2012 | number 1 | spring
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TENCATE bUSINESS MOdEL GUIdING PRINCIPLE FOR VALUE CREATION
In order to secure a strong and sustainable competitive position in the value chain, it is essential to offer end-users recognizable added value: the value proposition. This value proposition is made up of a number of ‘promises’ that the company has to fulfil in order to solve a problem raised by a customer or group of customers. The added value of a product or system is often based on the changing needs of end-users that result from laws and/or regulations. The end-user translates the value proposition into concrete benefits, such as price-performance ratio,
reliability of delivery and the ability to respond to individual needs.
Added value
The core markets in which TenCate operates are comprised mainly of public sector-related players who have a guiding role or act as facilitators in the protection of people and their environment, the building of infrastructure- and sports-related projects and water management. TenCate maintains a close relationship with public sector services, specifiers, material experts and designers. In contacts with end
txtures 1 -
spring 2012
The companyRoyal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multinational company which combines textile technology with chemical processes in the development and production of functional materials. Cost-effective applications (product-market-technology combinations) which focus on growth markets have been or will be created around this technological base.
TenCate materials are used mainly for personal safety and for the protection of the living and working environment; modernization of equipment used by the armed forces, firefighters and police; space and aerospace (lower fuel costs due to lighter materials); water management, infrastructure and care for the environment; and industrial applications.
txtures 1
This 48-page spring edition of txtures includes articles about:
Composites and aerospace 5
Active protection against IEDs 9 TenCate Geosynthetics
showed strong performance 12
TenCate Field Monitoring System 18 Dike monitoring system Yellow River 20
Armour for aerospace 22
Revitalization of Kai Tak 32
Innovation and the role of education 34 GreenFields, a green supplier of synthetic turf 36 Protective fabrics for ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe 42
The TenCate
value
proposition
TenCate operates a value chain management business model. This business model determines how the company, based on its position in the chain, creates value, secures value in products and services and adds value to customized system solutions. The end-user plays a central role in this. Cost leadership is and will remain the guiding principle.
Photo on front cover: production of synthetic turf yarn at TenCate Grass in Dubai
markets it must always be clear what the value proposition entails, and for TenCate this added value is to be found in six specific aspects: 1 TenCate develops and produces materials as
end products or as part of a system that meet the core need of a customer or group of customers in terms of characteristics; 2 The end result for the user is that extra costs
or undesirable side effects are avoided in achieving a solution;
3 TenCate helps partners in the value chain to meet market needs or to comply with laws, regulations, standards, etc.;
4 TenCate products and systems satisfy the growing need for energy conservation, reductions in CO2 emissions and stricter standards for the safety and protection of people and their environment;
5 The core values of the TenCate brand are trust, security and quality. These aspects are essential in order to be able to offer sustainable functional solutions;
6 As an innovative partner, TenCate, together with other market players, is open to the development (co-creation) of materials that meet specific customer needs.
From product to solution
The provision of solutions fits in with the value proposition concept. Through specific channels in business-to-business and specialist media, TenCate communicates principally about solutions that are achieved using TenCate materials. In order to create multifunctional systems, the company constantly seeks to link up with other technologies. The TenCate solutions-oriented approach has also resulted in a gradually changing sales organization, which collaborates with market players and specialists who offer various solutions and
Continued on page 4
In the synthetic turf market there is increasing integration within the value chain to speed up developments and enhance the quality of the synthetic turf system
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TENCATE bUSINESS MOdEL GUIdING PRINCIPLE FOR VALUE CREATION
part-solutions and players who offer specific access to international markets.
The most far-reaching form of cooperation is taking place in the synthetic turf market, where there is increasing integration within the value chain to speed up developments and enhance the quality of the overall end product (the synthetic turf system). The TenCate
Geosynthetics market group is also involved in cooperation with for example engineering firms,
installers and specialist companies, particularly those in the field of monitoring and detection, and environmental and water management.
Automotive industry
An important development in the automotive industry is the increasing demand for weight saving and environmental awareness. Materials (composites) and the technology position of TenCate contribute to the required
solution. In the use of new materials the production processes too will undergo changes. By working together with players in the value chain TenCate as a materials producer can support and facilitate the development and sustainability desired.
www.tencate.com [email protected]
In the automotive industry there is an increasing demand for weight saving and environmental awareness
TenCate Aerospace Composites can look back on a good 2011 and the prospects for 2012 are promising too: the trend towards lightweight composite materials in the space and aerospace industry continues unabated. Through investing in product development and concluding cooperative alliances for open innovation, TenCate is strengthening its position and thereby supporting the growth of the composites industry.
In 2011 the market group TenCate Aerospace Composites realized a solid growth in sales of 35%. This growth was largely due to increased production for the Airbus A380 and A350 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The growth had a positive effect on capacity utilization, with machinery capacity more effectively utilized at the Dutch production plant in particular. Composite materials from TenCate Aerospace Composites for aerospace purposes are applied in interior and structural parts, while in the aircraft industry the group is active in civil and military aviation and in business jets.
Continued on page 7
Composites for
aviation
are the future
TENCATE AEROSPACE COMPOSITES REALIzES SOLId GROwTH IN SALES
Sustainability / EnvironmentThe TenCate Aerospace Composites production plant in Nijverdal is the leader in thermoplastics
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Commercial aviation embraces regional and business jets, general aviation and the large commercial segment, including Boeing
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The production plant in Nijverdal is the largest thermoplastics factory worldwide, and TenCate Cetex® has already consistently proved itself in numerous aircraft programmes.
The aerospace sector
According to Frank Meurs (group director TenCate Advanced Composites Europe), the term ‘aerospace’ is broad and requires clarification. The sector can be subdivided into Space, Defence & Communications and Commercial. For example, satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and radar domes (radomes) fall under Space, Defence & Communications. In the United States, TenCate Space Composites leads the field in composite materials for satellite programmes. UAVs for military applications and the satellite industry remain an important growth market for TenCate. The orders are often defence-related, produced in small series, and involve thermoset prepregs. These are made by the TenCate plants in Fairfield and Morgan Hill. Commercial aviation embraces the large commercial segment (Airbus, Boeing), regional jets (Bombardier, Embraer) and business jets, and general aviation (Cirrus, Dassault, Falcon, Gulfstream). ‘When it comes to the big commercial and regional jets in particular, we have a comprehensive thermoplastics strategy, such as TenCate Cetex®. We project a distinctive image in regard to thermoplastics.’
Innovation and technology
As Frank Meurs explains, innovation is extremely important in differentiating quality. He mentions the acquisition of Phoenixx (USA) in 2007 as an example. Phoenixx is market leader in unidirectional (UD) tape technology. The company develops applications for the space and aerospace sector and for oil and gas extraction. The UD technology complements the technology behind TenCate Cetex® and now has the same brand name. With this technology, materials and processing technology can be further developed in order to devise new applications. While the
first generation of TenCate Cetex® is ensuring sales and growth, operational excellence is important for a stable production. With UD tape comes a second batch of thermoplastics, with the potential for application in primary structures. ‘As yet there is no mature industry for
thermoplastics, and this is something you run up against even in the automotive market. In Europe there are about ten companies that know the ins and outs of thermoplastics. For the large-scale application of thermoplastics, the value chain must be of sufficient dimension, and that’s why we want to involve many more companies, institutes and other parties in the value chain. Moreover you have to develop the whole environment, so that we can steer the technology to maturity.’
Vision of the future
In the vision of the future ‘From Good to Top (Sector)’, the Dutch aerospace industry sets out its ambitions for the coming ten years (within the context of the top sector High Tech Systems & Materials). These ambitions must lead to such advances as a decrease in the environmental pressure and noise pollution caused by aircraft and the creation of high-grade jobs for highly-trained employees. Five themes are listed: investing in innovation (knowledge, innovation and research), investing in the ability to excel (clustering expertise in the region), investing in worldwide competitive ability (supporting trade missions, etc.), learning to excel (training and job market), and ‘What we do is green’ (sustainability). TenCate endorses the five themes and puts them into practice. TenCate invests in R&D and participates in development consortia and open-innovation networks. Furthermore TenCate, together with Philips, Thales and others, took part in the state visit to Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Composites stand for sustainability, and their application makes aeroplanes cleaner, quieter, lighter and stronger – and therefore safer, more economical and more cost-effective.
TenCate Cetex® is recyclable. The proportion of solvents in the manufacturing process is being systematically reduced. By using thermoplastic composites, it is possible to produce large volumes in series. TenCate is also working with education institutes on training and educational programmes that are relevant for quality and promote links to the job market.
Positive
The trend in structural demand for lightweight composite materials from TenCate in the civil aviation industry also remains positive. This is partly due to the qualifications at the company’s disposal. Although TenCate Aerospace Composites does not have a vast number of patents, it is certified for many aircraft programmes and has many ‘culinary secrets’. It is expected that TenCate will continue to profit from the long-term contracts with major international aircraft manufacturers in 2012 too. Furthermore expectations remain positive regarding the military aviation market and satellite programmes.
• TenCate seeks, together with companies, institutes and other parties, to increase the dimension of the value chain in order to steer the thermoplastics technology to maturity
• TenCate invests in innovation, the clustering of expertise and more sustainable production processes, participates in trade missions, and works with education institutes on focused educational programmes
• The trend in structural demand for TenCate composite materials in the civil and military aviation industry and satellite programmes remains positive
www.tencateadvancedcomposites.com [email protected] [email protected]
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These collaborative alliances in thermo-plastics underline the importance of the joint endeavour to grow the composite share in the aviation sector.
TPRC
The development consortium TPRC aims at developing lighter thermoplastic products and a broader range of applications for thermoplastics. ‘TPRC really exists for the senior engineers of Boeing,’ says Frank Meurs (group director TenCate Advanced Composites
Europe). TenCate Aerospace Composites USA also produces composite fasteners for the fuel and hydraulic pipes of the Boeing 787.
TAPAS
Unlike TPRC, which has a broad scope, TAPAS is concerned with closed innovation. Within the TAPAS consortium, companies and institutes that are active in the Dutch aviation industry work together with Airbus on materials, production and bonding technology. Further development of this technology
is specifically targeted at future Airbus applications, including primary structures such as the fuselage and the wings. TAPAS currently has nine collaborative partners.
EAdS
TenCate supplies TenCate Cetex® carbon laminates for application as clips in the reinforcement structure of the airframe of the Airbus A350 XWB and other applications of EADS. This is a major application for TenCate. ‘One aircraft requires thousands of clips of many different kinds. The demands made on a clip are high and the inspection of each small bit now takes twenty minutes. Many people do not realize how new all this is.’
More widely disseminated
TenCate is now qualified for Embraer. ‘We want to disseminate more widely what we have in house and consequently work for other parties besides Airbus. When Eurocopter approached us, we could benefit from our knowledge of the way of working in aerospace, and so helicopters became a spin-off for us. Armour is being increasingly incorporated in helicopters, so this niche is beginning to expand.’
www.tprc.nl www.tapasproject.nl
development of composites
TENCATE AEROSPACE COMPOSITES PARTNER IN dEVELOPMENT CONSORTIA
The trend in applying lightweight composite materials in the aviation industry will remain positive even in the longer term. TenCate is responding to this through its active role in collaboration in thermoplastics, such as the ThermoPlastic Composite Research Center (TPRC) with such parties as boeing, and the Airbus-related Thermoplastic Affordable Primary Aircraft Structure (TAPAS) consortium.
In crisis areas such as Afghanistan, roadside bombs currently represent the primary threat to both people and materiel. This threat is increasing partly due to the lack of infrastructure. Iraq on the other hand, has a reasonably good road network. The IEDs deployed here were usually ‘road-side bombs’ as the predominant angle of attack was horizontal. In Afghanistan, however, these explosions occur mainly in the road itself. As vehicles are most vulnerable to the underbelly, there is a demonstrable need for better protection, combined with increased mobility of army vehicles. Jørgen Svane, a former Danish army officer, recognized the potential for a solution.
Concept development
Jørgen Svane, who has a degree (MSc) in weapons and vehicle systems, is an expert in the field of electronics and mechatronics. He was also a member of the NATO STANAG group and received extensive officer training in the Danish Army. Together with three others, including Peter Bertelsen (managing director,
TenCate Advanced Armour Denmark and programme manager), he formed a team that embarked on the development of the concept in 2010. It was also agreed that TenCate would be given the right to acquire a majority interest in a company that would be set up to market the concept. TenCate Advanced Armour
specializes in vehicle armouring systems based on lightweight composite materials.
Performance
The performance of the concept was shown using a self-built demonstrator. Then followed numerous tests and simulations, with the Safety/ Protection
TEN CATE ACTIVE PROTECTION APS STRENTHENS LEAdING POSITION OF TENCATE
TenCate, in collaboration with the danish company AbdS ApS, has developed an active defence system against improvised explosive devices (IEds), such as roadside bombs. The TenCate AbdS™ active blast countermeasure system effectively mitigates the devastating effects of IEds on army vehicle, crew and vehicle structure. This eliminates the need to replace or carry out major repairs to vehicles that have been hit; repair work can be carried out quickly. The market potential is considerable. The danish company is now fully owned by TenCate and, as Ten Cate Active Protection ApS, is now being integrated into TenCate Advanced Armour, thus strengthening the leading position of this market group in protection systems.
Protection against
roadside bombs
Jørgen Svane (left) and Peter Bertelsen
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The TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system ‘feels’ the exploding IED and in a fraction of a second produces a reaction
TEN CATE ACTIVE PROTECTION APS STRENTHENS LEAdING POSITION OF TENCATE
Defence Acquisition & Logistics Organization of the Danish Ministry of Defence providing the facilities and test equipment required. One of the tests on IEDs was carried out on the underbelly (which is located just above the road surface) of an M113 APC, a 15-ton armoured vehicle into which the system was incorporated. Vehicle specific tests are an essential part of the ultimate implementation of the system. The vehicle remained intact and was easy to repair. Various contractors of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and government agencies, based in North America and Europe were involved in the fourth and final test phase at system level. The proof of concept was successfully completed in September 2011, thereby establishing the feasibility and reliability of the system. The implementation of the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system will take place during the course of 2012-2013. The team has simultaneously been working on the design of innovative integration concepts for a series of combat and tactical army vehicles.
Active defence
TenCate composite materials can be built into new vehicles and incorporated in existing vehicles as add-on armour. Whereas the materials from TenCate Advanced Armour provide passive protection, the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system involves an ingenious active system. ‘The system detects and calculates a threat and reacts to it within a mere thousandth of a second.’ The sensors see and ‘feel’ the IED, a computer calculates the incoming signal and immediately produces a structural biomechanical reaction. This reaction is in conformity with STANAG 4569, a standardization agreement covering the protection levels for the occupants of light armoured vehicles. The TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system will enable TenCate Advanced Armour to expand
its capacities relating to advanced protection systems and to meet the need for enhanced protection and increased vehicle mobility.
Synergy
The Danish Ministry of Justice has approved the acquisition. Ten Cate Active Protection ApS is now being integrated into the TenCate Advanced Armour market group. TenCate has deliberately opted for full ownership and not for a partnership or joint venture, Peter Bertelsen and Jørgen Svane (director Advanced Sensors & Effectors, TenCate Advanced Armour) explain. ‘Not only does it demand a sizeable investment, but we also wanted to be able to act as rapidly and as effectively as possible and to have the freedom to act as we see fit. It will also speed up the market launch. This is unanimously believed to be the best solution.’ There is a great deal of synergy between Ten Cate Active Protection ApS and TenCate Advanced Armour. ‘The outside of the vehicle will ever more frequently be made of composite, which will protect our invention. We are talking not only about a 50% saving in weight in the ultimate vehicle, but its production will also require fewer processes. Vehicles that have been hit will not need to be replaced or to undergo major repairs. This can be done at the base and reduce the need for spare parts to be flown in.’ Marketing efforts too will be combined. Existing customers will be of interest to both the company and the market group. TenCate Advanced Armour has already opened doors in the United States. Our market share has increased and our leading technological position strengthened. ‘We are now moving into a larger arena.’
Partners and customers
All the tests have been successfully completed and all the specifications drawn up. It has now become clear that the markets are showing serious interest in a number of vehicle programmes. TenCate Advanced
Armour will now select partners for the delivery of components, and a list of potential customers has been compiled. These include companies, countries (principally NATO member states), defence organizations and vehicle manufacturers. They must have security clearance: authorization allowing access to classified information. The system can be retrofitted into military vehicles. The TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system will set a new standard.. Existing specifications are now expected to be rewritten by MODs, because they now know that a higher level of protection is possible. In five years’ time there will be new vehicle platforms and the system can be tailored to meet exact needs. This will be the new NATO standard. To date there is still no system that meets this standard.’
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TENCATE GEOSYNTHETICS CLOSES 2011 wITH STRONG GROwTH IN SALES
Problem-solver
with geosynthetics
TenCate Geosynthetics realized a strong organic growth in sales worldwide in 2011. This robust performance is the result of the introduction of new products in markets for infrastructure (soil stabilization and soil reinforcement), as well as a growing demand for sustainable environmental concepts, and water management and marine solutions. The market share has grown worldwide. TenCate Geosynthetics is now going to focus even more on the water & environmental management segment, and the group wishes to present itself more explicitly as a full product solution provider.
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The strategy of the Geosynthetics group is focused, among other things, on product development and a solutions-driven market approach. This means better engineering solutions that result in lower end-user total costs and a one-stop shop for quality products, support and services for customers.
Value proposition
The value proposition of TenCate Geosynthetics lies in its extensive technological knowledge; the environmental friendliness and sustain-ability of the solutions offered; the short response time to orders, thanks to an inter-national network of companies and sales offices; and its proven reliability as a project partner. According to Global Group Director Wally Moore, the targeted end-user marketing by the group has reinforced the focus in the United States on product differentiation (making existing products suitable for new applications). ‘We satisfy market needs with a differentiated product portfolio as well as extensive application knowledge and experience. Product differentiation is a continuous process and one that we’re going to further develop within the whole group.’
water & environmental management From the global perspective, the importance of water & environmental management is increasing. End-users worldwide are showing ever greater interest in CO2-friendly sustainable environmental solutions and detection systems for leakage, erosion, and the deformation control of dikes and embankments. With systems based on geotextiles such as TenCate Geotube® and TenCate GeoDetect™, TenCate can respond proactively to this growing demand. Through the formation of a Water & Environment business unit, alliances with parties in the value chain (such as technological companies) and spec selling, TenCate Geosynthetics seeks to present itself more explicitly as a full product solution Production of TenCate Geotube® at TenCate Geosynthetics in Commerce, Georgia (US). Globally,
the importance of water and environmental management is increasing, to which TenCate is responding with TenCate Geotube®
Continued from page 12
provider. ‘We’re looking at new markets, such
as water & environment, energy and mining, and in terms of market approach more into solutions, not just products.’ This may involve soil stabilization for the construction of access roads to oil and gas extraction installations or wind farms, the dewatering of industrial sludge, the cleaning of lakes, coastal protection and land reclamation. One example is TenCate Mirafi® RS580i − already a success story in the United States − which is a woven geotextile for strengthening and stabilizing the base course for roads, railways and airports.
Strong market demand
The strong market demand in the United States, South America and Asia and the logistic, efficiency and cost measures implemented in previous years in the US and Europe have also been factors contributing to this growth. TenCate Geosynthetics is a flexible organization, which has quickly responded to the opportunities that came along in 2011. To improve profitability in the United States, Lee Bryan (director TenCate Geosynthetics North America) has launched the Profit Improvement Programme – a holistic plan that captures and measures all projects such as cost reduction, product development, market development, and the hiring of sales people for focused market penetration. Paul Firrell (group director Europe) has initiated an inventory reduction programme and spread margin management for cost leadership, while Fred Chuck (director Reinforcement Markets) directly targets the owners and engineering and construction companies that are developing wind energy.
Private sector
‘Our focus is moving more towards opportunities funded by the private sector, such as energy and mining, where we are not reliant on government-funded projects. We need to be proactive in securing a higher market share through innovative products
and an adjusted solutions-driven approach, and through a greater emphasis on non-government-funded markets. This requires the strengthening of the corporate sales effort at regional level.’ Accordingly the group will enter into partnerships where necessary, while in Europe participation in trade shows will be increased for the purpose of demonstrating solutions.
Exchange
Another important element of the strategy is the exchange of products and system solutions between the different geographical regions. ‘In this context we’re working as a global strategic team,’ explains Wally Moore. ‘This team is made up of the key leaders of the regional businesses and the central staff of TenCate Geosynthetics. We come together physically three times a year to discuss sharing and applying best practices in terms of market approach per application, product development initiatives, purchasing and production metrics. Depending on local supply and demand balances or imbalances, we also tactically supply products from one region to another.’
Asia
With the acquisition of Emas Kiara Industries in March 2011, TenCate Geosynthetics has strengthened its position in Asia and increased its market share. Emas Kiara is an important producer of a wide range of geosynthetic products and solutions. Activities are increasing in the large infrastructure project market (civil engineering) and the
environmental market. The market in China is more complex, and here TenCate still has a modest position. TenCate Industrial Zhuhai is now fully operational, thus laying the basis for further development of the Chinese market. Production in Zhuhai is destined for the local market. In China TenCate is opting for high-grade applications, and less for the volume market.
Again new initiatives have been taken to further develop the market in South America, and here TenCate Geotube® technology has been mainly applied to date. There are also opportunities for fabrics and non-wovens, especially in infrastructure projects.
• Value proposition of TenCate Geosynthetics lies in extensive technological knowledge, the environmental friendliness and sustainability of the solutions, the short response time to orders and proven reliability in projects
• TenCate can proactively respond to the growing need of end-users for CO2-friendly sustainable environmental solutions and detection systems • The strong market demand and the
logistic, efficiency and cost measures previously implemented in the US and Europe have contributed to the growth
www.tencategeosynthetics.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
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TENCATE GEOSYNTHETICS PARTNER IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Materials from TenCate make a difference. In October 2011 TenCate Geosynthetics USA collected two IFAI Awards from the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). The Innovation Award went to TenCate Mirafi® H2Ri. This fabric has been developed to reinforce and stabilize base courses where uneven settlement results from heaving in subgrade soils. The patented geosynthetic material has already been applied in various
roads in Alaska and North Canada, where it handles the draining of the underlying marshy subsoil.
A project at a coal-processing plant in Gansu (China) with a reinforced retaining wall based on TenCate Mirafi® fabric received the Award of Excellence. A retaining wall reinforced with TenCate Mirafi® PET geotextile has
demonstrated its ability to withstand erosion and landslide forces. Because locally available material such as sand is used, considerable savings can be made in material, transport and energy costs.
Large-scale environmental projects Now TenCate Geosynthetics is applying its TenCate Geotube® technology in several large-scale environmental projects: in Hong Kong, the state of New York (US), Tabasco (Mexico) and Nizhnevartovsk (Siberia, Russia). In the middle of December 2011 a start was made on removing and cleaning up contaminated sludge at the former Kai Tak International Airport of Hong Kong (see page 32). TenCate is supplying a large number of TenCate Geotube® containers for this work, and
the project will be finished by the end of June 2012. The environmental project at Onondaga Lake in the state of New York is the biggest dredging project with geotextile containers in the US and North America. Sand-coloured TenCate Geotube® containers are being used in restoring and protecting the coastline between the Gulf of Mexico and Laguna El Carmen. This is the Sanchez Magallanes Shoreline Protection Project in the state of Tabasco in South Mexico. More than 100 TenCate Geotube® containers have been used in cleaning Lake Komsomolskoe (300,000 m2) in the centre of Nizhnevartovsk, a town in Siberia (see page 38).
www.tencategeosynthetics.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
distinctive in material
and performance
The activities of the market group TenCate Geosynthetics can be divided into the business units infrastructure, water & environment, and industrial fabrics. The group develops and produces fabrics, non-wovens and geogrids for the first two segments, and the materials from TenCate Geosynthetics regularly achieve distinction, especially in the areas of infrastructure (retaining walls, road building) and the environment.
The group is involved in several large-scale environmental projects by virtue of its TenCate Geotube® technology.
Investor relations
Corporate communication
TENCATE PUbLISHES ANNUAL REPORT FOR LAST FINANCIAL YEAR
TENCATE STAKEHOLdERS’ MAGAzINE NOw ALSO AS APP
2011 annual report
txtures on your tablet
It is now available in printed form and digitally on the website: the 152-page Royal TenCate annual report. The 2011 activities and results are presented and explained in text, figures and tables. The annual report is enlivened with both smaller and full-page photos which show the uses of TenCate materials. The theme of the annual report this year is ‘Connected by the value proposition’.
A printed copy of the annual report will be sent to you on request (+ 31 546 544 911); for the digital version you can visit our website www.tencate.com. Both the printed and the
electronic versions are available in Dutch and English. As always, we greatly value your comments on the annual report, which you may send to [email protected].
txtures, the TenCate magazine for stakeholders, has also been available for a couple of months now as an app.
The quarterly magazine can now be read on a smart phone or a tablet. The articles are arranged by edition, market group, theme and solution. The txtures app presents the articles in an abridged form. Unlike the paper version, there are more photos and links to videos and websites with background information.
The TenCate txtures app is the first of a number of new TenCate apps. The HR and later the IR apps will shortly be available.
www.tencate.com/txturesapp www.apple.com/nl/mac/app-store
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TENCATE FIELd MONITORING SYSTEM FOR SPORTS PITCHES
Insight into use
and maintenance
TenCate Grass introduces the TenCate Field Monitoring System, an intelligent camera system for synthetic turf sports pitches. The TenCate Field Monitoring System registers the number of playing hours and the maintenance that has been carried out on the pitch. The data provide a reliable insight into the use of the pitch and whether it is being
maintained in accordance with the regulations. The system was developed in collaboration with the Hillson Group, a company that specializes in intelligent cameras for monitoring and security systems.
Sports pitches based on synthetic turf require a considerable investment, but offer a number of advantages over natural grass. Synthetic turf pitches can be played on more often and more intensively, they ensure constant playing characteristics and will last for many years. The service life of the pitch depends greatly on correct maintenance and use. Together with Hillson, TenCate has developed a monitoring system that gives a detailed insight into the use and maintenance of a particular pitch. Intelligent cameras register every movement on the pitch and record these with a time indication. The system analyses all the activities and converts the data into a reliable activity report.
The monitoring system also records all the maintenance work done and when and with what equipment this was carried out. The system can be operated and monitored remotely and has the option to be expanded to include a monitoring system (CCTV) for security purposes.
TenCate Performance warranty The data that the TenCate Field Monitoring System generates now also make it possible for the ‘insured’ Performance Warranty (in accordance with for example the FIFA 1- or 2-Star standard) to satisfy the registration of use and maintenance requirements laid down by the insurer.
As leader in the international synthetic turf industry, the TenCate Performance Warranty from TenCate Grass provides a guarantee and insurance on the performance and
sustainability of synthetic turf pitches that are made using TenCate components.
The TenCate Field Monitoring System has now been installed at FC Breukelen and Flevo Boys football club (NL). Both pitches are FIFA 2-Star certified.
www.tencategrass.com [email protected]
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TENCATE GEOdETECT
®FOR dIKE MONITORING ALONG YELLOw RIVER
System solution
TenCate Geosynthetics and AGT have signed a letter of intent for collaboration on the instal-lation of TenCate GeoDetect® in a dike body at the Yellow River in Dayulan (Zhengzhou) in Henan province. TenCate GeoDetect® is a monitoring system based on geotextile with interwoven fibre optics, which registers changes in embankments and dikes. The system will be used in the AGT Flood Early Warning System (FEWS). Work began in October 2011 and will be of one year’s duration. The commissioning authority is the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC). This authority is responsible for the management of the 5,464 km-long Yellow River.
Joint venture
For this project AGT International and TenCate Geosynthetics Netherlands entered into a joint venture. AGT International, global supplier of monitoring and security solutions for the public space, is carrying out the project together with TNO. FEWS will be used to collect and analyse data on the stability and deformations in the dike and on the possible threat of flooding. These will provide the basis for taking measures to prevent subsidence or leaks and a possible dike breach as quickly as possible. The Yellow River is well known for among other things its turbulence. This system will provide the manager with information on the condition and maintenance of the dike. A flooding prognosis can also be issued, based on which it will be possible to ensure that
the local population can be evacuated in good time. Using a simulation application, the authorities can prepare for a possible calamity.
System solutions
‘The future of TenCate lies less in products and more in offering solutions to geotechnical challenges through open innovation’, said Wally Moore (global group director TenCate Geosynthetics). ‘The combination of our geosynthetics and sensor technology with partners such as AGT International gives us an innovative and differentiated approach to tracing possible defects in dikes within our water & environmental activities.’
‘By bringing Dutch know-how in water we are uniquely positioned with our partners to implement this ground-breaking system,’ said Pieter-Christian van Oranje-Nassau, CEO of AGT International in the Netherlands. ‘Another key element for the full realization and success of the project is our commitment to turning key project findings into shared learning opportunities.’ Once the project has been successfully completed, the YRCC and AGT International will promote this solution with water and dike managers in China.
www.geosynthetics.asia.com [email protected] www.agtinternational.com
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TenCate is a partner with AGT International in a pilot programme in China for the installation of a system for the management of dikes along the Yellow River. TenCate is supplying the geotextile and the sensors for the system and the installation.
System solution
TenCate GeoDetect® is installed in a dyke body at the Yellow River22 txtures | number 1 | spring
TenCate occupies a strong position worldwide in armour composites and in space and aerospace composites. In recent years more and more aircraft and helicopters have been fitted with armour. TenCate has the processes, materials, certification and know-how to respond to this trend and does so in collaboration and partnerships with customers such as Airbus, Eurocopter and Agustawestland and a tier 1 supplier of aircraft interiors. This contribution is a good example of the synergy between TenCate
companies in advanced composites.
TenCate ranks among the leading companies in ballistic protection systems for people and vehicles (armour composites) and space and aerospace composites. TenCate has a worldwide presence, it own local design and production facilities and a broad, innovative product portfolio. For aerospace in particular these are important preconditions. In recent years more and more aircraft and helicopters have been fitted with armour, which is often delivered in the form of kits, consisting of various customized panels.
Customer relations
In the context of the partnership with Eurocopter, TenCate is participating in a number of armour projects. A good customer relationship has also been established in the past couple of years with two other companies in the field of aerospace: these are a tier 1 supplier of aircraft interiors and a helicopter manufacturer, AgustaWestland (UK/Italy). The tier 1 supplier designs and manufactures interior and other parts for the military and commercial aviation industry, such as Airbus.
AgustaWestland is involved in ballistic protection of helicopters in the military segment. Contacts were made with both companies at TenCate Advanced Armour in Vissenbjerg (Denmark) and Primarette (France). TenCate Denmark is the place where the panels are pressed and cut for AgustaWestland. The finishing
of the panels is carried out in Primarette, with the French being responsible for the quality of the product. The facility in Primarette has since last summer been fully equipped for the development and production of composite materials both for industrial applications (vehicle and personal protection) and for helicopters and aircraft.
Tier 1 supplier
A number of parts, which will not be further specified, for the interior of 500 Airbus aircraft of the type A350 will be fitted
Aircraft armour
TENCATE AdVANCEd ARMOUR PARTNER IN AEROSPACE PROJECTS
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In recent years more and more helicopters too have been fitted with armour. In the context of the partnership with Eurocopter, TenCate is participating in a number of armour projects
with ballistic protection over the next seven years. These parts must be fully bulletproof and TenCate will be supplying the kits for this. A number of prototypes will be made, some with materials from TenCate Advanced Armour in France, where the bulletproof part was also developed. The panels will be made and parts of the structure tested in Primarette to ensure they are bulletproof The entire interior part will be tested by the tier 1 supplier to ensure it is bulletproof and is resistant to break-in (non-intrusion). In conformity with the agreement, the first kit will be delivered in July 2012, when tests will be carried out on mechanical, environmental and other aspects, after which certification will take place. TenCate Advanced Armour will supply the panels and materials for the protection. TenCate has signed a long-term agreement for this seven-year programme. ‘This is important for future business.’
Follow-up orders will be filled on demand.
Agustawestland AgustaWestland is one of the ‘big six’ helicopter manufacturers in the world. The facility in Vissenbjerg is
supplying ballistic protection for the AgustaWestland AW101 helicopter. An order for twelve helicopters and one set of spare parts has been placed. Only the lightest of material qualifies for helicopter armour. ‘The use of metal as armour in helicopters is thus out of the question. The net payload in a small helicopter is just 250 kilos, which means that there’s only room for four people.’
Collaboration with TenCate
The decision to opt for cooperation with TenCate Advanced Armour was governed by three factors: the company must be certified in conformity with EN9100. This standard includes the quality system requirements in conformity with ISO 9001:2008 and additional requirements which apply specifically to the space and aerospace industry and to defence. The TenCate facility in Primarette complies with this. It is also important that the company behind the manufacturer is a large one. Many contracts include a parent company guarantee: a guarantee from the parent company, signed by the executive board. What is important is the global presence of the TenCate Advanced Armour Group, giving TenCate a worldwide network of armour companies, which must all be able to deliver for one and the same aircraft.
• TenCate Advanced Armour is the supplier of kits for the ballistic protection of interior parts of Airbus aircraft
• For AgustaWestland TenCate supplies ballistic protection for helicopters in the military segment
• Important factors for the collaboration are that certification is in accordance with EN9100 and the company’s global presence
www.tencateadvancedarmour.com [email protected]
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TENCATE PUbLISHES RESULTS FOR 2011 FINANCIAL YEAR
‘TenCate established new records in 2011. Net profit rose by 28% and the increase in the dividend was in line with this. Our level of ambition, however, will continue to be high, with the aim of achieving further growth, both organic and through acquisitions (buy & build strategy). This will become possible in part through the long-term trends that form the basis of the company’s developments.’
Loek de Vries, President and CEO Royal Ten Cate
Looking back with satisfaction on 2011
• ‘Sales and profit have again risen sharply and reached record levels
• TenCate Advanced Textiles & Composites sector put in very strong performance • Geosynthetics & Grass sector recorded a 12%
rise in sales, although the trend in results was disappointing
• As a result of the economic conditions TenCate will refine its strategy in respect of synthetic turf activities
• Developments that accelerate growth relate to TenCate AbdS™ active blast countermeasure system, 3d weaving technology and inkjet technology’
Looking back with satisfaction on 2011
Market trends
‘These trends were also visible in the past year. Tightening up safety standards and environmental requirements and a reduction in CO2 emissions gave TenCate a certain amount of “tail wind”. The climate sustaining these trends is expected to continue in the coming years.
In the BRIC countries in particular there is growing environmental awareness, with an increasing focus on “performance materials”.
New technological developments The development of TenCate into a “solutions provider” has also resulted in a further improvement in its technological base. The activities in the synthetic turf market are the furthest advanced when it comes to efforts to think in terms of system solutions and to present a profile of TenCate as a full-service solutions provider. Recently camera monitoring was added, to assist clubs in registering and planning maintenance work and, linked to this, warranty concepts can be offered, which give clubs greater certainty about the service life and playability of their sports pitches.
Significant progress was made in 2011 in the field of weaving technology for synthetic turf pitches. This enables TenCate to control the entire production process: from the PP/PE granules right through to the end product, or in other words, the sports pitch. TenCate also includes the characteristics of the substructure in the overall concept. This has resulted in
considerable environmental benefits (less transport of building material, recycling) and cost benefits for the user. The first “new generation” of sports pitches were installed in 2011.
Good progress was also recorded on the sensor technology in TenCate GeoDetect®, which was developed several years ago. Contacts have been made with new partners to start marketing this solution, in part through engineering consultancy firms. In a world in which the digitalization of information is becoming ever more important, people want to know (and measure) what is happening under the ground.
Other technological developments that are still at an early stage relate to the TenCate ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system and inkjet technology. The marketing of these
technologies offers considerable potential.
Mixed picture
TenCate Geosynthetics showed a mixed picture. While TenCate Geosynthetics translated the positive market trends mentioned above into strong sales growth, the results of the financial crisis and the tight budgetary conditions in the public sector related to it were clearly visible within the Grass group. Although synthetic turf has been around for more than thirty years, the market is still not mature. The same applies to the quality criteria. In a somewhat less favourable economic climate, price pressure quickly builds
up, as a result of which quality aspects, sustainability, etc. are pushed to the background.
There was also strategic reorganization of the distribution partners, which led to an initial decline in sales.
The Grass group will take further organizational measures to achieve an improvement in the results in the short term. In the first place, attention will be focused on entering into relationships with new distributors (the marketing and installation of sports pitches), cost reduction and the development of distinctive system concepts.
The year 2012
Expectations for 2012 are mainly positive. While sales of TenCate Defender™ M are expected to decline, resulting from the gradual withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, TenCate has a differentiated portfolio of growing activities.
By means of a different breakdown of sales and result over the year, the first half of 2012 will not be comparable with that of 2011. In the first six months of 2011 there was substantial catch-up demand from the US Army.
Barring unexpected circumstances, a result is expected in 2012 that will be at least as high as that of 2011.’
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TENCATE PROTECTIVE FAbRICS wINS ORdER IN UNITEd KINGdOM
TenCate Protective Fabrics has won an important order for the delivery of inherently heat- and flame-resistant materials for the structural fire fighter clothing for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service. This relates to a new lightweight system, TenCate Tecasystem™ Millenia 450, for application in over 1200 fire service outfits. The first 300 outfits are expected to be delivered in June.
1200
fire fighting suits
for Shropshire
To improve the current personal protection systems, the fire brigade in Shropshire (West Midlands, UK) had been looking for ‘a durable fire fighting suit with less maintenance and better protection against the risk of heat stress’. Heat stress is caused by the body’s in-ability to maintain its average core temperature in arduous and stressful situations, and a fire fighter can lose consciousness or even suffer a heart attack. FlamePro UK Ltd has developed a new Flamepro® fire fighting suit based on
TenCate materials. TenCate Tecasystem™ Millenia 450 is the lightest protection system on the market that meets the strict requirements of the European norm for fire fighting clothing. It consists of an outer fabric in combination with a thermal and moisture regulating intermediate layer and a thermal liner. Each layer has been developed with its own functionalities. As an integrated system, the layers are fully compatible with one another. And so the fire fighter from Shropshire will benefit from a light and comfortable fire fighting suit yet still be optimally protected in the extreme conditions experienced in a raging inferno.
Multifunctional clothing
Fire fighters frequently have to turn out to road accidents, situations involving hazardous substances and terrorist incidents. ‘All these situations require multifunctional clothing that is lightweight, comfortable, strong and protective,’ explains Kevan Whitehead (end-use market manager of TenCate Protective Fabrics). The new fire suit has a unique design
that means any damaged parts – such as the fluorescent visibility stripes – can be easily replaced. It has been subjected to wearability and washing tests, among other checks. The outcome of the extensive test programme was that, compared with existing uniforms, the new suit required 25% less body energy and offered good protection against the danger of heat, as well as greater comfort and freedom of movement.
www.tencateprotectivefabrics.europe.com [email protected] MARKET – fire and emergency services PROdUCT – TenCate Tecasystem™ Millenia 450 based on three qualities of TenCate Tecashield® (outer fabric, thermal and moisture
regulating barrier and thermal liner); complies with European Norm EN 469/AC: 2005 level 2 TECHNOLOGY – fibre, fabric and coating technology PROCESS – integrated system is processed by clothing manufacturer
Still from the clip about TenCate Tecasystem™ - Millenia 450 produced by C4Real For the animation, scan the QR code
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TENCATE GEOdETECT
®FOR SAFE STORAGE OF MINING wASTE
Compañía Minera Antamina is one of the ten largest mining companies in the world. And here zinc, molybdenum, silver, lead and other minerals are mined. This is said to be the highest tailings basin in the world (3600 metres above sea level) and its collection capacity is 550 million tons of mining waste, which may under no circumstances seep out and end up in the environment. For this reason a wide dam has been built around the basin, in which TenCate GeoDetect® has been fitted. The dam is at least 250 metres in height, making it one of the highest retaining walls in the world. So far a two-kilometre length of TenCate GeoDetect® S-BR has been installed. In total more than six kilometres of dam will be fitted with TenCate GeoDetect® at this location.
Advantages
The installation is being carried out by the engineering firm of Golder Associates. Olivier Artières, global technology manager at TenCate Geosynthetics, was on site to supervise the installation. ‘This is the largest project using TenCate GeoDetect® in 2011’, he tells us.
‘This solution offers a numbers of advantages. We can monitor the pressure and the temperature in the structure, and do so over large distances. After each metre a measuring point (sensor) is installed and that’s really a lot. No other system has that.’
Civil engineering is still only making modest use of monitoring systems in earthworks. Demand and interest are, however, growing: ‘Even if you use the best materials, you can never have complete certainty. For tunnels, dams and buildings it is already very common to work with sensors.’ This monitoring system can also be used in regions that are prone to earthquakes.
Product development, however, does not stand still. The TenCate GeoDetect® system is being further improved and the level of protection increased, for example through the use of new fibre optics.
www.tencategeosynthetics.com [email protected]
Storage of mining
waste assured
The retaining wall around a basin containing mining waste (tailings) at the Compañía Minera Antamina in Peru will be fitted with TenCate Geodetect®. This system monitors the condition of
embankments and dikes and registers every change, thus making it possible to prevent a dike breach and to ensure that the storage is safe.
MARKET – Civil engineering PROdUCT
– Geotextile with interwoven sensors
TECHNOLOGY – Extrusion and weaving
technology, coating and sensor technology
PROCESS – Fibre optics are interwoven
in geotextiles and connected up to measuring equipment
Storage of mining
waste assured
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TENCATE ANd THE ROLE OF NLR IN dUTCH AVIATION
Composite materials are being used in aircraft building to a growing extent and now account for approximately half the materials used in new generations of aircraft. TenCate Cetex® has already acquired a strong position in this branch. Although the demand for air traffic will only increase, this must not lead to increased air pollution, noise pollution or space occupation, and therefore technological innovation and sustainability in aircraft building are required. The developments in composite materials and the demand for these lightweight materials are good examples in this respect.
High-grade and innovative
Almost 100 companies in the Netherlands are active in developing, producing and supplying high-grade innovative products and services to aircraft builders such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer and Gulfstream. TenCate is one of these players. The Dutch aviation industry enjoys a good reputation abroad. ‘We’re acknowledged to be innovative and are the fifth aviation country in Europe,’ says Michel Peters, general director of National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR). There are two reasons for this: ‘Thanks to the history of Fokker, we have a creative aircraft industry
with integrated aircraft knowledge. With the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of Delft University of Technology, NLR, MKB, companies such as TenCate and spin-off enterprises such as Airborne, we have a good infrastructure in aviation knowledge at our disposal.’ Michel Peters has been confirmed in this view during various trade missions. ‘Russia, China and Brazil are happy to work with Dutch industries. And within Europe itself the European Commission is also extremely active in the field of aeronautics. As NLR we fully participate in European framework programmes. If you bring your knowledge and know-how, you’ll find a good seat at the table.’
Innovation cluster
Aircraft building falls under the top sector High Tech Systems & Materials. This is one of the five innovation clusters within the innovation policy in the Netherlands. TenCate and NLR take part in this too. When it comes to space and aerospace in the Netherlands, NLR is the central knowledge organization. NLR carries out applied research for the sector, working on the strategic accumulation of knowledge and developing with the business community concepts for use in making innovative, The dutch aviation industry enjoys a good reputation abroad. Two of the players in this industry are TenCate and the National Aerospace Laboratory. This knowledge organization is only too willing to make its expertise and facilities available to ‘the composite-loving Netherlands. Composite is a material on the rise, with the number of application possibilities increasing dramatically.’
Composite
- a material on the rise
Michel Peters, general director of the National Aerospace Laboratory
competitive products. NLR has such facilities as wind tunnels (for testing aircraft), simulators (for studying the safety of new flight procedures) and laboratory aircraft. The aim is to make flying safer, more sustainable and more efficient. TenCate has materials research carried out here. NLR is also involved in the development consortia TAPAS and TPRC.
Resources
‘In the Netherlands we need innovative products that the customer is willing to pay more for. I hope that the Dutch government will continue to make sufficient financial resources available for innovative research. I’m not entirely confident of this. Many good things stemmed from the Strategic Research Programme Aircraft Development but this was terminated in 2011. My plea is for a sound alternative. The Rutte Cabinet seems to go for fiscal regulations, such as the deduction of corporation tax. These regulations do not apply to not-for-profit-based knowledge organizations such as NLR, and you have to be aware of this.’
Composites cluster
In December 2011 NLR was one of the initiators of CompoWorld, a ‘composites cluster’ in
Flevoland. Research, government bodies and the specialized MKB are linked in this golden triangle to make knowledge of composites accessible to the business community and develop composites technology further and make it applicable for innovative products. NLR supports CompoWorld with knowledge, technology and facilities, and therefore high-grade employment opportunities can be created. ‘Composite is a material on the rise. Newer solutions are continually being discovered and growth in the number of applications is increasing significantly.’
Clean Sky
The sound reputation of the Dutch companies and knowledge institutes in the area of innovative processes and light clean materials and systems is evident from their role within the Clean Sky programme of the European Union. The aim is to make air traffic more environmentally friendly, for example by reducing CO2 emissions and noise pollution by 50%. ‘The aviation sector in the Netherlands is constantly concerned with sustainability,’ explains Michel Peters. ‘And this certainly applies to the operators too. KLM has been ranked first in the Dow Jones Sustainability
Index for the sixth successive time. This offers an economic advantage and confers a higher market value. Sustainability is in the DNA of our designers and operators.’
• Abroad the Dutch aviation industry is acknowledged to be innovative • The aim of knowledge building,
research and investigation by NLR is to make flying safer, more sustainable and more efficient
• Investments in knowledge, technology and networks with industry, knowledge organizations and government are helpful in strengthening the position of the Netherlands in aerospace
www.nlr.nl Continue to invest in knowledge, technology and networks with direct connections between industry, knowledge organizations and government
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TENCATE GEOTUbE
®TECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT IN HONG KONG
Kai Tak International Airport, the former international airport of Hong Kong, is undergoing a radical clean-up and revitalization operation. TenCate Geosynthetics is closely involved, as the TenCate Geotube® technology turned out to be the most cost-effective, most professional and, from the environmental perspective, most attractive solution.
Revitalization
of Kai Tak
Kai Tak was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 to 1998. The former airport is located in the business and residential district Kowloon City. This location and the approach route of the aeroplanes made Kai Tak
International Airport one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Over time the soil, the approach channel and the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter have become contaminated. The government wants to redevelop this area (320 ha) and plans a mix of housing and shops. So it is a matter of cleaning up in an environmentally responsible way the contaminated sludge that has accumulated over the years. Moreover provision is made for improving the banks of the associated waterways and constructing a piled deck for the Metro Park.
A total of 140,000 m3 of contaminated sludge must be removed, dewatered and stored − which corresponds to 7,000 truckloads! The
contamina-ted sediments will be stored in TenCate Geotube® containers and shipped to the westerly situated East Sha Chau for disposal in the confined contaminated mud pits located offshore of the new Chek Lap Kok Airport. The Geotube® containers have to survive free fall through over 30 m of water and impact with the seabed, and a total of 800 TenCate Geotube® containers will be used for storage and dewatering.
Land disposal is very expensive in Hong Kong but with TenCate Geotube® the sludge can be removed in an economically and environmentally responsible way. Furthermore, the customer was highly impressed with the professional approach of TenCate Geosynthetics.
MARKET – Environment and infrastructure
(hydraulic engineering applications) PROdUCT
– TenCate Geotube® GT950 TECHNOLOGY
– Extrusion, weaving and coating technol-ogy in combination with polymer technoltechnol-ogy
PROCESS – Storage and dewatering of
(conta-minated) sludge and sand
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TENCATE INVOLVEd IN EdUCATION ANd RESEARCH IN THE REGION
Saxion is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in our country. Saxion has developed into a knowledge institute with occupation-oriented education and research. These institutes and the business community and government form the vertices of what is sometimes called the ‘golden triangle’. And here the contribution of the field of work (undertakings, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and institutes) must be as intensive as possible. ‘We exist by the grace of the job market,’ says Wim Boomkamp, chairman of the Executive Board. ‘We want to educate students in a way that achieves maximum synchronization with the wishes of the organization.’ This can be an international undertaking such as TenCate or an SME.
New educational programmes
He gives two examples to illustrate this. Ten years ago the higher textile training course (dating back 150 years, it was the oldest training course bar one in the Netherlands) was in dire straits. The curriculum was rewritten, new
materials were introduced, and new instructors shaped by occupational practice arrived. The gulf between education and the business world has now been completely closed. The intake of students is large − and international. In addition, the educational programme Art & Technology has been initiated, where students are taught to combine creativity with the latest technological developments. ‘It deals with devising technical solutions for smart applications. Children today are growing up in a world of creativity and new materials. You have to introduce technology into the life of young people right from the beginning. A company like TenCate must feature much more prominently in education in order to hammer home once more the identification with the innovative manufacturing industry.’
Intensify and innovate
Saxion is devoting this academic year to intensifying the relationship with the field of work. Innovation of products, services and processes is becoming increasingly important as a source of prosperity for the Netherlands.
According to Wim Boomkamp, the expansion and strengthening of practice-oriented research at universities of applied sciences make a necessary and substantial contribution in this respect. This innovation must take place in the networks (‘small workplaces’) of companies and institutes. In this, Saxion can generate, share and disseminate practice-oriented knowledge. ‘TenCate is an important partner
for us. Company, region and Saxion can utilize one another’s potential to an even greater extent as far as high-grade innovation is concerned.’ The opportunities to ‘capitalize’ on knowledge and technology must therefore be more closely scrutinized. The knowledge institute also expects to contribute to new employment, for example in the form of spin-offs. In this respect, Saxion has an excellent service record − like that of the University of Twente (UT) − with a considerable number of successful spin-offs. Former students of Saxion currently head companies of their own in fields such as ICT, facility services, and the health and food sectors.
Innovation and the role
of education
There is an important role to be played in innovation by employers (business community), government, education and research. Occupation-oriented universities of applied sciences must offer educational programmes that meet the needs of the business community, and participate in the networks of institutes and companies such as TenCate. Saxion University of Applied Sciences is effectively carving the way in this respect, and TenCate and Saxion can gain from each other.
