DuPont is a company that transforms industries and improves everyday life with science- and technology-based materials and solutions. And the company’s Kevlar EXO is a completely reimagined, next-generation aramid fiber that offers unparalleled levels of performance compared to older aramid fibers. Pulse 2.0 interviewed DuPont Global Marketing Manager Steven LaGanke to gain a deeper understanding of Kevlar EXO.
Steven LaGanke’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? LaGanke said:
“After graduating from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, I started with DuPont as an engineer. In the last 30 years, I have worked in many roles at DuPont, from engineering to operations, sales and now marketing, where I am currently a Global Segment Leader. I also earned an MBA from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.”
“Throughout my time at DuPont, I’ve led efforts to improve the safety, reliability, quality, productivity and capacity of growth products, including Tyvek Homewrap and accessory products lines in North America. I’ve also driven key initiatives to accelerate the growth of DuPont Protection Technologies globally.”
“As Global Segment Leader for the Life Protection segment within DuPont Kevlar, driving growth has been my primary responsibility, and now I work to expand the applications of Kevlar EXO, an aramid fiber that is comparably more durable, lightweight and flexible than traditional soft body armor materials.”
“While Kevlar and Kevlar EXO are most well-known in the defense and law enforcement industries, we are working to promote the different applications of Kevlar EXO beyond human and vehicle protection. Most recently, we have been able to apply the unique attributes of Kevlar EXO to solve problems in Formula One cars and provide orbital debris protection for satellites.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? LaGanke reflected:
“Across multiple roles, I have had the opportunity to work with amazing people both internally and externally. Leading the launch of Kevlar EXO has certainly been a career highlight. It has been a culmination of my experiences in my career to successfully lead the commercial launch of this innovation. We have kept our customers and the problems we aim to help them solve at the forefront of our efforts. Because of this, our entire team has a strong sense of purpose as we help improve the protection and performance of military and law enforcement personnel. We have a great team and our work has been recognized by several awards for the launch, including winning a Gold Edison Awards in the Critical Safety Materials Advancement category, a bronze Effie Award for the promotional campaign and winning the best new innovation from Body Armor News. I am also proud of our team and the recognition we have received.”
Core Services
What are the core services of your department? LaGanke explained:
“DuPont Life Protection is primarily focused on improving the protection and performance of military, law enforcement personnel and first responders. We provide solutions that help our customers design protective equipment for the specific need/hazard of the targeted end user.”
“Since its release in 2023, another core material we offer is Kevlar EXO, the most significant aramid fiber innovation in the past 50 years. The material was developed over the course of a decade and has endless applications where performance and protection are required under intense conditions, such as with bullet resistant vests.”
“Kevlar EXO is 30-40% stronger than legacy Kevlar with less weight, which means that manufacturers can use less material in products without sacrificing any protection. This also means that soft body armor and vests are also more flexible and comfortable, allowing for improved real-world performance.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? LaGanke acknowledged:
“Within the Life Protection segment, a challenge has been to quantify the comfort improvement provided by woven fabric structures. Weight and ballistic performance are easy to measure, however, comfort is more subjective. Weight and fit are elements of comfort, but there haven’t been any test methods to measure flexibility and conformability of soft body armor. With more females entering into military and law enforcement professions, this becomes even more important. That’s why we worked with the Hohenstein Institute to take wear trial feedback and design test methods to measure material flexibility and predict the outcome of a future wear trial. This will help the entire market (customers and competitors) design materials and armor which is more comfortable and conformable with the ultimate goal of improving the performance of the military or law enforcement personnel wearing the armor.”
“Even now, we are still discovering new ways Kevlar EXO and our other materials can be used, thanks to our open and flexible mindset.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of your department’s most significant milestones? LaGanke cited:
“The most significant milestone in recent years has been the adoption of Kevlar EXO into soft body armor and bullet resistant vests since its release. Through a partnership with Point Blank Enterprises, Kevlar EXO is now available for North America State and Local Law Enforcement departments.”
“With the new body armor crafted by Point Blank using Kevlar EXO, law enforcement officers can experience previously unavailable levels of ballistic protection without compromising on mobility and comfort, providing a more body-inclusive solution.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking LaGanke about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“When it comes to diversifying the use cases of Kevlar EXO, DuPont has also partnered with Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL) to launch new fuel bladders for Formula One cars. Kevlar EXO significantly enhances performance by providing superior resistance to impact and abrasion. This improvement in strength allows for the development of lighter and highly reliable fuel bladder systems, which meet stringent FIA requirements while reducing the overall weight of the car by more than 20%.”
“DuPont and ATL are also working to expand these fuel bladders to other racing industries and recently launched fuel bladders for Word Rally Championship cars in an effort to bring long-term innovation to the sport.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates your department from its competition? LaGanke affirmed:
“Producing more flexible and durable armor material is even more crucial now that the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has released its NIJ 0101.07 (NIJ 07) body armor evaluation standard where there is an expectation for better clay shaping tests to address the contours of different body shapes for better protection and fit.”
“If body armor doesn’t fit properly and does not allow for officer mobility, it can become dangerous. Body armor is intended to stop specific threats, like handgun rounds, but if bullet resistant vests don’t properly fit the user’s unique body shape, public safety officers won’t regularly wear the protective equipment.”
“By partnering with Hohenstein, we’ve also created a comfort test with real-world user situations and body movements to address discomfort levels and mobility restraints. When a user is comfortable in a bullet resistant vest, he or she has full range of motion without the risk of chafing, muscle strain, pressure points, slower reaction times or even insufficient ballistic protection. Discomfort, even if the body armor is more lightweight than previous options, can also lead to distractions or even inconsistent usage.”
“While there have been great strides made to improve the weight and flexibility of bullet resistant vests and soft body armor, DuPont is focused on overall comfort as well. The effectiveness of body armor goes beyond being lightweight and providing ballistic protection – it must also be performance tested. By prioritizing this aspect in body armor development, law enforcement and security personnel can more effectively and safely perform their day-to-day operations. “
Future Goals
What are some of your department’s future goals? LaGanke emphasized:
“Our future goal with Kevlar EXO is to continue our diversification efforts and unlock even more applications for the fiber. We are looking ahead to different sporting industries and protective materials to expand the use cases of Kevlar EXO and continue to deliver the unmatched capabilities to a wider customer base.”
“This year we are also working to bring Kevlar EXO to protective helmets for the defense industry and expand the fabric’s capabilities with bullet resistant vests to additional gear.”
Additional Thoughts
Any other topics you would like to discuss? LaGanke concluded:
“Kevlar EXO also supports DuPont’s sustainability goals. Its production process avoids harmful substances, uses less material for equivalent protection, recycles remnants and repurposes material from expired bullet resistant vests. Since Kevlar EXO requires less materials, this ultimately leads to less end-of-life materials to recycle or repurpose and less process remnants to dispose of.”
“No resin chemistry is required for the fabric, which is better for the environment and recyclability. When it comes to defense applications, Kevlar EXO is not based on fluorine chemistry in the manufacturing process nor is it used for water repellency.”
“Our commitment to minimizing our footprint includes the recycling, repurpose and reuse of remnants from manufacturing and the end-of-life process for bullet resistant vests. These materials are collected, disassembled and repurposed to create value through new applications such as staple fibers, spun yarn and felt and other textile and industrial applications. We have companies we work with across nearly all regions to support our customers in this effort. By thinking about the end of life process, we’re making Kevlar EXO and DuPont more environmentally friendly.”
