By Liz White, UT contributing editorBellevue, Washington-Coattec Industries Inc. plans to enter the US roofing foil and house-wrap market in early 2005, using know-how obtained through a recently signed license agreement with European Environmental Technology Corp. (EETC) Ltd. According to Coattec, the North American market for Coattec's Difflex-brand products is estimated at over a billion dollars-and is currently dominated by Dupont's Tyvek brand. Coattec claims that its product, based on a coated polypropylene textile foil, "has better properties in regard to tear and noise, both very important factors in the building industry." Difflex technology also has "a significant antibacterial component;" Coattec said. This results, in humid air, in a Ph value on the foil surface of 12 to 14. Because of these benefits, Coattec is confident the products will sell well on the US market. In addition to its housing use, Coattec coatings have many consumer and industrial applications. Coattec has an exclusive license to manufacture and market EETC's products in North America. EETC has various proprietary formulas for polyurethane- and polyacrylate-based coatings in an environmentally safe and friendly manner, said the firm."
