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Maxim Lighting's revolutionary outdoor lighting material, Vivex, is far superior to the polyurethane resin material used in most outdoor lighting. Vivex is not a resin. It is a unique synthetic composition of ground marble powder for strength and latex composite for durability, bonded together with an ATP adhesive. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is an adhesive that has been tested to temperatures that exceed 130°F and as low as -20°F. This material is expected to withstand even greater temperatures, and is both fire retardant and biodegradable.
Unlike resin, which is cast into inexpensive plaster molds, Vivex is injected under pressure into steel molds which produces a very hard and dense component. Another added benefit to injection molding is the quality and detail of the part. The parts come out of the mold with very crisp lines and intricate detail, not formerly obtainable from resin casting. This metal tooling was a major investment on behalf of Maxim Lighting, with the total costs for research, development, and tooling exceeding $2,000,000.
Vivex has over twice the strength of resin. This means you can expect fewer problems with damage during shipment, and the chance of damage during installation much less likely. The additional strength allows the material to be used for creating all parts of the fixture.
Yet another downside of polyurethane resin is that in its hardened form, it has a very low PH. This acidic nature must be dealt with prior to finishing, or paint will not adhere to it. To stabilize the PH, resin parts must go through a multi-step neutralizing process, otherwise a chemical reaction will occur between the surface of the part and the paint. There is also a cure time that could exceed several months.
Vivex has a neutral PH of 6.5 and requires no neutralizing process prior to finishing. To maintain the integrity of Vivex, Maxim has taken over the entire production process at the factory where Vivex is produced. Maxim's employees monitor every step to make sure this product is manufactured to the strict production standards developed for Vivex.
To further the durability of Vivex, Maxim developed a special paint finishing process for superior adhesion. This finish was tested by SGS laboratories for 300 hours of UV exposure, which is the equivalent to over 3 years. The paint received the highest grade for UV deterioration and surface hardness, earning a perfect 5 out of 5.
Due to this testing, Maxim is confident enough to offer a 3 year warranty on all Vivex products.
In celebration of this new material, Maxim Lighting is introducing nine new outdoor collections manufactured with Vivex, as well as re-introducing eleven existing collections, providing Vivex styles for customers to choose from.
Vivex is a trademark of Maxim Lighting International. |
"I absolutely love this light!! I ordered this for my cosmetic studio and it looks wonderful. It looks elegant but has a touch of contempory. I can't even begin to tell you how many people have commented about how beautiful it is. The shipment was quick and in perfect condition. "
— D. from Searcy, AR
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