Cubic Tech: Bringing flexible composites to Dyneema® family

With the acquisition of Cubic Tech Corporation last year, DSM Dyneema – the inventor and manufacturer of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre branded as Dyneema® – is now not only responsible for world’s strongest, lightest fibres, sheets and tapes but also world’s strongest, lightest and most engineered fabrics and composites.

In 1992, American billionaire and self-described ‘contrarian’ Bill Koch entered his boat America3 (pronounced “America Cubed”) into America’s Cup, world’s most prestigious yachting race. Ridiculed by the press and sailing professionals alike, his team was soon derisively known as the ‘Cubens’. But Koch had a vision: applying technology, talent and teamwork to design a wholly new breakthrough boat. Nuclear physicist Heiner Meldner and aerospace composites engineer RJ Downs were given the responsibility of coming up with a new type of sailcloth. Working in secret with a group of unemployed surfers in an abandoned mortuary warehouse, they came up with a sail based on UHMWPE that proved to be a full third better performance-wise than any other available materials at the time. As a result, the underdogs – flying under the flag of ‘Bay of Pigs Yacht Club’ – won the America’s Cup and flabbergasted the sailing world.

Meldner and Downs went on to head the R&D-driven company that took this ‘Cuben fabric’ to whole new levels over the last 23 years. Cubic Tech not only applied it further to the sailing industry but also to aerospace projects, medical equipment, future soldier programmes and a variety of ‘classified’ projects.

While staying light and strong, fabrics have been engineered for a range of other unique properties, including permeability, solar reflectivity, sensor abilities and antenna technology.

Henceforth known as Dyneema® Flexible Composites, Cubic Tech’s fabrics and laminates are having an increasing commercial impact on the high-end performance sports, outdoor and lifestyle markets – for example with niche producers of tents, tarps and backpacks for the so-called ultra-light hiking movement, a style of backpacking that emphasises carrying the lightest and simplest kit safely possible for a given trip.

“Cubic Tech’s philosophy is very akin to our own, with a fundamental belief in extremely lightweight and strong constructions,” says Jeff Turner, VP Strategy of DSM Dyneema. “It is therefore a natural extension of the Dyneema® brand. Cubic Tech has some exciting technology, and with the addition of DSM Dyneema’s application development, operational excellence and marketing competences we expect to accelerate these developments into new areas for DSM Dyneema. We also provide the stability and strength that Cubic Tech’s customers seek in order to take their projects forward.”

The Dyneema® Project will showcase how the sports & lifestyle industry can further use all Dyneema® materials to make comfortable fabrics that are stronger, lighter, smarter and more durable than anything currently available. This curated programme will collaborate with trailblazers, game-changers and innovators in apparel – cutting-edge brands and state-of-the-art mills who are pushing the envelope of design and vision.