Basanite Industries Positions Itself with Federal Agencies and Municipalities
POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Nov. 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Basanite Industries LLC (OTC: BASA) (hereinafter “Basanite”) continues to work with government agencies and industry leading precast manufacturers to raise the profile of basalt fiber reinforced polymer as the answer to eliminating corrosion in concrete structures.
“In North America, and across the globe, the concrete industry is moving toward greater sustainability in manufacturing and increasing resiliency in structures,” said Richard Krolewski, Basanite CEO. “BFRP fits both of these profiles. Our BasaFlex™ reinforcement product has a low carbon footprint, and the non-corrosive aspects that make it highly resilient.”
Gregory Cline, P.E., a retired subject matter expert with the Federal Aviation Agency and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, had worked with Krolewski on the FAA’s recent airfield construction specification update. Cline, who is now a member of the Basanite Board of Directors, said the update was significant in that it added a certification requirement for precast concrete to emphasize quality control and safety throughout all specifications with a further goal of extending the useful life of pavement and supporting structures.
“Agencies and owners of structures are increasingly requesting or requiring that they want new projects to last longer with less worry, or elimination of premature repairs,” Cline said. Non-corrosive reinforcement like BFRP, “can assist in changing how engineers are educated and how they approach design.” The current thinking is, “design to a relatively short life, or in other words, ‘design to fail,’” Cline said. “Incorporating materials such as BFRP in new construction gives the engineer the possibility to ‘design to maintain’ without the expected short life of structures in the past.”
Krolewski is currently talking with a variety of federal agencies, state DOTs and municipalities to gain acceptance of BFRP. In addition, Kelly Patterson, P.E., a member of the Basanite Board of Directors, is working with an engineering firm to develop software to incorporate BFRP into designs. The company is also working with several large precast manufacturers to replace black steel and epoxy coated rebar with BFRP in their designs.
Krolewski expects the acceptance of BFRP to continue growing as the company continues to promote its advantages.
“The Florida DOT is now accepting designs that include BFRP,” Krolewski said. “One of the reasons is because of the vast amount of concrete corrosion in Florida due to coastal weather conditions. BasaFlex™ is ideal for all types of structures, but it is particularly important in regions where engineers are looking to extend the life of concrete exposed to salt water and other naturally corrosive elements,” he added.
“The Navy has a new criterion for pier construction that specifies a 100-year design life,” Krolewski said. “This is a perfect example of how project owners are thinking about infrastructure today and why BFRP is positioned to play an important role in the next generation of infrastructure construction.”
Basanite Industries LLC manufactures BasaFlex™ an enhanced basalt rebar, engineered to add intrinsic value in a concrete structure by eliminating corrosion problems often associated with intervening products or elements, or naturally caused by the steel reinforcement itself. The company is working to position itself as the recognized leader in the engineered composite rebar market for the concrete industry.
About the company: Basanite Inc. is a publicly traded company that wholly owns Basanite Industries LLC, with primary interests in the manufacture of concrete reinforcement products made from basalt fiber reinforced polymers.
Forward-looking statements: This release contains the company's forward-looking statements which are based on management's current expectations and assumptions as of November 13, 2019, regarding the company's business and performance, its prospects, current factors, the economy, and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances, and results.
For More Information: Richard Krolewski, CEO, (954) 532-4653, ext. 101
