Royal DSM’s Indian manufacturing partner, MKU, has provided next generation armour technology with Dyneema unidirectional (UD) material and bio-based content to support the Sao Paulo police.

Comprised of more than 100,000 officers, the Sao Paulo police force is the first law enforcement agency in Brazil to initiate a tender for personal protective equipment based on the latest National Institute of Justice (NIJ) .06 standards for body armour, which provide comprehensive and rigorous compliance for the performance and testing of ballistic materials. In addition to NIJ .06 certification, the tender set extremely lightweight requirements for level IIIA soft armour vests.

The hybrid vest solution developed MKU uses Dyneema UD material to reach new levels of performance and protection while simultaneously enhancing user comfort and mobility. Dyneema, the world’s strongest and lightest fibre, is the leading global brand of choice for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE) fibre, UD and fabrics, offering ballistic solutions for personal and vehicle armour that combine maximum strength with minimum weight.

In soft armour applications, Dyneema offers up to 35% weight reduction when compared to competing materials, making it the material of choice for many of the world’s elite military and law enforcement personnel.

The world’s first ever bio-based Dyneema fibre was introduced in 2020 with the same performance as conventional Dyneema, but with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE.

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