An innovation company, Milliken & Company, is launching a new coated weft inserted warp knit product offering an improvement to the tear resistance of polymeric single ply roofing membranes at Techtextil that is taking place in Frankfurt this week.

This durability step-change to increase the longevity of commercial roofing systems is the latest in Milliken’s innovative line of advanced reinforcements for building and infrastructure applications on-show at the exhibition.

Proprietary coating

Milliken’s new weft inserted warp knit innovation for PVC and TPO membranes features a proprietary coating, which is free of plasticizers and volatile organics typically used on roofing fabrics, the company reports.

The coating imparts proven superior strength over existing fabric technologies, contributing to higher wind uplift resistance for the finished membrane. It is also said to enable knock-on cost efficiency benefits, such as a more open fastening pattern to reduce use of mechanical fasteners.

The fabric construction allows greater openness in the reinforcement’s structure of between 5-10% over traditional techniques, according to the manufacturer. This improvement to openness benefits the customer by improving ply to ply adhesion of the membrane top and bottom plies. Milliken believes that this innovative warp knit can be substituted for existing reinforcements without any adaptation to the current manufacturing process.

True innovation

Milliken’s weft inserted warp knit scrims are produced with polyester, glass and/or other specialty yarns at the company’s facilities in France, Belgium and the USA and are available globally.

They are individually tailored to customer’s requirements, such as through the addition of functional chemistries to enhance physical properties, and mechanical treatments that improve adhesion, cold bending performance and aesthetics.

“With our new coated weft inserted warp knit product, we are offering manufacturers a unique, cost-effective way to reinforce their roofing membranes and comply with strict wind uplift performance standards. We have been supporting improvements in the commercial roofing market for more than 40 years, and we are looking forward to introducing the possibilities offered by this true innovation to European membrane manufacturers at Techtextil 2015,” commented Jeff Stafford, Global Market Manager, Advanced Reinforcements.

Textile capabilities

Milliken offers a wide range of textile capabilities for use in reinforcement fabrics for industrial and building and infrastructure applications, including waterproofing membranes, engineered facer materials, and reinforced laminates.

With expertise across a breadth of disciplines including specialty chemicals, floor coverings, and performance materials, the company works around the world to add value to people’s lives, improve health and safety, and help make the world more sustainable.

www.milliken.com