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Fibertex SA’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant
Fibertex SA’s quality control laboratory
Fibertex South Africa manufactured locally in South Africa Fibertex’s main objective is to remain at the leading edge and to ensure its customers have optimal solutions related to their specific needs. In pursuing its vision to enlarge its position globally Fibertex AS, based in Denmark and one of the world’s largest geotextile manufacturers for the past 44 years, invested in South Africa to form Fibertex SA ( Pty) Ltd a joint venture between Fibertex A/S, Safyr (Pty) Ltd and the IFU ( International Funding Unit.The company, based in Hammarsdale, is now the largest manufacturer of nonwoven polypropylene and polyester geotextiles in Africa.
South Africa
Fibertex SA manufactures a versatile range of its internationally proven Fibertex™, nonwoven, needlepunched, staple fibre geotextiles. These geotextiles are designed specifically for use in civil engineering construction works, the building industry, dagriculture, marine and coastal engineering. The most common applications are roadworks, drainage and filtration systems, hydraulic works, dam, river and water structures, mining applications, waste disposal (landfills),ground systems and erosion control to name a few. Fibertex’s quality management system is certified in accordance with the most comprehensive standards set by the international organisation DQS, the German equivalent of the South African Bureau of Standards, and IQNet (the German controlling body), namely ISO 9001:2008. This means that the quality management system has been implemented and verified at all levels within the organisation. The ISO quality management system accreditation benefits both customers and suppliers. The net result is that customers are guaranteed satisfaction when dealing with suppliers. Fibertex SA’s factory is based in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, with ourhead office and a regional office on the same site. Geotextiles Africa is Fibertex’s agent and distributorwith regional offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Between the two companies we have a wealth of experience and knowledge for clients, design engineers, specifiers and contractors to draw on. Fibertex SA has noted additional opportunities continually arising in other regions of the African continent, the Indian Ocean Islands, Australia and New Zealand.In keeping with our strategic goal to be close to our customers we have established
a sales force teamdedicated to servicing these specific regions, and to setting up subsidiaries and distribution networks. Furthermore, over the years the company has set up strategic partnerships in the quest for growth and synergy. The Fibertex and Geotextiles Africa team actively offer technical advice, installation assistance and training within the entire African, Indian Ocean and Australasianregion. A worldwide technical service is offered by visiting our website, www.fibertex.com. The site has upto-date company, product and technical literature: all of which can be downloaded. Fibertex’s global success has been demonstrated through the supply of geotextiles into some of the world’s largest construction projects, examples of which include: Hong Kong International Airport, the world’s largest single landreclamation where more than 7 million m² of Fibertex F-4M and F-1000M were chosen to stabilise and separate the subbase and as filtration layers in the protection works of the 13 km of coastline. Palm Islands, Dubai, considered the‘eighth’wonder of the world. This project entailed reclamation of land from the sea by constructing two islands directly in the sea off Dubai. Fibertex geotextile was used in the stabilisation of the 27.5 km x 200 m wide breakwaters on the two islands. The durability of thegeotextiles selected had to withstand stones weighing between 10 tons and 500 kgs. Two resort and residential reclamation projects were then constructed on the islands. Within South Africa,Fibertex SAhas alsosuccessfully supplied geotextiles to a number of prestigious projects. Geotextiles Africa secured orders for the supply of Fibertex geotextiles from our local production into three of the largest projects in the past three years,namely: • The Namibian Road Authority’s road rehabilitation project, with 1 000 000 m² of FiberSeal™ AM2-SA. • The ash-tailings dams at Medupi Power Station, with 850 000 m² of Fibertex™ GRI 13 class 2 geotextile; and • The Kusile Power Station,currently requiring 3.5 million m²of Fibertex™ F-750M SA protection geotextile. Eskom, the national power utility/supply company, has commenced construction of two new coal-
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driven power stations at Medupi. Following strict environmental laws the ash-deposit dams must be lined with geocomposite lining systems. Within the design of these systems the Fibertex geotextiles are used as separation and protection layers. Geotextiles Africa has supplied 850 000 m²of Fibertex GRI 13 class 2 separation-grade geotextile. Significantly, Fibertex has the capability of developing specific geotextiles and supplying geotextiles that meet stringent international specified grades. Of historical interest is the fact that Fibertex AS, then a subsidiary of the East Asiatic Company, supplied geotextiles to a number of projects through anoffice in Southern Africa, dating back to 1977. One project was in Namibia for the South-West African Administration of Roads Department. A road was built bypassing Rehoboth, 90 km south of Windhoek. The road crossed several flat, sandy flood plains by means of cellular-type bridge structures. The bridge foundations are protected from effects of scour by means of Reno mattresses. A layer of Fibertex S-300 was placed as a filtration layer below the Reno mattresses. Thirty-five years later the Namibian Road Authority is currently rehabilitating the same road as part of a regional project.The rehabilitation consists of a new single-seal wearing course. Pothole repair and crack-sealing are undertaken before full-width geotextile overlay with FiberSeal AM2-SA. In keeping with global geotextile requirements Fibertex SA is able to manufacture products to many international specifications and test standards. These specification and standards include the American Standards (ASTM), Australian (AS), European and International ISO (EN – ISO) and South Africa (SANS). Fibertex South Africa supports Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), a government policy to advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation ofall people in the South African economy. Rod Claus Tel +27 (0)31 7367100 Fax +27 (0)31 736-7115 Cell +27 (0)83 2512299 rcl@fibertex.com October 2012