Ascend hosts Rep. Joe Wilson during district stop in Aiken

August 21, 2020

Representative Wilson briefed on company’s groundbreaking antimicrobial technology Acteev Protect™

Ascend Performance Materials had the opportunity to welcome Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) during a district bus tour recently in Aiken, S.C., to provide a briefing about the company’s new Acteev™ antimicrobial technology, currently in use in non-woven and fabric masks and textile applications. The technology can be used in numerous applications, including textiles, and provides a first line of defense against microbes and other pathogens.

“American innovation, like Acteev, will help us fight this pandemic, reopen schools and businesses, and restart the economy,” said Representative Wilson. “Over the course of our bus tour of the district, I met with organizations and businesses that are making a difference during these unprecedented times. It’s clear that South Carolina has the tools to help lead our nation out of this.”  

Ascend’s Acteev technology combines antimicrobial zinc ions with polyamide-based woven, nonwoven and knit fabrics. The active zinc ions are embedded into the polymer matrix, providing a long-lasting solution that does not wash away, unlike topical finishes or coatings. The polyamide fabrics are durable yet soft to the skin and keep out unwanted particles.

“We appreciate the support and dedication Congressman Wilson put into meeting with Ascend and particularly, the hard work he does on behalf of South Carolinians,” said Phil McDivitt, Ascend’s president and CEO. “We have a long history of creating products that make cars and appliances safer, like the airbag fibers produced in our South Carolina plant. Our Acteev technology carries that history forward.”

Recent testing completed at the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that Acteev technology deactivates the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, instantly, upon contact with 99.9% efficacy.

Acteev Protect™ masks are currently being sold through independent partners globally; Ascend is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies to obtain the appropriate regulatory protocols to make specific claims regarding the technology’s antiviral properties.

For more information, to request a sample or to see performance data, please visit ascendmaterials.com/acteevprotect.