Dow Corning is sponsoring U.S. Speed Skater Ryan Bedford, who recently clinched a spot on the U.S. Olympic men's team. The sponsorship of Bedford began in September 2009, and helps the athlete pay for expenses related to travel, training and equipment.
As part of the sponsorship, the Midland, Mich.-native wears workout apparel printed with Dow CorningSilicone Textile Printing Inks, allowing the company to test and showcase the performance of its products through the rigors associated with a world-class athlete.
"The Dow Corning textiles team is continuing to develop new innovations and partnering with athletes like Ryan to allow us to get feedback from the athlete's perspective and helps guide future development," said Charlie Zimmer, Dow Corning Global Textiles Strategic Marketer. "It has been a great relationship, and he works closely with our technical team to provide feedback."
Dow CorningSilicone Textile Printing Inks used in the screen printing of Bedford's workout apparel provide environmental benefits and allow printing even on the most challenging high-performance fabrics. Dow Corning developed a breakthrough technology for screen printing inks that allow manufacturers to print on a wide range of garments. These new silicone-based inks offer durability, a non-tacky finish, superior color fastness, and high elongation on elastic fabrics.
Bedford credits the Great Lakes Bay Region community for providing support necessary for him to compete at the highest level. He began skating at the Midland Speed Skating Club in Midland at age five; following in the footsteps of his mother, who also frequented the arena during the 1960s and 1970s. Now, at the age of 23, the athlete was recently named U.S. Olympian, and has earned other recognitions, including National Junior Champion, North American Champion, and World Team Champion.
"I have always set attainable goals, but not everyone knows what it takes to reach them," Bedford said. "It is nice to have support from my hometown. Dow Corning really understands what hard work and dedication goes into getting to this next step."