The 80 production workers at the Weihenstephan, Bavaria, site produce around 50 million bottles and 320,000 barrels of beer annually and spend their time working in a challenging environment. Temperatures in the brewing process range from 7°C in the cold and humid ageing cellar through to normal room temperature and then the high humidity of the bottling area and the dry heat of the boiling house where temperatures can reach 40°C. Safety footwear in the brewing industry demands: climate comfort, protection from the liquid chemicals involved in the brewing process such as diesel, sulphuric acid and caustic soda, and toe cap protection against the impact of a 63kg barrel of beer.  

Workers had previously been wearing EN ISO 20345 compliant footwear however they varied in their ability to be both waterproof and climatically comfortable. After extended worker trials and feedback, HAIX in collaboration with Gore, produced a new footwear solution which was fit-for-purpose.

Workers were able to choose between four different highly breathable and protective styles: a low cut shoe or an ankle-high work boot in with either a black leather or a fabric upper. Each style option offered durable waterproofness while simultaneously offering protection against penetration by certain commonly occurring chemicals, including diesel, AFFF fire-fighting foam (3%), sulphuric acid (37%) and caustic soda (30%) in accordance with ISO 13994/ ASTM F 903, method C1.

Safety footwear engineered with GORE-TEX Extended Comfort Laminate is well suited to coping with the harsh realities encountered during industrial production processes. It is extremely breathable, waterproof and at the same time resistant to liquid chemical penetration.

Membrane 

At the heart of GORE-TEX Extended Comfort Laminate is a membrane made from Expanded PTFE (ePTFE). This membrane has a hydrophobic or water-hating feature as well as an oleophobic or oil-hating substance integrated into it. This allows moisture vapour to pass through the membrane at a high rate, while at the same time acting as a physical barrier to elements such as oils or cosmetics which could affect the waterproof performance of the fabric.

Water cannot penetrate the membrane because it is made up of millions of micropores which are too small to allow a water droplet to pass through. However, the microporous structure helps the foot’s natural cooling process by allowing perspiration to easily escape from the inside to the outside out of the membrane. This makes the fabric breathable and, as a result, the wearer stays dry and comfortable. Because the laminate is made from a non-insulated construction, feet remain at comfortable temperature and won’t over heat. 

All these wearer benefits are essential for production worker’s feet which need to remain dry despite the permanently wet conditions and frequent contact with liquids and not overly hot, particularly during purification and bottling processes. 

Commenting on his new HAIX GORE-TEX Safety Footwear, machinist Gerd Abstreiter at the Weihenstephan brewery said: “The wear comfort is extremely high.”