Jun 5 2013
Owens Corning, a global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems and residential and commercial building materials, has announced a strategic alliance with glass fiber producer Taishan Fiberglass, a subsidiary of China National Materials Group, Sinoma, to grow the use of Alkali Resistant (AR) specialty glass products sold under the brands Cem-FIL®, Anti–CRAK®, Slurry-FIL™ throughout the world.
Manufacturing for the alliance will be based in China and supported by Owens Corning global research and development centers which will provide product and application development for these specialty reinforcements. To ensure commercial focus and success, Taishan will concentrate in China, ASEAN, Japan, Korea, South Africa and Saudi Arabia markets with Owens Corning serving markets located throughout the rest of the world.
According to Owens Corning Group President Arnaud Genis, "We believe a bright future exists for glass reinforcements to be used in cement materials, the largest materials market in the world. With Owens Corning's history of invention and pioneering in glass fiber reinforcements, together with Taishan's strong manufacturing experience in China and Sinoma's experience in cement materials and engineering, this alliance is the right combination to bring growth to AR glass reinforcements for the foreseeable future."
Cem-FIL® is a "High Performance" Alkali Resistant glass fiber, engineered to reinforce concrete to prevent plastic, thermal and dry shrinkage cracking. Cem-FIL® increases flexural strength and ductility, and adds toughness to concrete. Since their development and launch in 1970, Alkali Resistant glass fibers have been used in more than 120 countries for the reinforcement of cement and concrete products. They are best known for their use in factory-produced GRC elements (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete), but the range of Anti-CRAK® fibers has been recently expanded for use in the general ready-mix concrete and precast industries (e.g. flooring, thin-walled elements).