(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

Elkton, Maryland, April 21, 2010 – At the 2010 FDIC show, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., introduced a new member of its family of CROSSTECH® moisture barriers. Combining its extensive expertise in moisture barrier technology with its latest developments of durable, breathable fabrics for use in military protective clothing, Gore has engineered a new two-layer CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier that maintains the same high level of breathability as the original CROSSTECH® moisture barrier, with the specific benefit of more durable NFPA 1851 performance as demonstrated in recent field trials. This new barrier includes a warranty covering labor and materials for repairs of normal wear and tear through three years or the first complete liner inspection done in accord with the NFPA 1851 standard (up to 3.5 years from the date of manufacture).

CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier provides consistent, sustained breathability over a wide range of environmental conditions. According to Holly Blake, Gore’s North American product specialist for structural moisture barriers, the development team engineered this new moisture barrier by combining the proven performance of CROSSTECH® products with the latest technology used in the US Army’s third generation of ECWCS outerwear. Blake explains, “At Gore, we have more than 30 years of experience in engineering membranes and laminates for the industry’s leading moisture barriers. Although ECWCS does not have to meet the flame-resistance and blood-borne pathogen standards required for turnout gear, we were able to engineer our next generation of moisture barriers by combining the barrier technology used in ECWCS with our intimate knowledge of ePTFE membranes and laminates. This new product — which brings our most recent membrane developments into today’s turnout gear — is a highly durable, two-layer moisture barrier that withstands extended heat exposure without compromising the great breathability that has made CROSSTECH® products the choice of departments throughout North America.”

Component-recognized to the NFPA 1971 Standard, 2007 edition, CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier demonstrates high total heat loss (THL), which means the firefighter experiences less heat stress. Unlike some other barriers, this moisture barrier withstands high heat exposure and still delivers excellent breathability and long-lasting protection. Based on several thorough field trials of turnout gear built to the departments’ specifications, CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier was extremely durable and reduced repair costs by as much as 50 percent when the component was cleaned and inspected using a protocol well beyond that required of the NFPA 1851 standard. This improved durability, combined with the barrier’s warranty, makes it easier for departments to comply with the maintenance requirements in the 2008 edition of the NFPA 1851 standard.

CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier is ideal for departments that need increased NFPA-1851 durability combined with excellent THL in a two-layer barrier. However, some departments operate in rugged environments that demand the highest level of durability possible. Another Gore moisture barrier — CROSSTECH® 3-layer moisture barrier — is the toughest barrier available in the market today, engineered specifically for firefighters that are rough on their gear. Blake concludes, “Fire departments have different needs, and at Gore, we want to ensure that we have a full line of products that span the range of durability, breathability, performance, and value.” To learn more about the full line of CROSSTECH® fabrics for turnout gear, footwear, and gloves, visit www.CROSSTECH.com.

CROSSTECH® black moisture barrier and CROSSTECH® 3-Layer moisture barrier are the latest additions to Gore’s family of products for first responders, which includes GORE® CHEMPAK®, GORE-TEX, CROSSTECH® WINDSTOPPER®, and other Gore fabrics. With approximately 8,000 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 applications in consumer, electronic, pharmaceutical, and medical product manufacturing. Specifically in the fabrics arena, Gore has been a pioneer in developing high-performance barrier products for use in law enforcement, firefighting, EMS, technical rescue, military, and domestic preparedness applications. The company operates more than 45 facilities worldwide with headquarters in Newark, Delaware, USA.

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

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

Gore does not make any claims that GORE® Particulate Hoods would cure, prevent, or reduce any disease or condition, including cancer. While a number of industry studies show disproportionately high rates of cancer in firefighters, the links between very specific sources, the routes of exposure, and the impact are still an area of appropriately intense study. Organizations such as the NFPA are supportive of enabling firefighters to choose hoods that block potentially harmful fireground particles, and Gore has created a particulate-blocking hood that is certified to the NFPA 1971 Standard requirements, 2018 Edition, for the particulate-blocking hood option.

While the industry might hope that Gore's hoods can help address the issue of firefighter cancer, Gore thinks that making such a definitive statement does not reflect either the science to date or the approach Gore takes in making claims about its products. Gore does say that it will make the best-in-class hoods, exceeding the NFPA 1971 standard, providing exceptional particulate-blocking capabilities in a highly durable and comfortable product. And Gore believes that using particulate-blocking hoods is a prudent choice to reduce a firefighter's exposure to potentially harmful fireground particulates, consistent with recommendations from a range of trusted organizations aligned with firefighter health and well-being.

At Gore, we believe we are making a great product for firefighters, as we always strive to do; however, it is very important that we are clear about what we say our products will do, and we will not extend those claims beyond what the best science can confidently support to date. We hope that you can understand and appreciate this position, particularly in light of such a serious concern for firefighters.