DuPont has opened its latest ballistics testing facility at the DuPont Knowledge Center in Hyderabad, India. The state-of-the-art facility houses a ballistic testing range, a 600-ton helmet press and stab testing equipment. This is the fifth DuPont site for testing protection materials in ballistic applications. Others are located in Richmond, VA; Meyrin, Switzerland; Paulina, Brazil; and Wilmington, DE.

The new facility allows DuPont to work closely with its customers and end-users, including law enforcement, military and first responders, in an application testing environment dedicated to providing advanced materials that help protect more people from harm. In addition, DuPont will be able to develop solutions that can be tested under local conditions.

“With applications testing facilities located close to our global customers, we can better collaborate on innovations that help keep people safe and better protect the environment, structures and critical processes,” says Thomas G. Powell, president of DuPont Protection Technologies. “As the brand leader in protection, DuPont is committed to using its science expertise to develop a broader portfolio of DuPont Kevlar materials and solutions that address local needs.”

DuPont has been providing Kevlar protective materials for more than 40 years. Best known for its use in ballistic and stab-resistant body armor, DuPont Kevlar has helped save the lives of thousands of law enforcement and military personnel around the world, according to the company. The proven performance of DuPont Kevlar has found application in many other industries, including aerospace, oil and gas, alternative energy and automotive industries, where the combination of lightweight strength and other unique properties enable new designs and increased reliability.

DuPont Kevlar is produced at the Cooper River plant near Charleston, SC; in Richmond, VA; Maydown, Northern Ireland; and at the DuPont-Toray facility in Tokai, Japan.