Innovations get together for a better future/Geosynthetics enjoy huge potential applications
Under the Belt and Road Initiative, nowadays the demand for geosynthetics will be greater than ever all over the world. Though the largest consumer of geosynthetics in the world, China saw development of geotextiles only from 1990s when the scale of enterprises was relatively small, and the product grades were also low. However, today the companies have been enjoying high-grade products with rich varieties.
According to Mr. Li Lingshen, in 2018, the total fiber processing of industrial textiles accounted for 28% of the textile industry, and geotextiles accounted for 6.76% of industrial textiles. Since 2013, China’s geotextiles production has grown at an average annual rate of 9.28%, reaching 1,062,400 tons in 2018. At present, there are about 500 geotextiles companies in China, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises producing non-woven geotextiles. In the future, China’s geotextiles will continue to grow by about 7.5%, and the value increase will become an important driving force for the growth of China’s geotextiles industry. Mr. Todd Berger, Senior Editor of Geosynthetics magazine, also stated that geotextiles and geomembranes have a huge market in North America, which currently has 40 to 50 manufacturers in North America; in 2019 U.S. / Canadian geosynthetics market in 2019 sees 2.8 billion USD, an increase of 4% to 5% compared to 2018.
During the symposium, various innovations were shared by a majority of experts from different countries for common development. Mr. Pietro Pezzano from Maccaferri introduced a new type of drainage geotechnical composite. Erol Guler from Bogazici University focused on several innovative solutions for geosynthetic reinforcements. Tian Dingfeng Holdings Co., Ltd. invested 170 million RMB to build a 10,000-ton production line, and achieved the first industrialized production of high-strength polypropylene spunbond needle-punched geotextiles in China. Italy Farè has developed advanced technology for the production of PP spunbond nonwoven geotextiles for reference by nonwovens manufacturers. Han-Yong Jeon from Inha University in South Korea introduced the latest technological advances and trends in geosynthetics used in landfills. Ingo Mählmann from Oerlikon introduced new technologies for the production of polypropylene geotextiles in China.
This symposium will integrate resources between cultures and nations. It will build a bridge for Asia, Europe, and the other regions in the world as well as a platform for the industry to better communicate with each other, promoting common sustainable development of the industry.