Automotive Safety
The Indorama Mobility Group Automotive Safety business segment focuses on market segments of Airbags, Seatbelts and Sewing Threads.
PHP Fibers and UTT are the two companies and brand names that have worked diligently to maintain their reputation in high quality product and dependable supply in the Airbag cushion value chain. They are integrated under the Mobility Group to deliver the strategy of a full portfolio play of both yarn and fabric and both PA 6.6 and PET. The Mobility Group today has 5 manufacturing sites for Airbag yarns and fabrics. With the continued increase in car ownership in emerging economies, increase implementation of mandatory airbag installation and increase in airbag equipment rate, the demand growth for high quality Airbag yarns and fabrics will continue to exceed that of the light vehicle itself.
Automotive Safety Markets Served
Airbags
In the 1970s, the company PHP Fibers (at that times Akzo) was one of the first to bring high-tenacity filaments to various automotive safety applications to protect automobile and truck passengers saving lives for decades. Today, the Indorama Mobility Group continues to be a leader in meeting the demanding requirements of the automotive industry with consistent and reliable high performance fibers and fabrics.
The Indorama Mobility Group derives its strong position in the Airbag market from PHP Fibers who was the pioneer in the development and production of airbag filament yarns with now a global manufacturing footprint in Germany, North America and China (JV).
The Enka® Nylon airbag yarns with different shrinkage behavior and with high or super high-tenacity in NDPF and LDPF (Normal respectively Low Denier Per Filament) characteristics in all required yarn counts and PET Airbag yarns enables the Group to provide the optimum yarn for all Airbag types and fabrics.
The strategic move to integrate fabrics production started when PHP Fibers established Airbag weaving and coating operations in Germany and the US, using a technology from its minority shareholder Toyobo. With the acquisition of UTT Technische Textilien in Germany and Mexico, Indorama Mobility Group was able to solidify its position as an Airbag fabric player and to become a leading supplier of both, yarns and fabrics.
The Indorama Mobility Group has combined and advanced all its technologies and manufacturing capability and is a full portfolio supplier of both polyamide 6.6 and polyester Airbag yarns and fabrics, coated or uncoated, with flat-woven fabrics and the latest one-piece woven (OPW) technology to the Airbag industry.
With Airbag’s increased adoption of polyester yarn where Indorama Ventures has rich expertise, coupled with the strong historical polyamide 6.6 filament yarn reputation and newly acquired fabric position, the Indorama Mobility Group seeks to build an even closer and stronger partnership with the airbag and automotive industry.
Seatbelt webbing has long been relying on polyester yarn for its break-strength reliability, prominent abrasion resistance and excellent dyeability. The Indorama Mobility Group supplies performance polyester yarn of high consistency and uniformity for seat belt warp and weft applications through PHP Fibers and Performance Fibers.
End-use applications of sewing threads are diverse including embroidery, outdoor fabrics, awnings, banners, flags, braided cords, leathers goods, shoes, technical textiles and apparel.
Indorama Mobility Group offers high quality polyester and polyamide yarn at its production facilities in Performance Fibers in China and PHP Fibers Germany.
These yarns are the material of choice for all kinds of demanding sewing thread applications where such properties as tenacity, thermal stability and abrasion resistance are essential.
Besides a wide range of standard polyester and polyamide yarn for sewing thread applications, the Mobility Group (PHP Fibers) offers the unique product Stanylenka®. This is a high-tenacity filament yarn made from polyamide 4.6 with higher heat capacity. Sewing threads made of Stanylenka® result in enhanced seam durability.
Automotive Safety Product Portfolio – Global Availability
Indorama Mobility Group has in its product range of polyamide 6.6, polyester, in such material forms as yarn or woven fabric (coated and uncoated).
Automotive Safety Business Segment – Global Manufacturing Sites
The Indorama Mobility Group has 7 manufacturing Sites in 4 countries in 3 continents of Europe, Asia and Americas:
