Safety boot for extreme cold weather conditions - awarded with the innovation prize / ultra-light safety boots for conditions of extreme cold

Innovation Prize for Heckel
At the EXPO PROTECTION 2010 Exhibition, the second largest exhibition for personal protective equipment (PPE) in Europe, Heckel was awarded an Innovation Trophy for its MACPOLAR EXTREM design, a safety boot for extreme cold weather conditions.

Among the 350 new products on display at the show and over 70 competing products, the jury, which was made up of experts, journalists, users and designers, awarded Heckel 2nd place in the “Health and safety at work” category.
The outstanding innovation of this safety boot is that its design is ultra-light and flexible, while ensuring thermal insulation in conditions of extreme cold (up to -50˚C). A pair of size 42 MACPOLAR EXTREM safety boots weighs around 1.5 kg less than designs by its major competitors on the extreme cold weather wear market. This saving in weight means that less energy is expended while moving around and so the body has more energy reserves to fight the cold. Members of the jury were able to try out the product and were particularly impressed by its exceptional comfort.

A key process in the development of the MACPOLAR EXTREM was the perfection of a thermal insulation system which was high performing, but not bulky, so as to achieve a lightweight and flexible product. Here Heckel worked in partnership with the company Carpenter, to design an insulation material using the nanotechnology Aspen-Aerogels ™, which was integrated into the product. This insulation material, which is used by NASA, is composed of 98% air and possesses the lowest thermal conductivity in the world.

The MACPOLAR EXTREM design also comprises the MACsole® rubber sole technology which, thanks to its unique blend of materials and optimum contour, guarantees exceptional adhesion and a high degree of shock absorption, even in extreme cold weather conditions.

The product was initially developed for the Russian market, where for over fifteen years Heckel has enjoyed a position as market leader for safety footwear. In Siberia, the product is used for applications in oil and gas extraction and in the mining industry.

The MACPOLAR EXTREM design has, in addition, attracted numerous commercial contacts in different sectors of activity, ranging from equipment for technical personnel at ski resorts to its use in frozen food warehouses.
This year Heckel celebrates its 40th anniversary and the Innovation Trophy is a tremendous reward for all the work accomplished over more than two years by the Heckel safety footwear division of the uvex safety group. It is testimony to the know-how of this Alsace-based company in the development of solutions for extreme weather conditions and extreme applications.

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