Mar 29 2009
Global composite solutions and building materials leader Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) today announced the development of AdVeil(TM) non-woven glass veil incorporating a new technology that brings cost and production benefits to the cushion vinyl (CV) flooring industry. Based on the company's patented Advantex(R) glass technology, AdVeil glass veil is supplied pre-filled with a proprietary inorganic formulation that reduces plastisol use up to 150 grams per square meter - a savings of up to 30 percent compared to conventional nonwoven glass veil offered in the marketplace.
Other attributes of the product, which will initially be available in Europe, include:
- The same thickness as standard veil, but a weight of 180 grams vs. 40 grams, making it less sensitive to creasing in the manufacturing process
- An improved smooth-surface base for the design layer, significantly reducing the risk of printing defects and improving design quality
- Mechanical and dimensional stability
- High thermal stability
"AdVeil glass veil not only provides cushion vinyl flooring manufacturers with a product that helps reduce raw material use and costs with only minor production modifications, it also allows them to deliver an enhanced product to their customers that improves their production efficiencies and end product," said Jean-Jacques Michat, Western Europe flooring sales leader, OCV(TM) Non-Woven Technologies.
Underpinning the commercial and production advantages of AdVeil glass veil is its environmental profile, which fits with the increasingly tough demands from the flooring industry and consumers. AdVeil glass veil is manufactured with Advantex glass fibers, which are produced using Advantex glass furnace technology in a boron-free process, which when compared to traditional E-glass manufacturing technology results in up to a 90 percent reduction in fluoride emissions, more than 85 percent reduction in particulate emissions, and more than 65 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions. Advantex technology is more energy efficient than traditional E-glass, resulting less demand for fossil fuels and lower carbon dioxide emissions.