Transportation

Net profit second quarter well over € 13 million. In advance of the publication of the half-year figures on Wednesday 26 August 2009 and on the basis of provisional results, it is announced that net profit for the second quarter fell back by approximately 26% compared with the second quarter of 2008. With a stringent cost reduction policy and a tight liquidity management, as of 30 June 2009 TenCate remained well within the covenants agreed with the banks. The debt / EBITDA ratio improved compared to the previous quarter to approximately 2.5 (covenant 3.0). Read more.

In many areas of the world, and especially in India and southeast Asia, coir geotextiles are being adapted for erosion control and low-intensity separation applications. The principles behind the use for soil stability and revegetation are the same as with standard geosynthetic geotextiles and erosion control blankets, though coir cannot survive long-term, higher impact installations. But the knowledge gained in wider coir use may open the door to geosynthetic use in growing infrastructures and economies. One example of where this is being explored is in the Indian state of Kerala, where officials are pushing to revive its coir industry with significant erosion control use. Learn more here.;

Many Civil Engineers wish to use natural vegetation as a means of erosion protection. To enable engineers to do so while also offering reliable protection in the vulnerable period when vegetation is still developing, Colbond has introduced a new product: Enkamat J. Enkamat J combines for the first time a standard polyamide Enkamat with a biodegradable fabric stitched to it.

The early registration deadline for GeoHalifax 2009 is 17 July 2009. Full conference registration includes membership in either the Canadian Geosynthetics Society (CGS) or the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) - Canada National Chapter (CNC). Take advantage of the preferential pricing and membership offer. Conference fees increase $100 after 17 July. Secure registration for this 20-24 September 2009 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) event is available online. Learn more here.;

EcoInform has announced dates for the 7th Cooperation for Waste Issues forum. It will be held 7-8 April 2010 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Papers are being solicited through 1 December 2009. Key topics sought include environmental issues of waste management, new technologies, landfill construction and operation, sludge management, waste to energy, and more. Learn more at the conference website. Learn more here.;

The Quality Data Oversight and Review (QDOR™) program has launched a new website: www.qdor.org. There you will be able to find everything you need to use the QDOR program. The website includes items for the specifier, government regulator and the manufacturer of rolled erosion control products. The website offers the QDOR Guidance Manual, suggestions for how to incorporate QDOR into specifications and a list of frequently asked questions about the program.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is looking for innovative and enthusiastic members that have the vision to help lead IECA to new levels of success. Please consider running for the IECA Board of Directors. If you are interested in serving and have questions, please contact Executive Director Russ Adsit by email at russ@ieca.org. Learn more here.;

IndustrialCOOP.com, a division of the Industrial Leaders Group announced today the release of its new marketplace of canvas fabrics and other textiles for the industrial marketplace. The company reported the site was created to provide direct and indirect offerings for an array of wools, yarn, cotton, polyester, burlap, nylon cloth, cotton twills and other textiles for industrial applications.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has experienced dramatic membership growth since the kick-off in February at the Geosynthetics 2009 event. The next teleconference meeting for members will be 14 August 2009. Visit the FGI website for membership and activity information. Learn more here.;

We've reported before on the improvement of dirt roads in the Bennington, Vermont area. New England has many unpaved roads that have been improved with the installation of geotextile separation fabrics; but one must always remember that installation work requires care. In the case of Bennington's improvements last year, heavy equipment misuse prior to raod settling damaged the separation fabric and ultimately scuppered the upgrade. Another road fix is planned. Learn more here.;

Presenters and paper topics for GeoAfrica 2009 (2-5 September 2009, Cape Town, South Africa) have been posted at the conference website. It is an interesting mix and bodes well for discussion. View it online today. Learn more here.;

The massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is having a considerable (and beneficial) impact on construction markets and the environment. Approximately $7.22 billion is moving into these key areas with water-related projects receiving the lionshare. (CONTINUED.)

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has moved the dates for its Environmental Connection 2010 (EC10) conference. The conference will now begin on 16 February 2010 and continue through 20 February 2010. The commencement of conference activities is two days later than originally planned due to the NBA All-Star Game which will be held in Dallas during the original dates of the conference. Read more.

Michelle Phong of 2456 sat down with Johann Philipp Dilo of the DiloGroup, a textile manufacturing machine maker. Dilo discusses what he found at the recent ShanghaiTex conference and trends in the marketplace, including what many are seeking in the production of materials such as nonwoven geotextiles. Learn more here.;

EDANA, the association serving the nonwovens and related industries, today announced its new Board of Governors. Incoming Chairman Kenneth Strassner (Kimberley Clarke) will take over from Gerd Ries (Johnson&Johnson), who has accepted the position of Vice-Chair, a role he shares with Jean-Marie Becker (Ahlstrom). Paul Evers remains in his previous role as Treasurer. Read more in the new release.

EDANA, the association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has released a list of its new Board of Governors. The original release about the Board changes may be found here.

Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) and Noel P Hunt International Limited have reached agreement on the takeover of the TenCate 50% interest in the joint venture Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd of Cheltenham (Australia). The takeover price of the shares amounts to AUD 40 million (approximately €23 million). The book profit on the sale of the 50% interest amounts to approximately €11 million and will be incorporated in the half-year figures of TenCate. Read more in the release.

SKZ's 2nd International Conference on Geosynthetics Middle East will be held in Dubai, UAE, 10-11 November 2009. The speaker and topic line up has been announced and it is certainly an impressive list. Ian Peggs of I-CORP will present on predicting end-of-life for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes and the incorporation of flexible solar cells on exposed landfill caps; Carl De Leon of Solmax will present on geomembrane liners in harsh, petrochemical containment operations; Detlef Schramm of Dow will present a geomembrane global review; Silke Schwöbken of SENSOR will present on drainage detection systems; and much more. Dr. Helmut Zanzinger will chair the seminar. Download the program in PDF.

The Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA) invites its members to a tour of the multi-layered, geosynthetic-reinforced embankment at Snake Valley for the Gauteng Rapid Rail Link. The tour will be held on 22 July 2009 at 13:00. Bombela JV has been the contractor for this intriguing project and materials have been supplied by Kaytech. Interested attendees shoulod contact Jo-Ann Hechter, (011) 8798400, or e-mail adminjhb@kaytech.co.za, and ask for a map to the site office. GIGSA is the host chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) for the forthcoming GeoAfrica 2009 conference (2-5 September 2009, Cape Town). Learn more here.;

In the latest E-Learning newsletter from the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), the association offers a profile of one of its key faculty members: Shirley Morrow, CPESC, CISEC. She has played a key role not just in sharing her expertise and in providing training to IECA members, but in the development of erosion control programs for major corporations such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Read a profile of her in PDF and learn a bit more about IECA's education opportunities. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has included a sample of its members-only listserv in the latest issue of the E-Learning Newsletter. The listserve allows members to pose questions and contribute answers to one another. In this sample, a member asks about specifying non-wire backed silt fence. Learn more here.;

Resin-bonded geotextiles have long been seen as a material with potential, particularly for the abrasion resistance a needlepunched geotextile might gain with resin bonding. You might find them beneath golf course bunkers where the resin-bonded geotextiles provide slope stability and drainage support; but few other applications have actually been explored. Clive Mills of Fiber Bond Corporation writes about this overlooked material and the applications in which it may soon be adopted.

Over at the UK-based website "The Engineer," editor Andrew Lee has posted an editorial in which he mentions the potential decline of Formula 1 racing if it does not evolve. One commenter on Lee's post notes that among the improvements Formula 1 needs to make is the use of geosynthetics in track construction. Learn more here.;

Plastemart has published something of a mashup on the waterproof membrane market based upon the presentations planned for the forthcoming Waterproof Membranes 2009, 19-21 October 2009, Duesseldorf, Germany. Some highlights: John Nash of Applied Market Information (AMI), based in the United Kingdom, has just completed a study on the market; Dow will discuss market expansion; the International Green Roof Association will speak; and geosynthetica's Chris Kelsey will speak about flexible solar cells in geotechnical applications. Learn more here.;

The summer lecture series at Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont includes a 19 August 2009 presentation on "Beyond Compost: Advanced Uses of Compost and Geotextile Materials." The interestingly-named Buzz Ferver will discuss compost and geotextile materials for stormwater treatment, urban gardening, "living" retaining walls, greenroofs and more. Learn more here.;