Touted as the next generation of PBI outer shells after its introduction at FDIC 2012, PBI Max™ by Safety Components features the exclusive and patented Filament Twill Technology™. Filament Twill Technology incorporates battle-tested, maximum strength Kevlar® filament with superior flame resistant PBI/Kevlar® spun yarns. All this in a lightweight twill weave fabric, PBI Max is the strongest, most flexible, and most comfortable outer shell ever created.
With over 50,000 sets of PBI Max in service around the world, the list of fire departments and brigades who have made the switch is on pace to make PBI Max the most successful PBI outer shell in the world. The list of metro departments includes Houston, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, San Diego, CA, Phoenix, AZ, San Francisco, CA, Long Beach, CA, Des Moines, IA, Tucson, AZ, Kansas City, MO, Wichita, KS, Honolulu, HI, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Mobile, AL, Montgomery, AL, Raleigh/Wake County, NC, Orange County, CA, Palm Beach County, FL, Cobb County, GA, Dekalb County, GA, and Broward County, FL. Outside of the United States, large cities such as Montreal, Canada and São Paulo, Brazil have also converted.
One of the first fire departments in the US to make the move to this innovative new outer shell fabric was Baltimore City. Over 900 Baltimore City firefighters have been donning turnout gear with black PBI Max outer shell for over two years—with only good things to report. Turnout gear made with a PBI Max outer shell offers more flexibility with better heat and thermal protection than ever before. More importantly, this lighter weight gear aids Baltimore City firefighters in moving with less restriction and less stress as they do their part to respond to 270,000+ emergencies annually.
Joey Underwood, Safety Components, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, stated, “At Safety Components we listen to the fire service and devote every resource at our disposal to improving the performance of turnout gear with our outer shells and thermal liners. Our entire team would like to salute all the fire departments and brigades around the world for their service and dedication, as well as strategic fiber suppliers and garment manufacturers for their support and keen insight to the marketplace. Together they all play a vital role in our company’s ability to provide the ultimate in personal protective fabrics.”
During the past 15 years Safety Components has led the fire service by developing more outer shell and thermal liner fabric innovations than any other textile company in the world. Safety Components’ outer shells contain a patented, durable, water repellent finish that offers safer, lighter, and dryer gear. These same outer shell fabrics also contain solution dyed fibers for the highest resistance to fading after thermal exposure.
Safety Components, Inc. (SCI) is the market leader in technology driven fabric solutions for high performance textiles. The main focus of SCI is to design and manufacture textiles for markets including: first responders (fire service, USAR & EMS), military, outdoor fabrics, aerospace escape slides, fuel cells, and automotive air bag fabrics. A division of International Textile Group, the SCI manufacturing facility is located in Greenville, South Carolina.
