Since its foundation, the Authorities of the Company endeavoured to assure the inflow of new technologies used in textile industry. This is confirmed by the fact that every year, the net profit obtained throughout the fiscal year is appropriated to increase the equity used for business development financing. State-of-the-art testing equipment purchased in 2006 largely extends the possibilities of proposing new technical solutions in order to enhance these parameters.

Currently, we are able to carry out the following testing:
Testing completed in IMP Comfort laboratory

• Polyester viscosity according to ISO 1628-5:1998
• Specification of fibre weight per meter
• Determination of preparation
• Determination of preparation strength
• Specification of fibre length
• Crimp testing
• Specification of breaking force and breaking elongation for single fibres (using Lenzing devices).
• Humidity
• Tensile strength testing using wide samples
• Specification of water permeability crosswise to the product surface, without load
• Static pierce testing (CBR method)
• Specification of dynamic pierce strength (falling cone method)
• Specification of air permeability of textile products
• Specification of thickness at specific pressure – Part 1: Single layers
• Testing method for determination surface weight of geotextiles and derivate products
• Specification of the typical pore size
• Tear strength testing
• Determination of melting point for loose substances
• Determination of non-woven burning speed

At the same time, the Company pursues an active research and development policy, participating in research projects, cooperating with national and European research centres. Our major research projects include:

- Research, implementation and investment works completed in 2006 in the framework of goal-oriented project of: “Launching the production of polyolefine textiles from PP/PE waste material” carried out together by IMP Comfort and Institute of Chemical Fibres in £ód¼. The project was aimed at designing and implementing the technology of textile production based on waste material. The project was approved by the Ministry of Science and Information Technology Development which in 2004 granted funds for its implementation. During 2006, ICF laboratories designed the technology of producing PP fibre based on PP waste material, prepared a sample batch of such fibre which was subsequently used successfully for production of textile products in IMP Comfort plant. Then, on the basis of the technology, a batch of such fibre was produced on staple fibre manufacturing line in the Company plant to confirm the possibility of implementing the scientifically researched technology in practice. This successfully concluded the completion of the project.

- Currently, IMP Comfort Sp. z o.o. is participating in integrated project called "Multifunctional barrier for flexible structure (textile, leather and paper), - FLEXIFUNBAR" completed under the Sixth European Union Framework Programme. This project is aimed at initiating the development of new generation of flexible structures which are able to provide a barrier against a wide scope of environment aspects.
One of the specific features of flexible structures is that, thanks to easy adaptability of their properties, they can be designed for specific functions: Human protection, enhancing filtration, insulation, bonding and packaging. Among all these functions, the most generic one offered by flexible structures is their barrier function. The barrier effect is featured in a wide selection of applications, such as: fire inhibition of noise suppression and thermal insulation, protection against flood, electromagnetic phenomena, explosion, biological factors, fluids or odours. It touches upon a number of aspects of an European citizen: transportation, personal and property protection, well-being, health, security, buildings, dwellings and working conditions.

After many years of research and testing, the endeavours of IMP Group were successful. Thanks to a grant of EkoFundusz Foundation, we were able to accomplish our technological vision. In 2006, IMP Group – through its companies operating in Poland: IMP Comfort and IMP Polowat – closed the non-woven manufacture cycle. From waste PET bottles processed into polyester flakes in IMP Polowat, up to non-wovens obtained based on polyester fibre from polyester flakes.

In a year, the Company uses approximately 9 000 tons of PET flakes obtained from about 200 million waste bottles, for which the only alternative would be a dumping ground.
Launching a production based on waste material required many years of research and gathered experience. At present we have developed our own solutions in the area of manufacturing polyester flakes and fibre based on the flakes. This enables a full control over the quality of end product – polyester non-wovens – whose specifications are not inferior to the specifications of products based on the fibre obtained using conventional methods.

In order to control the closed production cycle, IMP COMFORT established, documented, implemented and maintains Quality management System, whose efficiency continuously improved in line with ISO 9001:2000 standard requirements.

These activities include all processes and activities related to manufacture and sale of the fibre, non-wovens and non-woven geotextiles.

In our organization, we have:

1. Identified the processes required by the Quality Management System and the scope of their application;
2. Defined the interactions among the processes;
3. Presented the processes identified in the organization, their structure and interrelations. The processes, their inputs, outputs and interrelations within the organization are documented in the PROCEDURES and PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAMS, which are listed and referenced to the appropriate clauses of ISO 9001:2000 and presented in this Quality Manual.
4. Defined the criteria and methods required to assure an efficient routine and control of the processes specified in Procedures and Process Flow Charts as well as in related and properly referenced documents;
5. Assured the availability of resources and information necessary for supporting the processes and their monitoring;
6. The processes are monitored, the measurements of specified process parameters are performed and processes are analysed to obtain the data for the improvement of processes, quality management system and products.
7. Necessary activities aimed at planned results and continuous improvement are implemented.

Management of identified processes is completed as described in the Quality Manual, which reflects the full scope of ISO 9001:2000 standard requirements.