technology used in Gore’s glove inserts led to this flexible, next generation GORE® CROSSTECH® insert with film technology. With the moisture barrier fully bonded to a form-fitting thermal liner, this 3-D combination results in better flexibility, less bulk in the palm, and improved dexterity.

Gloves made with the next-generation GORE® CROSSTECH® glove insert with film technology help firefighters tackle difficult tasks without removing their gloves. According to Mark Williams, Gore’s product manager for GORE® CROSSTECH® glove products, “In conversations with firefighters, we kept hearing that their bulky gloves get in the way of being able to do such things as operating equipment and adjusting controls. They resorted either to using non-certified gloves or even to taking off their gloves. We worked with glove manufacturers to develop NFPA-certified gloves with this new film technology so that the firefighters can focus on their jobs without compromising their safety.” For more information, visit CROSSTECH.com.

About W. L. Gore & Associates

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well-known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company’s portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs approximately 10,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world.

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Media Contact:
Marie Smith
302.994.0117
mysmith115@comcast.net

CROSSTECH, GORE-TEX, GORE, and design are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.

(Elkton, Maryland - April 6, 2007) W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., has announced an addition to its line of moisture barriers — CROSSTECH® 3-Layer moisture barrier. This addition provides an extensive level of durability with high total heat lost (THL) and an increased thermal protective performance (TPP). As the latest option for fire professionals working in the most rigorous environments, Gore's new CROSSTECH® 3-Layer moisture barrier offers the best possible combination of durability, THL, and TPP available in today's market.

In response to the needs of the firefighting industry, W. L. Gore & Associates designed a moisture barrier that consists of a proprietary expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) bicomponent membrane laminated on each side to a woven aramid textile, one of which is a patent-pending fabric designed by Gore. CROSSTECH® 3-Layer moisture barrier provides the breathability and comfort that firefighters have come to expect from Gore, but it also adds an increased level of durability against abrasion and flexing.

Holly Blake, Gore's product specialist for structural firefighting garments, says, “Every fire company's needs are different, and at Gore, we want to continue our 25-year tradition as industry leader by providing the broadest range of moisture barriers options. By adding our new CROSSTECH® 3-Layer moisture barrier, our product line now spans the full range of durability, breathability, and performance.” .

With approximately $2 billion in sales and 7,300 employees worldwide, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., specializes in fluoropolymer innovations that improve the quality of life. Gore has applied its world-renowned expertise in fluoropolymer fabrication to thousands of technology-driven applications in consumer, electronic, pharmaceutical, and medical product manufacturing. Gore has been a pioneer in developing high-performance barrier products for use in firefighting, EMS, technical rescue, law enforcement, military, and domestic preparedness applications. The company operates more than 45 facilities worldwide with headquarters in Newark, Delaware, USA. For more information about GORE™ CROSSTECH® moisture barriers, call 800.431.GORE or 410.392.3600, or email CROSSTECH@wlgore.com .

According to Holly Blake, North American product manager, the Gore team worked to ensure that the hood maintains its 99.9% protective performance beyond the 20 wash cycles required by the Standard. “The fire industry has learned that it is extremely important to wash hoods after every call, so we knew that we needed to provide a durable product that could withstand frequent washing,” she said. “Having a hood that maintains its protection for only a few weeks is really not an option, so we verified that the GORE® Particulate Hood would meet or exceed both the Standard’s Particulate-Blocking test and system-level testing after 100 washes. In fact, the level of protection maintained by Gore’s hood is higher after 100 washes than the protection level of other particulate hoods when they are new.”

Available in two knit options — Ultra C6.2 (black) and Nomex® blend (white), the GORE® Particulate Hood is being sold through Majestic Fire Apparel’s dealers. Contact your dealer to order your GORE® Particulate Hood today. For more information, visit majhoods.com/Gore or GoreHoods.com.

ABOUT MAJESTIC FIRE APPAREL

Majestic Fire Apparel, Inc. is a premier manufacturer of fire retardant hoods, accessories, and ARC-rated apparel. With facilities located in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, Majestic is an ISO 9001 registered company that maintains a compliant Quality Management System. MFA is committed to the pursuit of better products that achieve optimal benefits for the fire service. The company’s focus on quality and new product development has attributed to its success in serving customers in the fire and safety industry for almost 20 years. www.majhoods.com.

ABOUT GORE

W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Founded in 1958, Gore has built a reputation for solving complex technical challenges in the most demanding environments — from revolutionizing the outerwear industry with GORE-TEX® fabric to creating medical devices that improve and save lives to enabling new levels of performance in the aerospace, pharmaceutical and mobile electronics markets, among other industries. The company is also known for its strong, team-oriented culture and continued recognition from the Great Place to Work® Institute. Headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs approximately 10,000 associates. www.gore.com.

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Media Contact
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117
mysmith115@comcast.net 

¹Excludes hoods using moisture barriers

According to Holly Blake, North American product manager in Gore’s Fabrics Division, the industry continues to learn more about exposure to fire ground contaminants, and the significance of head-to-toe protection increases. “Hoods can be a point of vulnerability when it comes to particulate protection,” she said. “We drew on our extensive experience in barrier technology to develop a durable particulate hood. Our feedback from firefighters indicated that it was very important to maintain the natural feel of a traditional hood. We knew that Majestic Fire Apparel was one of the industry’s leading hood manufacturers, so we approached them with our design and worked with them to develop the final product.”

Janeane Matula, Vice President of Majestic Fire Apparel, further stated, “When Gore showed us their new hood technology and design, we knew it would make a big difference for firefighters. We were happy to provide our expertise in product development, manufacturing, and distribution to deliver a solution that would meet all of the needs of today’s firefighter — reliability, protection, comfort, and affordability.”

Available in two knit options — Ultra C6 (black) and Nomex® blend (white), the GORE® Particulate Hood is being sold through Majestic Fire Apparel’s dealers. Visit majhoods.com/Gore or GoreParticulateHoods.com for more information about this exciting new product.

ABOUT MAJESTIC FIRE APPAREL

Majestic Fire Apparel, Inc. is a premier manufacturer of fire retardant hoods, accessories, and ARC-rated apparel. With facilities located in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, Majestic is an ISO 9001 registered company that maintains a compliant Quality Management System. MFA is committed to the pursuit of better products that achieve optimal benefits for the fire service. The company’s focus on quality and new product development has attributed to its success in serving customers in the fire and safety industry for almost 20 years. www.majhoods.com.

ABOUT GORE

W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Founded in 1958, Gore has built a reputation for solving complex technical challenges in the most demanding environments — from revolutionizing the outerwear industry with GORE-TEX® fabric to creating medical devices that improve and save lives to enabling new levels of performance in the aerospace, pharmaceutical and mobile electronics markets, among other industries. The company is also known for its strong, team-oriented culture and continued recognition from the Great Place to Work® Institute. Headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs approximately 10,000 associates. www.gore.com.

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Media Contact
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117
mysmith115@comcast.net 

¹ Per the Particulate Blocking Test included in the proposed 2018 edition of NFPA 1971

Elkton, Maryland (January 29, 2018) — In response to the increasing concern about occupational cancer among firefighters, W. L. Gore & Associates’ Protective Fabrics Division is proud to join the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and other fire industry leaders to sponsor the IAFF Cancer Summit on February 1, 2018.

Gore is supportive of the efforts by the IAFF and its partners to identify and protect firefighters from the potential hazards that can cause cancer. The summit will address critical topics such as firefighter health and fitness, fire-ground decontamination, best practices for cleaning gear, and innovations in PPE.

Gore has a long history of collaborating with firefighters to identify and address their concerns, beginning with the issue of heat stress caused by heavy, non-breathable barriers. Gore has continued to address this problem by delivering the most breathability in the broadest range of conditions with GORE® CROSSTECH® moisture barriers and the GORE® PARALLON™ liner system.

Allen Maples, Gore’s global leader of the Fire and Public Safety business explains, “As the fire industry continues to learn more about the impact of fireground contaminants on the health and safety of firefighters, Gore is working closely with IAFF members and other industry leaders to support research and development efforts in the PPE arena. We leverage this expertise in materials and comfort science to create solutions that can help firefighters wear their gear longer at the fire scene and reduce their exposure to fireground particulates.” .

More recently, an IAFF study found that the neck and face areas of firefighters were not adequately protected against fireground particulates. Seeing this as an important issue, Gore developed a particulate-blocking hood that exceeds the NFPA Standard in providing protection at the fireground. 

The IAFF Cancer Summit will follow the Vincent J. Bollon Affiliate Leadership Training Summit & Ernest A. “Buddy” Mass Human Relations Conference and will be held at Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Separate registration is required for the IAFF Cancer Summit. Learn more by visiting IAFF Cancer Summit.
 

About GORE® Protective Fabrics

For more than 35 years, GORE® Protective Fabrics has been trusted by major fire and emergency response agencies throughout North America to protect their first responders. Gore has been a pioneer in developing high-performance protective barriers for use in fire, EMS, military, law enforcement, and CBRN applications. Gore specialists work closely with gear manufacturers during initial gear design, laboratory and field testing, and final product performance — all to ensure that the protective barrier in your gear does what Gore says it will do. Learn more at GoreProtectiveFabrics.com.

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Media Contact
Marie Y. Smith
302.994.0117
mysmith115@comcast.net

Elkton, Maryland, January 5, 2016 – W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., recently announced an enhancement of the warranty program for its line of moisture barriers and liner systems. This comprehensive program is aligned with the needs of fire departments as they continue to adopt the requirements of NFPA 1851: Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2014 Edition.

Gore’s new warranty program covers materials and labor performed by participating verified Independent Service Providers (ISPs) and garment manufacturers. The warranty time and specific materials vary depending on the product:

• CROSSTECH® 3-layer moisture barrier (4A): 7-year warranty.
• CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier (2F): 5-year warranty.
• GORE® PARALLON™ liner system (B2): 5-year warranty for the body-side layer, which is tested as the moisture barrier per NFPA 1971 Standard requirements.
• GORE® RT7100 moisture barrier (3D): 4-year warranty (previously material only).

In addition to lengthening the warranty on these products, Gore is also extending the warranties retroactively for all of its moisture barriers currently in the market.

According to Allen Maples, North American Product Specialist in Gore’s fire and public safety team, the technology behind the GORE® PARALLON™ liner system is a revolutionary shift in turnout gear performance for the fire industry. “For more than 35 years, Gore has been globally recognized as a pioneer in protection and human comfort science. We have combined our scientific research and deep product knowledge in heat stress, breathability, and barrier technologies to develop moisture barriers that are the most breathable in the broadest range of conditions. While CROSSTECH® moisture barriers provide the highest level of breathability in traditional turnout gear, the new GORE® PARALLON™ liner system takes breathability to a whole new level while also offering more consistent thermal protection.” For more information, visit www.GoreParallon.com or call 800.431.GORE (4673).

About W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Gore is a technology-driven company focused on discovery and product innovation. Well known for waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX fabric, the company’s portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Gore employs more than 10,000 associates worldwide. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984.The company also appears regularly on similar lists around the world. Learn more at www.gore.com.

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Media Contact:
Marie Y. Smith
Public Relations Consultant
302.994.0117