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Stronger Together: Oranienburg and Waterford as One Team

ORAFOL ensures that people working on construction sites, roads or in emergency services are clearly visible – with reflective materials that meet the highest standards. The Waterford site plays a key role as part of ORAFOL’s global network for the development and production of reflective solutions. 

UNDER THE ORALITE® BRAND, ENGINEERED TO SAVE LIVES, ORAFOL OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF REFLECTIVE MATERIALS FOR PERSONAL SAFETY.

The team in Ireland specializes in reflective products for personal safety, contributing expertise and decades of experience to ORAFOL Reflective Solutions’ international value chain.

Waterford, a coastal town and Ireland’s oldest city, is said to be “sun-kissed” – despite more than 150 rainy days a year. A contradiction at first glance, and yet one that mirrors the success of ORAFOL’s local site. When ORAFOL acquired the U.S. company Reflexite in 2011, the small Waterford site became part of the ORAFOL Group – bringing with it valuable know-how in microprismatic film technology. Since then, the Irish team has worked closely with the company headquarters in Oranienburg.

SAFETY MARKING TAPE ORALITE® VC104+ FLEX GRADE SEGMENTED IMAGINE FEATURING THE CUSTOMER LOGO OF THE LOGISTICS COMPANY “KRONE.”

The focus in Waterford lies on ORALITE® materials for personal protection. These retroreflective tapes meet stringent requirements: in addition to outstanding reflectivity for maximum safety, they also offer high wash durability, temperature resistance, long service life, and flame retardancy.

Erfahre mehr über Personal Safety
ORAFOL manufactures at 14 locations worldwide – in Europe, the USA, and Asia.

The combination of technical expertise, decades of experience, and strong personal commitment makes the collaboration between headquarters and its Irish subsidiary a powerful alliance for a demanding market. From Waterford, ORALITE® products are shipped to more than 50 countries – always in full alignment with ORAFOL’s high quality standards and the strategic development goals of the Reflective Solutions Division.

A Perfect Match: Reflective Core Technologies for Personal Safety

Glass Bead Technology for Personal Safety

ORAFOL’s glass bead-based technology relies on micro glass beads that reflect incident light from multiple angles. The result is reliable reflectivity suitable for a wide range of textile applications. This technology stands out for its flexibility and versatility, offering a solution that combines easy processing, long-lasting appearance, and consistently high reflection performance.

Microprismatic Technology for Personal Safety

In the field of prismatic technology, ORAFOL differentiates between two constructions optimized for specific use conditions: 
Prismatic Air-Backed Construction: Microprisms are backed by an air layer. This design delivers exceptionally high retroreflection values, superior durability, and reliable performance even under wet or challenging conditions.

Prismatic Metallised Construction: Based on metallised microprismatic film, this version ensures outstanding retroreflection with excellent flexibility. It provides exceptional visibility day and night, low weight, and minimal thickness – while maintaining consistent performance even in humid or variable environments.

DR. SYLVIA LUCHT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT EMEAI AND REFLECTIVE SOLUTIONS.

Experience that Connects

As a scientist with a background in research and development of reflective solutions, Dr. Sylvia Lucht knows the technical side of the business first-hand – expertise that shapes her close collaboration with the Waterford team.

“I see myself as a link between sales, development, production, and our global sites – ensuring that everyone gets the support they need to make our products successful,” she explains.

IN USE: THE PRISM-BASED REFLECTIVE TAPE ORALITE® GP 340 HIGHLIGHT FOR INCREASED VISIBILITY.

Both teams benefit from new impulses driving the joint development of the reflective product portfolio.

“Through the acquisition of Reflexite Corporation, including the Waterford site, ORAFOL achieved the perfect technological complement,” says Dr. Sylvia Lucht. “Our highly specialized, technologically advanced products in the personal protection sector must perform reliably under extreme conditions and comply with international norms and testing standards. Our team in Ireland brings exactly this expertise – knowledge that previously did not exist in Oranienburg.”

Connecting Points for Global Success

John Crotty, Senior Applications Engineer, serves as a key contact for Dr. Lucht, the Oranienburg team, and ORAFOL’s global subsidiaries.

“At trade fairs and in customer meetings, John doesn’t just sell products – he conveys their potential, with technical depth and contagious enthusiasm. He opens doors,” says Dr. Sylvia Lucht.

John Crotty

SENIOR APPLICATIONS ENGINEER, HAS BEEN WITH ORAFOL FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

PICTURED LEFT: WILL O‘REILLY, GLOBAL CORPORATE MANAGER, TOGETHER WITH THE WATERFORD MANAGEMENT TEAM.

Will O’Reilly, Global Corporate Manager, joined Reflexite in Waterford back in 2008. Following the acquisition by ORAFOL, he took on various management roles and is known as the team’s troubleshooter: “Whether it’s finance, IT, or HR – I make sure that our processes run smoothly. It may sound unspectacular, but it’s crucial for our global teams to operate successfully,” he explains.
Dr. Lucht sums up the success formula behind the collaboration across the Atlantic and Brandenburg: “Our cooperation is built on clearly defined roles, mutual trust, and a shared passion for reflective products.”

The Irish Spirit of Internationality – Shared by ORAFOL.

O’Reilly adds: “We Irish are used to working with international companies. This understanding of different cultures – and the flexibility that comes with it – is deeply rooted in ORAFOL’s DNA. Hardly a year goes by without us opening a new site somewhere in the world.”

Read more in the ORAFOL magazine

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