BEIJING, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's first
fullscale production facility making breakthrough composite power
distribution poles has opened by Dulhunty Power Ltd., in
Australia. The composite poles are
the first to provide strength, durability and fire resistance by
combining the three technologies of filament-winding,
high-performance concrete and alkali-resistant (AR) glass
reinforcements.
(Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100915/CL63318 )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100915/CL63318
)
Developed by CMT Worldwide and Langdale Industries, the
Eco-Titan™ composite pole is made with lightweight concrete, Owens
Corning CemFIL® AR glass fibers and a vertical winding process that
maximizes the performance of the raw materials and includes no
metal. The result is:
- Glass fiber reinforcement percentage by weight of 15 percent,
which is three times the 5 percent typically achieved in a
glassreinforced concrete application
- Total weight that is less than half the weight of a comparable
wooden pole while achieving break and deflection test results that
are well within current standards
- Non-flammable and impervious to the ultraviolet (UV) rays in
sunshine
- Non-corrosive, nonconductive and no electromagnetic
interference
A study comparing the carbon footprint of the composite concrete
pole with other poles typically used found the composite concrete
pole to have the smallest carbon footprint of any of the
manufactured poles. It was second only to treated wood at the
50-year expected lifespan of the wooden pole. At the projected
70-year lifespan for the composite concrete pole, the carbon
footprint of the composite pole was clearly superior.
According to CMT Worldwide, the global distribution pole market
is moving to engineered products for safety, cost and ease of use.
The share of market for alternative materials is now approaching
40 percent and expected to continue growing rapidly in the
next five to 10 years.
"Eco-Titan™ composite poles are the first truly new product for
the power distribution market in 15 years," says Allen Sells, president of CMT Worldwide. "Our
combination of materials and process technology results in an
incredibly strong high-performance pole with excellent
strength-to-weight qualities and the lowest carbon footprint of any
manufactured pole product."
Owens Corning supported development of the composite concrete
pole with technology for the reinforcements and fabrics. The
company's Cem-FIL® AR glass reinforcements provide strength and
durability in a wide variety of cement- and mortar-based composite
applications including new and restored building facades,
industrial flooring and tunnel lining.
"Glass fiber-reinforced concrete poles combine the benefits of
composites and concrete," said Benoit Lorre, business development
leader, Cem-FIL® glass fibers. "The result is a strong, lightweight
and fire-safe pole that gives the market another way to move to
composites and away from wood."
Dulhunty Power was the first licensee outside North America. Poles from the company's plant
in Moolap, Victoria provide a
needed option for utilities facing the threat of bushfire events
each summer. Huge fires in the state of Victoria in February
2009 burned poles and downed power lines.
Fire testing was carried out earlier this year at Western Fire
Center, Inc., in Kelso, Wash.,
USA. The twostep process subjected poles to accelerated weathering
and direct flame. The test report from Western Fire said the
composite concrete poles demonstrated performance they deem
"Excellent."
The Eco-Titan™ composite pole was a finalist in the JEC
Innovation Awards program for 2010 and was displayed at the JEC
show in Paris in April. The
technology is now being licensed globally. For more information,
visit www.titanpoles.net.
For more about CemFIL® AR glass fibers, visit
www.ocvreinforcements.com/solutions/Cem_FIL.asp.
About Owens Corning
Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) is a leading global producer of glass
fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems
and residential and commercial building materials. A Fortune 500
company for 56 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to
driving sustainability through delivering solutions, transforming
markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning had
sales of $4.8 billion in 2009 and
about 16,000 employees in 28 countries on five continents. OCV™
Reinforcements, OCV™ Technical Fabrics and OCV™ Non-Woven
Technologies are the three main business units that make up the
Owens Corning Composite Solutions Business. The business delivers a
broad range of reinforcement products that provide lightweight
alternatives to steel, wood and aluminum, thereby reducing weight
and improving energy efficiency. Additional information is
available at www.owenscorning.com.
About CMT Worldwide LLC
CMT Worldwide and Composite Materials Technology (CMT),
headquartered in Roswell, Ga., are
leading developers and manufacturers of innovative, high-quality
composite and concrete poles. CMT serves three markets with
innovative engineered products – lighter duty structures for
lighting markets, high-performance poles for the distribution
utility markets, and multi-purpose products for the security and
wireless networking markets.
About Dulhunty Power Ltd.
Dulhunty Power (ASX:DUL) is a manufacturer and supplier of
quality Electricity Transmission and Distribution products. The
company has manufacturing plants in Australia (Sydney), China (Yangzhou), Thailand (Bangkok) and Malaysia (Darul
Ehsan), as well as sales offices in New Zealand (Auckland), North
America and Hong Kong.
(1) Eco-Titan is a trademark of CMT Worldwide
SOURCE Owens Corning
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