Alexium protective apparel for race car drivers

The racing suits, refueller overalls and gloves used by NASCAR auto racing must meet demanding standards for fire-resistance and water-proofing, and Alexium International Group, an Australia-based company with a Greenville, S.C., plant, wants to meet that demand. Alexium’s reactive surface treatment (RST) employs patented nanotechnology to give textiles multi-functional benefits, such as resistance to fire, water or oils. Alexium provided a 12-month option to license the RST technologies to SSM Industries Inc., Spring City, Tenn., a major textile supplier to the NASCAR series. This commercial application of RST will provide race teams with greater protection from accidents and injuries in lighter-weight, more breathable apparel.