Australian company to showcase ground-breaking rubber product in USA

An Australian company is set to present to the world’s two biggest military shows in the USA after successful testing with the US Army and Australian Army for its ground-breaking, fire-retardant rubber product.

Sydney-based TCRT Systems will showcase its world-first Linagard® Ballistics Fire Retardant (FR)TM rubber at the AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Exposition in Washington in October, and the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) Shot Show in Las Vegas in January.

The product, which is manufactured for TCRT Systems by Weir Minerals, one of the foremost manufacturers of rubber in the world, has already been identified as revolutionary for shooting ranges and military services worldwide.

TCRT Systems Chief Technical Officer Clive Blair said the highly-technical rubber has undergone successful trials with both the United States Army and the Australian Army.

“As a specialist company in developing products for both military and industrial use, we’ve worked with Weir Minerals to create a rubber that we think is revolutionary for military and industrial use,” said Mr Blair.

“In addition to being fire retardant, it’s also non-toxic, and UV and ozone stable, making it ideal for outdoor applications, particularly environmentally sensitive ones.

“There really is nothing else like it anywhere in the world. We’re proud to be invited to the United States to showcase the rubber, and reinforce how Australia can lead the way globally in technological development.”

Linagard Ballistics FR rubber’s exciting and unique properties include:

• fire retardant (UL94 V0 and HB certified)

• capable of stretching 833 per cent its length

• contains NO toxic halogen

• has a International Rubber Hardness Degree (IRHD) of 42

• UV and ozone stable making it suitable for indoor and outdoor use

• highly wear and cut resistant

• oil and chemical resistant

• successfully shot with incendiary and tracer rounds.

Linagard Ballistics FR rubber was initially intended to be used as shooting range curtains and wall linings to reduce the number of incidents where shooting ranges and shoot houses have caught alight and suffered catastrophic fire damage.

Mr Blair said a key accelerant in the shooting range fires has been the rubber used in each of these environments.

“Progressively, the military and shooting ranges are demanding that any rubber used in such environments must demonstrate flame retardant characteristics,” said Mr Blair.

“As a specialist company in developing products for both military and industrial use, we’ve worked with Weir Minerals to create a rubber that we think will be revolutionary for military use.”

The rubber has undergone successful testing with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, including the use of tracer and incendiary rounds.

TCRT Systems also worked with the assistance of BAM International Program Manager Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Patrick Maloney as the product developed.

“Both the US Army and Australian Army see the rubber as being innovative, with multiple applications both as a stand-alone product and incorporated into other designs,” added Mr Blair.

For example, the US Army is utilising Linagard Ballistics FR rubber on the XM Spartan, a two-person, lightweight, highly-mobile, tracked vehicle developed by BAM and Tie Down Engineering.

“From the outset, it was obvious that this rubber and its unique properties was going to be a game changer,” said LTC (Ret.) Maloney.

“Its unique characteristics have expanded our perceptions of rubber, so much so that we are now adjusting our physical designs to incorporate the rubber within the Spartan."

The product has also been identified as revolutionary for industrial protective matting (welding, grinding and plasma cutting), fire protection barriers, and many other possible applications.

For more information, visit www.tcrtsystems.com