Yulex

{{Short description|Arizona agricultural products company}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}

{{Infobox company

|name = Yulex Corporation

|logo = YULEX Primary Logo Positive Version.jpg

|type = Private Corporation

|industry = Rubber

|foundation = {{Start date|2000}}

|founder = Daniel R. Swiger, Jeffery A. Martin

|location_city = Chandler, Arizona

|location_country = U.S.

|area_served = Worldwide

|key_people = Jeffrey A. Martin
(Director, President and CEO)

Stephen James Mitchell

(Chief Technology & Operations Officer)

|products = Biorubber Emulsions, Biorubber Solids, Biomass

|homepage = {{URL|http://www.yulex.com/|www.yulex.com}}

}}

Yulex Corporation makes products from Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) a residual agricultural material.{{cite news |title=Green Matter: Another rubber revolution in the making?|first=Karen|last=Laird|url=http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/green-matter-another-rubber-revolution-making-021120131 |newspaper=Plastics Today |date=11 February 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013}}

History

In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Yulex biorubber gloves for medical uses. Yulex is the first company to produce biobased, medical-grade latex that is safe for people with latex allergy.{{cite journal |last1=Palmer |first1=Craig | title='FDA Approves Glove Made from New Form of Natural Latex | journal=The Journal of the American Dental Association | volume=139 | issue=6 | year=2008 | url=http://jada.ada.org/content/139/6/679.1.full }}

In 2012, Yulex received a $6.9 million USDA-DoE grant as part of a research consortium. Partnering with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cooper Tire, Yulex will research enhanced manufacturing processes, testing and utilization of guayule natural rubber as a strategic source of raw material in tires, and evaluate the remaining biomass of the guayule plant as a source of bio-fuel for the transportation industry, as well work on improving agronomic practices, developing genetic information and undertaking a lifecycle analysis.{{cite web |url=http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20130313/NEWS/130319974/cooper-partners-review-progress-in-guayule-program |title=Cooper, partners review progress in guayule program |access-date=21 May 2013}}

Also in 2012, Yulex released the first alternative to the traditional neoprene wetsuit in partnership with Patagonia,{{cite news |title=Surfwear company markets organic wetsuits made of rubber from Arizona shrub |first=Steve |last=Shadley |url=http://www.kjzz.org/content/1303/surfwear-company-markets-organic-wetsuits-made-rubber-arizona-shrub |newspaper=KJZZ |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013}} the first guayule-based mattresses and pillows in partnership with Pure LatexBliss,{{cite news |title=Power of pillows |first=Gary |last=James |url=http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2013/01/power-of-pillows/ |newspaper=BedTimes |date=January 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013}} and the first plant-based, latex allergy-friendly dental dam in partnership with 4D Rubber.{{cite news |title=Dental dam to use Yulex guayule |url=http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20121214/NEWS/121219975/dental-dam-to-use-yulex-guayule |newspaper=RubberNews.com |date=14 December 2012 |access-date=21 May 2013}}

In 2013, Yulex formed a partnership with ENI's Versalis to expand the reach of guayule into European markets.{{cite news |title=Yulex, Versalis join forces to expand reach of guayule |first=Miles |last=Moore |url=http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20130222/DIGITAL/130229987#p=4 |newspaper=RubberNews.com |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}