MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J., June 24, 2009 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON)
announced today that it has introduced a new Gold Shield® ballistic material
with improved ability to stop bullets and fragments in military and police
armor applications.
The new ballistic material, Honeywell Gold Shield GN-2117, has demonstrated up
to a 10 percent weight reduction when compared to Honeywell’s traditional Gold
Flex® material, which is also used in soft armor applications.
The new product also provides increased surface durability and chemical
resistance, allowing it to meet the toughest global body armor standards for
military and law enforcement applications.
“This new material incorporates state-of-the-art composite technology to help
armor manufacturers achieve a high level of ballistic performance with
increased resistance to water, gas, and other environmental conditions,” said
Joe Gelo, global business director for Honeywell’s Advanced Fibers and
Composites business. “Honeywell remains committed to continuously improving our
ballistic materials to support the goals of law enforcement and the military,
which are to reduce armor weight and improve protection capabilities.”
Gold Shield GN-2117 builds on Honeywell’s proven Gold Flex ballistic material,
a soft armor material that combines Honeywell’s patented Shield technology with
aramid fiber. For more than 10 years, Gold Flex has been one of the most widely
used ballistic materials in police and military vests. The new Gold Shield
GN-2117 incorporates a proprietary resin and coating system, which provides its
increased environmental and chemical resistance, as well as improved fragment
protection.
This patent-pending technology helps Gold Shield GN-2117 meet the most
stringent global body armor standards, including those of the National
Institute of Justice (NIJ), which is the research, development and evaluation
agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Multiple vest models containing Gold
Shield GN-2117 have successfully completed certification testing under the new
NIJ 0101.06 standard for body armor.
The new material was announced at the Institute for Defense and Government
Advancement’s fourth-annual Military Armor Protection conference in McLean,
Va., and was highlighted in a presentation by Dr. Lori Wagner, technology
leader for armor for Honeywell’s Advanced Fibers and Composites business.
The introduction of Gold Shield GN-2117 further expands Honeywell’s portfolio
of ballistic materials for advanced armor systems, including products for
bullet-resistant vests, breastplates, helmets, combat vehicles and military
aircraft.
The Honeywell product line includes Gold Shield, Spectra Shield® and Spectra
Shield II materials. Spectra Shield and Spectra Shield II use Honeywell’s
super-strength Spectra® fiber, which, pound for pound, is 15 times stronger
than steel yet light enough to float. Shield technology is a patented Honeywell
process designed to optimize the ballistic performance characteristics of
Spectra and aramid fiber.
Honeywell Specialty Materials, based in Morristown, N.J., is a $5.3 billion
global leader in providing customers with high-performance specialty materials,
including fluorine products; specialty films and additives; advanced fibers and
composites; intermediates; specialty chemicals; electronic materials and
chemicals; and technologies and materials for petroleum refining.
Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100
diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide
with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes
and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials.
Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York,
London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on
Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.
This release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address
activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects,
projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are
forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon certain assumptions
and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their
perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions,
expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.
The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a
number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to
economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our
operations, markets, products, services and prices. Such forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results,
developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by such
forward-looking statements.
Media Contact:
Nina Krauss
973-455-4253
nina.krauss@honeywell.com