Kolon commercializes fiber used in oil exploration

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- Kolon Industries Inc., South Korea's top maker of
synthetic fibers, said Thursday it has succeeded in commercializing a polyester
fiber used to make ropes for marine use.
Ropes made from the "Akilen Marine" fiber, which weigh an eighth of steel wire
ropes, are used to anchor oil prospecting ships in waters over 1 kilometer deep.
The fiber is built to resist the strong currents of deep-sea waters, while
remaining flexible and easy to handle, the company said.
Since Kolon started developing the product in 2007, the company has agreed to
supply six foreign firms with the product. The polyester yarn has also been
certified by the American Bureau of Shipping, a classification society for
marine-related facilities.
Kolon is the third company to compete in the global market for special marine
fibers, currently controlled by Performance Fibers Inc. of the United States and
Turkey's Kordsa Global.
ecuedy@yna.co.kr
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