Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) has announced it will establish a research Center of Excellence (COE) to develop new nonwoven technology platforms yielding differentiated, higher-performing materials for the global healthcare, hygiene and industrial markets.

The company's newest regional COE will be located at the PGI facility in Suzhou, China, in an expanded research facility.  The centre will focus on developing new technologies to significantly improve barrier, opacity, breathability, softness and comfort in engineered polymeric materials. A dedicated team of PGI scientists, researchers and engineers will come together to advance these properties that are critical in providing improved performance in infection control devices, hygiene products and protective apparel.

The COE will develop a collaborative work structure with PGI's other global R&D facilities in the U.S., Latin America and Europe. It will also tap into Asia's growing research and development capabilities and leverage existing technology expertise in Europe and North America by forming alliances with research companies, universities, technology think-tanks, raw material suppliers and customers. 

The COE will support the company's recently announced expansion in Asia and the U.S., where PGI is adding its proprietary capabilities to new state-of-the-art, custom-built spunmelt machines designed to deliver differentiated and innovative products to the market. Fabrics with the enhanced performance properties from these new lines and proprietary technologies will be commercially available in mid-2011.

"This newest regional Center of Excellence in China will be an extension of PGI's ongoing global R&D initiatives and continued investment in technology to deliver differentiated, higher-performing products to the market," said Mike Hale, PGI's chief operating officer. "Having dedicated research centers and teams around the world fosters creativity, promotes collaboration and serves as a best practice model for our company and customers."