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Notes:
HYDROLOCK IS TAKING OUR NONWOVEN SBU IN AN ENTIRELY NEW DIRECTION – AND IT HAS POSSIBILITIES FOR OTHER BUSINESSES AS WELL. A PATENTED TECHNOLOGY UNLIKE ANY OTHER ON THE MARKET, HYDROLOCK IS A REVOLUTIONARY MATERIAL THAT COMBINES THE PROPERTIES OF A SUPER ABSORBENT POWDER WITH THOSE OF A HOT MELT ADHESIVE.
TRADITIONALLY, DISPOSABLE DIAPERS CONTAIN LARGE AMOUNTS OF SUPER ABSORBENTS THAT COME IN THE FORM OF FREE-FLOWING POWDER. THE POWDER SIFTS AND SHIFTS WITHIN THE DIAPER, AND WHEN SATURATED, IT BECOMES VERY HEAVY.
HYDROLOCK IS A VERY STABLE, SUPERFINE MATERIAL THAT CAN BE APPLIED IN VARIOUS PATTERNS AND AMOUNTS TO HELP MANAGE FLUID “ON DEMAND.” IT ABSORBS UP TO 100 TIMES ITS OWN WEIGHT IN WATER. IN ADDITION TO THE NONWOVEN INDUSTRY, IT MAY BE USEFUL FOR DISPOSABLE CLEANING MOPS AND SUPPLIES; IN UNDERGROUND FIBER OPTIC CABLES, WHERE IT COULD ABSORB MOISTURE RESULTING FROM A SPLIT IN THE CABLE; AND IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY – FOR INSTANCE, ABSORBING SWEAT IN A SURGEON’S CAP.
AQUA-MELT IS A BOOKBINDING ADHESIVE THAT DELIVERS SUPERIOR SPINE STRENGTH, PROVIDES ENHANCED ADHESION TO DIFFICULT PAPER STOCKS, AND REDUCES SPLITS. AT THE SAME TIME, IT HELPS CUSTOMERS IMPROVE PRODUCTION SPEED. WHAT IS PERHAPS MOST EXCITING ABOUT AQUA-MELT, HOWEVER, IS THE FACT THAT IT IS HELPING OPEN DOORS FOR US IN REGIONS BEYOND NORTH AMERICA, WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE GRAPHIC ARTS MARKET. FOR INSTANCE, AQUA-MELT HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY WELL-RECEIVED IN JAPAN.
COLD-WATER SOLUBLE POTATO STARCH
PARTNERING WITH A DUTCH COMPANY, AVEBE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW LINE OF COLD-WATER SOLUBLE POTATO STARCH ADHESIVES. THESE ARE USED ON MULTI-WALL BAGS – THOSE COMPOSED OF MULTIPLE LAYERS OF PAPER AND USED TO HOLD HEAVY ITEMS, SUCH AS PET FOOD, CEMENT AND FERTILIZER. WE HAD A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THIS COMMODITY-DRIVEN MARKET, AND NEEDED A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES.
MOST MANUFACTURERS OF MULTI-WALL BAGS USE A CORNSTARCH ADHESIVE, WHICH HAS TO BE COOKED. OUR TECHNOLOGY ELIMINATES THAT STEP. IT ALSO LETS MANUFACTURERS RUN THEIR MACHINES AT THE MOST EFFICIENT RATE AND CUTS DRYING TIME, ENABLING THEM TO SHIP BAGS OUT THE DOOR THE SAME DAY – A REAL VALUE – AND THAT’S THE KEY. ALTHOUGH THIS TECHNOLOGY MAY NOT SOUND LIKE VERY SEXY STUFF, IT REPRESENTS AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION IN APPLYING IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES TO A RENEWABLE RESOURCE – ONE MORE WAY IN WHICH WE CONTINUE TO MITIGATE THE CONSTANT COST PRESSURES REALIZED FROM THOSE OIL- AND NATURAL GAS-DERIVED RESOURCES.
WITHIN THE WINDOW INDUSTRY, WE ARE CREATING A BUZZ WITH A PROCESS THAT COULD LIKELY REVOLUTIONIZE VINYL WINDOW PRODUCTION BY ELIMINATING TRADITIONAL INSULATING GLASS PRODUCTION AND INCORPROATING AN INSULATED SASH. TYPICALLY, IN THE PRODUCTION OF A WINDOW, A SEPARATE INSULATED GLASS UNIT IS BUILT. IT COMBINES TWO OR MORE PANES OF GLASS, SEPARATED BY A SPACER AND HELD TOGETHER BY A HIGH-PERFORMANCE SEALANT, WHICH IS THEN BONDED DIRECTLY INTO A VINYL FRAME.
OUR NEW INSULATED SASH-TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AND OWNED BY SASHLITE, INCORPORATES THE SPACER INTO THE VINYL FRAME, ELIMINATING A MANUFACTURING STEP. THIS STREAMLINES PRODUCTION FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, DECREASES THEIR MANUFACTURING COSTS AND IMPROVES EFFICIENCY. IN SHORT, IT DELIVERS A BETTER QUALITY PRODUCT IN FEWER STEPS.
WHILE THE CONCEPT IS EXCITING IN AND OF ITSELF, IT IS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS A MOVE TO SOLUTION SELLING FOR OUR WINDOW BUSINESS. INSTEAD OF SELLING DRUMS OF MATERIAL AND HAVING CUSTOMERS PAY US BY THE POUND, WE ARE NOW SELLING PRODUCT, SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT AND BEING PAID ON A PER-FINISHED-PART BASIS.
