PAXCON(R) Survives Multiple Explosions at FPED
LINE-X(R) Corporation's PAXCON(R) Industrial Coating Withstands Six Blasts of TNT at the 2007 FPED6 Force Protection Equipment Demonstration Show
SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug. 28 -- LINE-X(R) Franchise Development Corporation, one of the nation's leading providers of spray-on protective coatings, today announced their PAXCON(R) Industrial Coating was still standing after six blasts of TNT at the Force Protection Equipment Demonstration VI (FPED VI) Show August 14 - 16, 2007. The show was held at the Stafford Regional Airport in Stafford, Virginia and Quantico Marine Corp Base in Quantico, Virginia.
LINE-X Corporation, well known among millions of truck owners for its durable spray-on truck bedliners, is steadily gaining recognition for creating and developing the super-strength PAXCON industrial coating. PAXCON is a spray-on polymer that is widely used as a blast mitigation material, containing fragmentation from the effects of a bomb blast, minimizing the risk of injury to occupants of various structures.
For FPED, each day PAXCON performed a blast mitigation demonstration at Quantico. The demonstration consisted of two identical wall panels, each 6' x 6', 2" x 4" construction on 16" centers. The strike side was covered with galvanized steel siding, the opposite side was covered with interior residential wood paneling. One wall was coated with 1/4" of PAXCON. The second wall was not coated. The tests were performed using 50 pounds of TNT detonated at a 20-foot distance.
Once the charge was detonated, the uncoated wall was completely destroyed scattering debris up to 200 feet. The PAXCON treated wall was completely intact, allowing no release of debris or fragmentation. This demonstration was done a total of three times with the untreated wall being replaced for each demonstration. The original PAXCON treated wall withstood all three demonstrations.
PAXCON held three additional demonstrations again using the original treated wall. Fifty pounds of TNT was placed at a stand-off of 120 feet. As with the previous demonstrations the original PAXCON coated wall withstood all blasts.
In response to acts of terrorism throughout the world, in 1996 the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed that a Force Protection Equipment Demonstration (FPED) be conducted. The intent of the FPED is to demonstrate to the Department of Defense (DoD) senior leaders and decision-makers state-of-the-art and mature commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment that could possibly serve as material solutions to Physical Security/Force Protection (PS/FP) needs. FPED attracts over 500 equipment vendors and manufacturers who display over 2,900 varying items of PS/FP equipment and is attended by approximately 7,000 participants from DoD, Federal, state, local, and foreign governments. Because of continuing concerns of terrorist activity, constant progressive advancements in technology aimed at reducing vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks, the continuing need for enhanced PS/FP equipment, the demonstrations are now held every two years.
"It was an honor demonstrating to the attendees of FPED just how strong our PAXCON product really is," stated Steve Decker, Vice President of PAXCON & Special Applications for LINE-X. "The PAXCON coated wall withstanding six blasts of fifty pounds of TNT proves yet again the durability of the product. In a typical bomb blast, 80 percent of the casualty comes from fragmentation of the building. The whole concept behind the PAXCON product is to mitigate that fragmentation by containing it, and increasing the exit time for the occupants of the building."
Today, LINE-X is focused on expanding applications of its industrial polymer coatings to include a wide range of blast mitigation applications, including helicopter pads, HMMWV (Humvees), and the coating of small-arms protective inserts for military ballistic vests currently being used by military personnel in high-risk areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Naval applications include boat and submarine decks, and marine gangways. LINE-X polymer coating products have also been demonstrated to provide effective protection for numerous civil and peacetime applications such as flight simulators, storage cases and UAV launch trailers.
How it Protects
The application of LINE-X's revolutionary product provides a seamless, flexible and ultra strong super-powerful coating to wood, metal, brick, mortar, block and virtually any other surface. The polymer coating remains flexible from -40 degrees to 160 degrees C, is abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant, fire retardant, and meets all EPA emission levels for V.O.C's. Tests performed by the company using 200 pounds of TNT detonated at a 30-foot distance were shown to substantially reduce disintegration of building materials. In a separate test, a wall coated with the LINE-X industrial product remained intact up to a detonation equivalent of 1,000 pounds of TNT.
Military Approved
Because of the increased emphasis on homeland security and anti-terrorism initiatives in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, LINE-X polymer coatings have been recognized by the U.S. military and the defense industry for their high levels of protection.
In 2002, LINE-X was selected to provide industrial coatings to the Pentagon following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. LINE-X industrial coating is also being used at an undisclosed site in New York City.
In 1999, the Air Force Research Laboratory released technical specs for using a LINE-X proprietary product for blast mitigation. That same year, the LINE-X blast mitigation product was statistically shown to outperform 27 other competitors in a battery of simulated tests by federal agencies and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The DOD officially named LINE-X as a vendor/supplier in the bomb blast protective coating category.
About LINE-X
Based in Santa Ana, California, LINE-X is a leader in the development, application and continual innovation of highly durable spray-on polyurethane/polyurea elastomer coatings for the truck/vehicle market, as well as throughout the commercial, industrial, agricultural, military and marine sectors.
LINE-X is the first in the industry to offer a Nationwide Lifetime Warranty for its spray-on truck bedliners, which is valid at any location. LINE-X has more than 550 franchised retail locations in 26 countries. For more information, call (800) 831-3232, or visit LINE-X online at www.LineX.com.
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