Noble Fiber Technologies Inc selects India as its Asia Pacific hub for X-static

Noble Fiber Technologies Inc, USA has plans to set up R&D as also manufacturing facilities in India for its silver-coated textile fibre - X-static in the next two years. This follows the US technology inventor’s recent decision to make India its Asia-pacific operation hub.

It is to be noted that the US firm has recently introduced its specialised X-static fibre in the Indian market. The company has entered into a marketing partnership with Flexituff International Ltd - a company belonging to the Rs 250-crore Kalani group of industries which has got interests in packaging and other areas.

Speaking to Express Textile, Mr Joel Furey, partner, Noble Fiber Technologies said, “We have selected Fexistuff as our partner which will promote and market our fibre in the Indian market which has got huge potential. Once we create our market, we intent to out up R&D as also manufacturing facilities in the next couple of years time. In fact, we see India much better placed than China in terms of investments and want to set up a hub for the entire Asia-pacific operation.”

Under the recent partnership, Noble Fiber Technologies will grant exclusive rights to Flexituff International, which manufactures FIBC bags and offers packaging solutions using X-static in the Asia-Pacific region (estimated market size US $ 1.2 billion). The partnership also includes sole rights for institutional sales such as the Indian armed forces including the army, navy, air force, para military, BSF and local police force for varied applications like uniforms, tents, jackets, etc.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr Saurabh Kalani, Joint managing director, Kalani Group of Industries says, “This partnership envisages a great future for this wonder product given the immense possibilities the technology holds. It will promote X-static across the Asia-Pacific region by importing, warehousing and distributing the same as required. The company has a significant presence in the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) where it can import and warehouse products duty-free.”

A product reseached and developed by Noble Fiber Technologies, X-static is a silver-coated textile fibre that enhances products with permanent and natural anti-odour, anti-static and thermodynamic properties. The fibre is already being used by several giant international brands in various products across the world. Leading manufacturers of hosiery, apparel, footwear and home goods feature the X-static technology in a variety of high performance athletic and fashion products. It has licensed its silver coated fibers under the X-static brand to more than 300 manufacturers including leading apparel labels Marks and Spencer, Adidas, Umbro, Puma, Spyder and also to Johnson and Johnson for antimicrobial bandages - even the entire English Soccer team for Euro 2004.

The X-static fibre has a layer of pure silver permanently bonded to the surface of a textile fibre. The silver layer retains traditional textile and tactile characteristics. Mr Furey begs to go beyond this definition. X-static to him is nothing less than a revolution, there being no other such product in existence before.

For example, explains Mr Furey, “X-static’s heat transfer properties are of particular significance to India, given the different weather conditions prevailings at any given time. X-static is also useful in eliminating odor-causing bacteria and athletes’ foot fungus. It eliminates 99.9 per cent of bacteria in less than one hour of exposure and is more effective in hotter and wetter environments. “He is quick to point out however, that there are no chemicals involved, and being completely natural, there is no fear of toxicity. It is also permanent and performance does not diminish over time.

Mr Furey was recently in India to identify top-notch Indian companies who can adopt X-static technology into their existing products.