Phase change materials (PCM) developer and marketer Outlast Technologies has been acquired by Golden Equity Investments, (GEI), a Colorado private equity firm that invests in operating businesses.

Outlast Technologies LLC, a privately held U.S. corporation, is a leader in phase change materials and applications. The company's Outlast technology is a heat management technology originally developed for NASA that enables textile materials to absorb, store and release heat. The technology pro-actively responds to changes in skin temperature to manage heat and reduce moisture for comfort.

Outlast is used in a range of next to skin knitted fabrics for base layers and performance underwear. Waxman Fibres Ltd of West Yorkshire, UK, recently developed a range of innovative flame retardant (FR) circular knitted fabrics where FR Protex modacrylic fibre is blended with Outlast viscose fibre, to bring new levels of comfort to FR workwear.

In January last year Outlast named Far Eastern New Century Corporation as the primary partner involved in its new Outlast polyester fibre development. Outlast polyester, the company's most recent R&D innovation,aimed at sportswear markets is the first-ever heat management polyester fibre. Up until then Outlast's phase change materials had been available in textile fibres such as viscose and acrylic but not polyester.  

"The acquisition will enhance an already robust supply chain allowing Outlast to maintain its position as an industry leader in phase change technology, benefitting Outlast's customers and partners worldwide," Outlast said in a statement today.

The US headquartered company said that customers and partners can expect to receive the same levels of service and quality products to which they have become accustomed.

"The Outlast workforce and leadership teams will remain in place and all of Outlast's sales, distribution and licensing operations worldwide will continue with business as usual," the company added.

Outlast operations in North America, Europe and Asia will remain unchanged. The company will keep the Outlast name, but as part of the transaction, Outlast Technologies will be converting to an LLC to fit GEI's structural requirements.

Outlast is used in a range of next to skin knitted fabrics for base layers and performance underwear. Last year Waxman Fibres Ltd of West Yorkshire, UK, developed a range of innovative flame retardant (FR) circular knitted fabrics where FR Protex modacrylic fibre is blended with Outlast viscose fibre, to bring new levels of comfort to FR workwear.

In January last year Outlast named Far Eastern New Century Corporation as the primary partner involved in its new Outlast polyester fibre development. Outlast polyester, the company's most recent R&D innovation, is the first-ever heat management polyester fibre. Up until then Outlast's phase change materials had been available in textile fibres such as viscose and acrylic but not polyester.

For over 20 years, Outlast has been committed to the development of new fibres, fabrics and coatings incorporating phase change materials, and claims to have expanded the use of the technology across more than 200 brands and a multitude of products in apparel, footwear, bedding, packaging and labels, and accessories.

Golden Equity Investments (GEI) is a private equity firm based in Golden, Colorado/USA that seeks to make control investments in growing companies across a variety of consumer and industrial markets.