TENCATE is finding that its “direct approach” is paying the company rich dividends in the Middle East. The global leader in advanced technical textiles has been promoting geosynthetics in the region for more than 40 years but only recently started interacting directly with its clients.

 “We are directly in touch with clients, consultants and contractors through our Dubai office, providing them excellent technical support services and competitive prices along with a quality product,” says Sandeep Kharwandikar, regional manager for TenCate Geosynthetics Gulf and Middle East.

“Ever since we started implementing this policy across the GCC, we have received positive response from clients and we now look forward to build on it,” he adds.

Kharwandikar says the company is putting a lot of efforts into educating its clients on the environmental benefits of geosynthetics as compared to traditional construction methods in reducing the carbon footprint.

Geosynthetics are technical fabrics, which can be used in a wide range of applications, such as road and railway earthworks; foundations and retaining structures; drainage works; river banks and coastal areas; hydraulic structures; waste storage centres and industrial basins; paving; and walls and slopes.

TenCate Geosynthetics Europe, the Middle East and Africa (Emea) designs, produces, markets and sells geosynthetic solutions for geotechnical problems in civil engineering applications in the Emea and the CIS. These include solutions for soil reinforcement and separation and filtration for civil sites; paving; water and environment; agro and industrial fabrics; and monitoring earthworks.

The company offers the most appropriate solution to meet the specific technical characteristics of each project, thanks to its wide range of quality products, its flexible production; and broad knowledge and expertise.

In addition, its engineers can offer customers tailor-made solutions, backed by design advice and quick and easy delivery. “We leverage our application knowledge and textile technology competence through a systematic approach and generate profitable growth for our customers,” says Kharwandikar.

The company’s popular brands include TenCate Polyfelt, Bidim and Miragrid, Geolon, Geotube and Mirafi. Its Polyfelt range, for instance, is offered in a number of varieties to suit the specific application such as Polyfelt TS, which is recommended for separation, F for filtration applications, DN/DC and Megadrain for drainage, Rock PEC for soil reinforcement, Polymat for erosion control, and PGM14, PGM-G and PGMG-E for paving.

Other products offered by Tencate for these applications include Geolon PE ranges for filtration applications, Miragrid GX and Geolon PET and PP ranges for soil reinforcement and Envirofelt Co ranges for erosion control.

It also provides the GeoDetect solution for monitoring.

TenCate is an innovative and technology-driven multinational company with a turnover of around €1 billion ($1.319 billion) and approximately 4,500 employees worldwide. The company focuses on four specialised activities, namely safety and protection; space and aerospace; environment and infrastructure; and sports and leisure.

The environment and infrastructure segment is handled by TenCate Geosynthetics, which covers three large market areas: North and South America; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia.

TenCate Geosynthetics has seen its products employed on many projects, contributing to quality infrastructure in the Gulf region. These include the Lusail development and Qatar Foundation projects in Qatar; Yas and Saadiyat Islands in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai International Airport, in the UAE; the Saudi-Bahrain Causeway, and King Fahad International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to name a few.

Its materials are approved by government entities such as Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Asghal), and Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC), Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea), Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai, and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) of the UAE. It is also a registered vendor to oil companies such as Qatar Petroleum, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Saudi Aramco.

Kharwandikar says clients and consultants can get in touch with the company’s local technical personnel to obtain geosynthetic solutions at short notice, adding that its Middle East sales force and stocks of materials provide effective support contractors for timely completion of the projects.