International nonwovens association EDANA and the China Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) are partnering on a geotextiles symposium in June 2017. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed and Beijing will serve as the host city for the EurAsian Geotextiles Symposium (EAGS).
While two major nonwovens groups are leading this joint venture, woven geotextiles will be a large part of the EurAsian Geotextiles Symposium, as each type of geotextile has its advantages and functions.
The organizers note that the symposium will encompass the entire value chain, from raw materials to buyers and users of geotextiles, with a dual Europe and Asia focus.
Expected themes include:
- Best practice in specifications of geotextiles and case studies
- Improved understanding of the market for geotextiles
- Identification of new opportunities for growth
This symposium announcement further increases EDANA’s support for heavier applications markets. While the organization has long has a geotextiles group within it, its activities have often been quieter. That has been change, in part due to the success of a strong geotextile symposim within the EDANA’s triennial, primary conference (INDEX) in 2014.
Videos of those geosynthetic engineering presentations were published online. They featured former International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) President Daniele Cazzuffi (Italy), Steve Corbet (UK), Silke Brand-Kirsch (Germany), Antonella Senese (Italy), Mikael Møller (Denmark), and George Arditzoglou (Greece).
ASIA PACIFIC TRADE IN GEOTEXTILES
In 2013, the Asia Pacific region accounted for 43% of the global geotextile usage, making it the largest regional world market. The demand fueling that heavy use is not expected to dissipate soon, as a significant number of infrastructure projects are planned (and needed).
Both China and India have even identified geotextiles in their ambitious infrastructure growth plans.
“It is natural that this Symposium, the first of its kind, will be held in China,” said EDANA’s director, Pierre Wiertz in a release. “[China is] one of the most dynamic markets for geotextiles. Our objective is to support the growth of production and deliveries in Eurasia.”
Li Lingshen, President of CNITA, added that the symposium would be “synergistic and beneficial for the entire industry.”
The firm dates for the event have not yet been announced.
