Zirconium hydrocarbyl catalysts react with nylon and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers to produce a supported species which may be used to polymerize a sheath of polyethylene around the fiber. Very high catalyst activities have been achieved over very short reaction periods on PET spinning threadlines. It is also possible to use these reagents to produce strongly adhered oxide and sulfide surface coatings. Infrared evidence is given for a mechanism in the case of reaction between catalyst and PET.