Kevlar® fiber facility planned for South Carolina

DuPont will develop a $500 million Kevlar® fiber facility near Charleston, S.C., to supply the widely used protective fiber to U.S. military customers. The plant will be fully operational in early 2012 and is predicted to increase worldwide production of Kevlar by 25 percent. The aramid fiber is used in protective helmets, vests and vehicle armor, as well as a new product, Kevlar XP, which combines aramid fibers and a thermoplastic resin to provide 20 percent higher ballistic protection and reduced weight in helmets and tactical plates.