end-user marketing geosynthetics / advanced composites - TenCate

2011 | number 3 | autumn 

THEME: END-USER MARKETING GEOSYNTHETICS / ADVANCED COMPOSITES

txtures 3 - 

autumn 2011 

The company 

Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multinational company 

which combines textile technology with chemical 

processes in the development and production of 

functional materials. Cost-effective applications 

(product-market-technology combinations) which focus 

on growth markets have been or will be created around 

this technological base. 

TenCate materials are used mainly for personal safety 

and for the protection of the living and working 

environment; modernization of equipment used by the 

armed forces, fire fighters and police; space and 

aerospace (lower fuel costs due to lighter materials); 

water management, infrastructure and care for the 

environment; and industrial applications. 

txtures 3 

The theme (Connected through) end-user marketing 

occupies a central role in txtures 2011. This 48-page 

autumn edition of txtures includes articles about: 

End-user marketing TenCate Geosynthetics 4 

End-user marketing TenCate Advanced Composites 10 

TenCate in Thailand 16 

Open Innovation Centre for Advanced Materials 18 

Results for first half of 2011 - the background 24 

Inkjet technology at speed 28 

New solutions for ballistic threats 32 

Torsion box for Airbus 34 

2 txtures | number 3 | autumn 2011 

TenCate business model 

CONNECTED THROUGH END-USER MARKETING 

TenCate develops and produces functional 

materials and focuses on worldwide trends 

in the areas of safety / protection and sustainability 

/ environment, and related issues. The 

company seeks to lead in offering sustainable 

solutions to complex problems concerning 

personal protection and the protection of the 

personal environment. 

TenCate 

and the 

end-user 

TenCate supplies, develops and produces solution-oriented concepts 

(materials, modules and systems). The aim of the company strategy is to make 

customers aware of these concepts and their advantages through end-user 

marketing. TenCate wants to be connected with end-users through end-user 

marketing in order to know what motivates them and what specifications and 

demands they impose on materials and systems. 

The end-user marketing of TenCate Geosynthetics 

and TenCate Advanced Composites 

is the focal point of txtures 3. Both groups are 

important players in world markets, where 

environmental effects and sustainability are 

playing an increasingly significant role.

Production of geosynthetics at the facility in Nijverdal 

3


CONNECTED THROUGH END-USER MARKETING – TENCATE GEOSYNTHETICS 

Strengthening 

and supporting 

TenCate Geosynthetics produces wovens (woven materials), non-wovens (fleeces) and grids in the United States, 

the Netherlands, Malaysia and China. These are supplied worldwide and applied in infrastructure, civil engineering, 

the building trade, and the environment sector. The market group is divided into four business units: separation & filtration 

(non-wovens), reinforcement & paving (fabrics, grids and non-wovens), water & environment and industrial fabrics. 

Examples of applications are motorway and 

railway installations, reinforced retaining 

walls and slopes (mechanically stabilized 

earth), erosion control and bank protection, 

waste processing, water management and 

the monitoring of vital structures such as 

water basins. Geosynthetics are part of the 

total construction. Although they are nearly 

always out of sight, they perform an important 

supporting and strengthening function and 

therefore have functional added value. 

Often the materials must satisfy national 

and/or international norms or standards. 

That’s why the group works according to 

a solution-oriented systems approach 

Functional added value 

Within the framework of end-user marketing, 

TenCate Geosynthetics is seeking not only 

reinforcement of its position in the project 

market, but also local cooperation with 

partners in emerging markets and a stronger 

position in ‘green construction’. In the United 

States and South America, TenCate is pursuing 


a pull-through strategy that targets end-users 

with technical support and promotion. In this 

respect the engineering business manager is 

devoting his efforts to getting specifications 

established with end-users and influencers 

in the project design chain. Civil engineers, 

executing agencies and contractors can also 

obtain technical advice and support regarding 

the use of geosynthetics. TenCate’s technical 

specialists know how to translate a basic 

design into materials and characteristics. 

Presence 

The biggest markets are Asia, the United 

States and - on the European scale - France, 

Germany, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. 

China, India and South America are emerging 

markets as far as the use of geosynthetics is 

concerned. No other geosynthetics provider 

rivals TenCate in terms of worldwide presence. 

Local presence means that the sales personnel 

speak the local language and are familiar with 

the culture, which often proves advantageous 

for TenCate. Although in a large majority of 

cases, product (specification) and price are 

the assessment criteria, a contract is also 

awarded on the basis of tender acceptance 

(‘know and award’) and reference projects. 

Geosynthetics is still a growth market in Asia 

and South America. TenCate Geosynthetics 

is working to strengthen its position in 

this rapidly growing region, partly through 

the acquisition of geosynthetics activities 

by Emas Kiara in Malaysia. This applies 

especially to applications in environmental 

and infrastructural projects and water 

management. Efforts in the field of (end-user) 

marketing have also been intensified in Central 

America, with TenCate seeking cooperation 

with local partners in emerging markets. 

Diversity of end-users 

The four business units of TenCate 

Geosynthetics serve a diversity of customers 

and end-users, including landowners, 

project developers (commercial and house 

building) and distributors, contractors, 

power companies, the mining industry, 

Continued on page 7

TenCate geosynthetics are used for example in the construction of railways, where they have a 

major supporting and strengthening function, such as ground reinforcement. 

5



6 txtures | number 3 | autumn 2011

TenCate geosynthetics are used in the construction of a basin for water storage. Eventually they will be com - 

pletely hidden from view, but as part of the overall construction, they have an essential functional added value. 

Continued from page 5 

specification writers, and government 

bodies such as the Public Works Department, 

the Federal Highway Administration and 

the US Army Corps of Engineers. 

The main customers of, in particular, the 

business units separation & filtration and 

reinforcement & paving are distributors. 

They supply contractors and building sites with a 

wide range of materials and also keep materials 

in stock. Where it’s a case of large projects with 

significant volumes, the contractor as end-user 

directly approaches the producer (for instance 

TenCate). Efforts are being made to strengthen the 

position in the project market through alliances. 

‘Major projects are frequently cross-border 

in character,’ explains Jan-Willem Heezen, 

marketing director industrial fabrics within the 

group. ‘A project using geosynthetics in Poland 

may well involve a German designer, with the 

work being carried out by a Spanish contractor.’ 

System partners 

The application of TenCate Geotube ® systems 

is usually implemented in cooperation with 

system partners. Introducing and marketing 

more complex system solutions of this kind 

can be accelerated through partnerships. 

TenCate has preferred partners within each 

geographical region, and here government 

authorities are the end-users. In addition 

a distinction should be made between 

dewatering (the dewatering and filtering 

of sludge) and marine (structures such as 

breakwaters and land reclamation). One of 

TenCate’s partners is Ashland Hercules Water 

Technologies, which supplies polymers for 

water management with TenCate Geotube ® . 

Roctest, the world’s biggest manufacturer 

of glass-fibre sensors for civil-technological 

engineering applications, is system partner 

in the application of TenCate GeoDetect ® . 

This is a monitoring system based on 

TenCate fabrics for vital constructions 

(dykes, embankments slopes, basins etc.). 

Continued on page 8 

7




Functionalities 

‘As a rule customers and end-users are not 

interested in a product but in the solution to 

their problem,’ says John Henderson (senior 

vice-president TenCate Geosynthetics North 

America). They also expect high-quality 

functional materials that are both light and 

strong for a competitive price. ‘They are 

typically willing to pay a higher price for a 

product as long as the total solution offered 

is the best solution for their circumstances.’ 

The quality is guaranteed by ISO certification, 

CE marking and internal quality controls. 

Functionalities usually relate to the strength, 

the thickness / weight and shrinkage / elasticity 

ratios in products, filtration, reinforcement 

and separation (for example, of sand and 

gravel). The functionalities are determined in 

talks with contractors and owners. Generally 

speaking, although the contractor and government 

authorities as well as the designer are 

approached, the focus is on the specification 

writer. When it comes to environmental and infrastructural 

projects, for example, this is often 

the design bureau. TenCate endeavours to get 

its materials prescribed (specified) by government 

authorities and local customers via the 

specifications. The more TenCate succeeds in 

this respect, the more the distributor benefits. 

Contact 

There is regular contact with the end-user. 

This can be through a ‘home’ visit, at trade 

fairs or through support in the design phase. In 

addition TenCate Geosynthetics organizes road 

shows, conferences, field demos (application 

of materials and systems in practice) and 

workshops. Moreover, information is provided 

on the website, in trade journals, and via 

In the context of end-use marketing strong brand names are expressly linked to the TenCate corporate brand name. 

In their markets TenCate Nicolon ® , TenCate MirafiUnivers and TenCate Geolon ® are widely known by customers and end-users. 


YouTube, where video clips highlight solutions 

using TenCate geosynthetics. Many end-users 

are also present at technical conferences, 

such as those organized in the United States 

by the Transportation Research Board. 

These contacts contribute to the increased 

visibility of TenCate in the markets and, where 

possible, this happens in collaboration with 

the network of dealers and sales people. 

Strong brand names 

TenCate Nicolon ® is still recognized as an 

exceptionally strong brand by customers and 

end-users in industrial fabrics worldwide. 

‘In the mushroom industry you buy a TenCate 

Nicolon ® growing or pulling net,’ says Jan- 

Willem Heezen, ‘while in the sugar processing 

industry sugar beet are covered with a TenCate 

TopTex ® fleece.’ The same brand recognition 

applies to TenCate Polyfelt® and TenCate

Bidim ® . In the United States most customers 

and end-users know TenCate via the brand 

names TenCate Geotube ® and TenCate Mirafi ® . 

Within the framework of end-user marketing 

these strong brands are expressly coupled 

with the corporate brand name TenCate. 

CO 2 footprint 

Environmental effects and sustainability 

are playing an increasingly important role in 

the markets of TenCate Geosynthetics, and 

‘sustainable building’ and the positive environmental 

aspects of geosynthetics are attracting 

growing attention. Environmental aspects are 

therefore more explicitly handled in the design 

and specifications as well as in the marketing. 

The application of geosynthetics has positive 

environmental affects. For example, materials 

available locally (sand, sediment) can be 

utilized. Unlike traditional materials such as 

concrete, stone and steel, these do not have to 

be brought in from elsewhere. As a rule land 

reclamation can be accomplished with considerably 

less dredging work. This has a positive 

influence on the CO 2 footprint of a project. 

Sustainability 

There are regional differences. In the United 

States there is already a lot of ‘buzz’ around 

sustainability, and aspects such as environment 

and sustainability are becoming a requirement 

to do business rather than differentiating 

factors. In TenCate MiraGreen ® D, TenCate 

has a recycled non-woven for drainage 

purposes. In South America the realization of 

environmental clean-up demands has become 

more prevalent, and increasingly environmental 

projects are being initiated. ‘This applies 

particularly in the more developed countries, 

such as Brazil and Chile,’ explains John 

Storage of TenCate geosynthetics at the facility in Bezons (France). 

Henderson. ‘Brazil is on the eve of major 

events such as the Olympic Games and the 

World Cup, and is under pressure to tackle 

environmental pollution and clean it up.’ 

The terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘carbon footprint’ 

have already entered the language at European 

level, while sustainable purchasing is hot 

with government authorities. A calculator 

has been developed for TenCate Geotube ® 

that computes the environmental benefit per 

application. This is available on request. 

www.tencategeosynthetics.com 

geosynthetics.america@tencate.com 

geosynthetics.asia@tencate.com 

geosynthetics.europe@tencate.com 

www.tencateindustrialfabrics.com 

industrialfabrics.europe@tencate.com 

9


CONNECTED THROUGH END-USER MARKETING – TENCATE ADVANCED COMPOSITES 

Airworthy 

composites 

TenCate Advanced Composites (Space & Aerospace Composites and Industrial Composites) develops 

and manufactures in the United States and Europe advanced composite materials, compounds and 

systems for the space and aerospace industry and for industrial applications, including automotive 

and industrial components, and applications for energy extraction. The group is a global player in the 

space and aerospace sector, while now there are also opportunities for the application of composite 

materials in areas such as the automotive industry and oil and gas extraction. 


Composite materials from TenCate are used in, among other things, parts of the skin, 

the supporting framework of solar cells, antennas, the communication dishes and heat 

shields of satellites and space exploration craft. 

Continued on page 12



Thermoplastic composites are being used increasingly frequently in the aircraft industry, where they are 

replacing traditional materials such as aluminium. 



TenCate Advanced Composites develops 

and manufactures both thermoplastic 

and thermoset composite materials. 

A thermoplastic is a fibre-reinforced plastic 

that becomes soft when heated and can then 

be easily moulded into the right shape. The 

characteristics of thermoplastics include low 

production costs, resistance to fire and toxic 

smoke, unlimited and non-conditioned storage, 

and increased toughness. Thermoplastics are 

applied in the aircraft industry, but are still 

restricted in high-load-bearing aircraft parts. 

In principle all thermoplastics are recyclable. 

A thermoset stays hard and finally disintegrates 

when heated. Thermoset composite 

materials can withstand extreme temperatures, 

are tremendously strong and low in weight. 

Thermoset composites are applied mainly in the 

military aviation sector and the space industry. 

Advanced (thermoplastic) composites from 

TenCate − TenCate Cetex ® and TenCate 

Thermo-Lite ® − are applied especially in the 

space and aerospace sector. Examples include 

components for commercial and military 

aircraft, business jets such as Gulfstream and 

Cirrus, satellites, and space reconnaissance 

vehicles such as the Phoenix Mars Lander. 

In the value chain 

TenCate’s major customers in civil aviation 

are the original equipment manufacturers 

(OEMs) Airbus and Boeing, followed by 

Embraer and directly related suppliers. 

These are the tier 1 partners (suppliers of 

systems). TenCate Advanced Composites 

belongs to tiers 2 and 3 (suppliers of parts 

and components) and to the suppliers of 

composite material, a preceding link in the 

value chain. They obtain their raw materials 

from the producers of resins, polymers and 

fibres. The end-users are aircraft buyers: in 

civil aviation the aircraft companies, in the 

military sector the defence industry. When 

it comes to end-user marketing, TenCate 

targets OEMs, the so-called specifying body.

Working and developing together 

TenCate already collaborates a good deal with 

Fokker Aerostructures (tier 1), for example in 

the case of Gulfstream aircraft. The company 

is also involved as technology partner in the 

development of materials and in their 

application in the design of new generations of 

aircraft. Examples include development consortia 

such as TAPAS (including Airbus) and TPRC 

(including Boeing). A multi-year agreement has 

recently been signed with Toray Industries for 

the delivery of carbon fibre for the production 

of TenCate Cetex ® RTL (reinforced thermoplastic 

laminate) composite materials. Continuous 

fibre-reinforced thermoplastics are the primary 

specialty of TenCate Advanced Composites. 

Continuity in the supply of materials and 

components is a positive indication for 

customers. ‘OEMs constantly monitor the 

developments cropping up in the supply chain,’ 

explains Group Director Dave Clarke. Delay in 

aircraft building is often caused by delays in 

the chain. OEMs consider it important that a 

supplier such as Toray is right behind TenCate. 

Customers and applications 

Safety and reliability are paramount in 

the aircraft and space industries. All 

materials must continue to perform under 

the most extreme conditions. However, 

product specifications and demands differ 

according to customer and application. 

In commercial aircraft building it’s primarily 

a question of low weight, high strength and 

impact rigidity. When it comes to interior 

applications, requirements concerning low 

weight and fire-resistance go hand in hand 

with aesthetic aspects. Radome producers 

require non-conducting composites. 

And whereas electrical transparency is important 

in the communication market, rigidity, 

outgassing and temperature performance 

are what chiefly count in the space sector. 

Outgassing relates to the discharge of gases 

or solvents in the production environment of 

In addition to their use in the space and aerospace industry, and in advanced armour, priority is given to the development 

of new applications for composite materials. One example of this is composite materials for use in the medical sector 

(X-ray tables). 

satellite structures and must be as low as 

possible. The temperature is extremely 

high close to the Sun, but very low in space. 

These huge differences in temperature 

demand dimensional stability. Furthermore, 

considerable costs are involved in a mission 

to a planet such as Mars, so, when it comes 

to choice of material, compromise is out 

of the question. 

Investment and training 

TenCate Advanced Composites responds to 

these demands by investing in R&D, in the 

most advanced production resources, and 

in highly trained employees. The group has 

a broad range of specialist products, has 

carbon-fibre-free chambers at its disposal at 

the Morgan Hill facility, operates with short 

delivery times and offers excellent technical 

service. So customers choose composite 

materials from TenCate on the basis of quality, 

reliability and continuity. In the United States, 

TenCate Space Composites leads the field in 

composite materials for satellite programmes. 

Replacement and sustainability 

Thermoplastic composites are rapidly gaining 

an important position in a rising number of 

primary aircraft applications, such as the 

fuselage and wings. There is also demand for 

these materials for secondary applications, such 

as interiors. To an increasing extent they are 

replacing traditional materials such as aluminium. 

This is understandable: they contribute to 

significant weight reduction, which means lower 

fuel consumption. More passengers can be 

transported over greater distances at a lower 

cost. This has an effect, for example, on the 

number of stopovers for refuelling that have to be 

made during long-haul flights. Use of composites 

extends the life span of an aircraft. If the whole 

body is made of composite, passenger comfort 

increases because air pressure and air humidity 

can be raised. With the TenCate Cetex ® product 

line, Space & Aerospace Composites continues 

to focus on the market for large commercial aircraft 

and regional jet aircraft. However, TenCate 

aims to increase focus on materials and components 

for primary and secondary structures. 


13




Production of advanced composite materials at TenCate Advanced Composites in Nijverdal 

Shift and improvement 

The industry is now faced with the challenge 

of producing more aircraft and lighter parts 

while maintaining quality and reducing the 

cost price. The answer is the automization of 

production processes (through robotization 

and simulation) and innovation in materials, 

which can lead to improved productivity and 

innovative materials. The strategy of TenCate 

Advanced Composites is focused on a new 

generation of TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic 

composites that are suitable for automated 

volume production. This leads to more efficient 

processes (cost efficiency), new composite 

architectures (product differentiation) and 

improved temperature performance (innovation). 

The industrialization in aviation has a 

positive side effect. This development makes 

these materials also suitable for application in 

the automotive industry, where automated and 

robot-based production is already a condition. 

And here too the desire for weight reduction 

is growing. ‘Toray Industries develops carbon 

fibre for use in this industry. In the near future 

TenCate Advanced Composites, together 


with Toray, is going to carry out research into 

market-product development in thermoplastic 

composites for applications in the automotive 

industry,’ says Frank Meurs (director TenCate 

Advanced Composites EMEA). ‘The two are 

going to cooperate with a view to accelerating 

the pace of market introduction of new 

materials and processing technologies.’ 

Materials and production processes 

The above developments are in line with the 

TenCate strategy to grow strongly in this area 

through its leading technological position. 

A technology pull from the automotive 

industry is clearly noticeable. ‘We develop 

high-grade composite materials that offer 

the end-user advantages,’ says Nick Tiffin 

(director sales & marketing Aerospace). 

‘For example, welded structures are possible 

with thermoplastic composites, and this 

ensures both a better connection and a 

reduction in the traditionally high costs.’ 

Increasing name recognition and visibility is 

also receiving serious attention. No longer 

is TenCate an unknown quantity to OEMs. 

As supplier of materials for Airbus and Boeing, 

TenCate has excellent references, and now 

there are also direct contacts with the supply 

chain managers, the purchasing managers and 

the decision makers at engineering level. 

Visibility in the markets is being further increased 

through participation in trade fairs, articles 

in trade magazines, web-based marketing and 

targeted sales representation. The Aerospace 

Selector Guide is a practical and convenient 

guide on the TenCate website that shows what 

materials are being developed and produced. 

Industrial applications 

In addition to the applications for space, 

aero space and antiballistics (personal 

protection and vehicle armour), priority is 

currently being given to the development of 

new applications for composite materials. 

In the past TenCate has successfully capitalized 

on specific requests, and a relatively small part 

of the turnover has been realized in industrial 

applications. For example, TenCate produces 

materials for a top-quality brand of racing 

bicycle. Its own companies too, such as Xennia 

Technology, use composites in components 

for industrial inkjet printing machines. Besides 

the automotive sector, attention is focused 

predominantly on applications for wind energy, 

oil and gas extraction, high-end sports 

applications, the medical sector, mechanical 

engineering and construction. For various 

reasons there is a strong motivation in 

these sectors to search for new materials. 

Material of the future 

In the case of mechanical engineering, it means 

the manufacture of lighter and stiffer moving 

parts, a higher degree of precision, and lighter 

driving mechanisms to enable increased performance 

and decreased energy consumption. 

The size of wind turbine blades is increasing

in order to boost turbine output, and this 

imposes new demands on materials. Because 

of the increased weight, approximately 10% 

of the blades are lost through breakage or 

damage during the installation of blades on 

turbines. In the oil industry, the pipes must be 

lighter when oil is being extracted at greater 

depths. In short, composites are the material of 

the future. For this reason many development 

projects have now been initiated, and the 

goal is to realize a substantial turnover in 

indus trial applications within five years. 

Here the end-user marketing targets mainly 

designers, materials experts and companies in 

The reason customers opt for composite materials from TenCate is based on their quality, reliability and continuity. 

the chain that process these composites into end 

products. The question of persuading end-users 

and OEMs is diminishing: the need clearly exists! 

www.tencateaerospacecomposites.com 

aerospacecomposites.europe@tencate.com 

aerospacecomposites.usa@tencate.com 

15

Safety / Protection 

TENCATE UNION-PROTECTIVE FAbRICS IN GROWING MARKET 

In August 2008 TenCate opened a manufacturing 

plant in Thailand: TenCate - Union 

Protective Fabrics Asia Ltd. This is a joint 

venture with Union Textile Industries Public 

Company Limited. The company is located in 

the Samutprakan district, about 40 kilometres 

south of Bangkok, and employs two hundred 

and twenty people. It was designed for the 

production of fabrics for workwear. Many of 

TenCate’s customers have production facilities 

in Asia and local supplies through the joint 

venture result in cost savings and logistic 

advantages. The focus is on Asia, where the 

garment makers and distributors who are 

already established here supply their products 

mainly to Europe-based customers. A smaller 

number of end-users are in Asia itself. 

Customer and end-user 

The customer base currently consists of the 

makers of workwear and safety clothing. 

The fabrics are also promoted among end-users 

and distributors. In some cases fabrics are 

delivered directly to fabric traders in Europe. 

When it comes to industrial applications 

(workwear uniforms) and rental laundries, the 

end-users are principally in Europe, while the 

focus for safety wear is on the petrochemical 

industry and oil refineries in Asia. 

Customers in the workwear sector require 

short lead times, a good price-quality ratio 

and, above all, reliability of quality and supply. 


TenCate in Thailand 

TenCate has had a manufacturing plant in Thailand for the production of fabrics for workwear since August 2008. This joint venture is the 

first activity of a non-Asian company making protective materials for clothing in the emerging Asian markets. There is now a growing need 

for protective workwear in this region, where the focus is increasingly on safety at the workplace. Local expansion of production fits in 

with TenCate’s aims to achieve global market leadership in its core markets. 

It is the special features of the fabric that 

are creating the demand for safety wear. 

The possibility of combining shorter lead times 

with consistency and reliability of product 

quality will open up great opportunities in 

the Asian end-user market for safety wear. 

Product portfolio 

TenCate - Union Protective Fabrics has been in 

operation for three years, during which time it 

has been entirely profitable. At the beginning, 

however, things were anything but easy. 

Firstly, the economic slowdown had a major 

impact on both production volumes and margins 

and, secondly, the product portfolio was 

based only on workwear products. However, 

the successful launch of a range of Pyrovatex 

(flame-resistant) cotton products was able to 

produce a turnaround in the situation. 

In addition, the product list was narrowed 

down to focus only on new volume products, 

in order to secure the leading and profitable 

position in workwear items. This two-pronged 

strategy, implemented, under the leadership 

of Gert Jan Engbers (chief executive officer in 

Thailand), has borne fruit. The joint venture has 

been profitable since the second half of 2010. 

Certification 

Current activities include dyeing and finishing, 

for the production of safety wear fabrics. The 

company has recently obtained certification 

for the Asian market. ‘We have a nice 

product line of flame-retardant finished 

fabrics’, Gert Jan Engbers tells us. ‘We 

produce between 150,000 and 200,000 

metres of this each month. For the inherent 

safety wear range we are now studying 

opportunities to spin and weave our safety 

wear fabrics, such as TenCate Tecasafe ® 

Plus, in the region in future.’ Currently the 

basic fabric is imported from the TenCate 

Protective Fabrics plants in Georgia (USA). 

Developments in R&D also come from the US. 

‘For the time being the products developed 

for the North American market perfectly 

suit the needs of end-users in our region.’ 

Need for safety 

Asia itself is an emerging market for safety 

fabrics. There is an increasing interest in protective 

workwear and safety in the Asian work 

environment. The disaster involving the BP oil 

rig and the tsunami in Japan at the beginning 

of the year have speeded up this development. 

Continuous improvements are being made 

in protecting workers from hazards at work, 

such as fire, heat and chemicals, beginning at 

the level where the greatest risks may occur. 

Gert Jan Engbers and his team are especially 

focused on this, in line with TenCate’s strategy 

of making target groups aware of protection 

concepts and multi-risk protection solutions. 

‘For the introduction of safety clothing, we

A number of employees of TenCate - Union Protective Fabrics Asia at the entrance to the production company. 

are focused on the petrochemical industry, 

which is currently adapting and implementing 

regulations in this field. This represents an 

enormous potential for our range of flameretardant 

work and safety clothing. Now is the 

moment to get our brands established in this 

market and to claim a significant market share. 

benchmark 

Gert Jan Engbers believes that the reputation 

of the petrochemical industry and the building 

of brand awareness in this sector will ensure 

that TenCate safety wear products become 

the benchmark for all other industrial sectors 

in the region. ‘Introducing our product into 

these other sectors will become much 

easier in the future if we can demonstrate 

our success in the petrochemical industry. 

We are also interested in the military and 

fire fighting sectors, which will require a 

higher degree of protection in the future.’ 

This will have consequences for the product 

portfolio. ‘We will try to keep as narrow 

a product range as possible to service our 

markets. We intend to be a volume player 

with the products that we sell; the time for 

niche products in Asia is still a long way 

ahead of us. Once the market matures, 

we will follow up with specialties.’ 

These developments will also have an impact 

on the number of workers in the plant. Next 

year we will add 20 FTEs. All the factory 

workers wear fully-protective clothing and 

equipment which more than comply with the 

minimum requirements laid down in the local 

regulations for their working environment. 

In this respect TenCate sets a good example. 

• Supplies through the joint venture in 

Thailand to customers in the region result 

in cost savings and logistic advantages 

• There is an increasing need for 

protective workwear and safety in 

Asia and continuous improvements are 

being made in protecting workers from 

hazards at work 

• On the basis of reputation and through 

the building of brand awareness in the 

petrochemical industry, TenCate safety 

fabrics will become the benchmark for all 

other industrial sectors in the region 

www.tencateprotectivefabrics.com/asia 

protectivefabrics.asia@tencate.com 

17

Open innovation 

TENCATE PARTNER IN OPEN INNOVATION CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS 

Opening of innovation ce 


ntre in Nijverdal 

OICAM is now a reality. The opening ceremony was performed by, from the left, Loek de Vries 

(President and CEO, TenCate), Theo Rietkerk (member of the Provincial Executive of Overijssel / 

Economy, Energy and Innovation) and Martin Olde Weghuis (Chair of the Executive Board of OICAM) 

The opening of the Open Innovation Center 

for Advanced Materials (OICAM) took place 

on Thursday, 7 July. The opening ceremony 

was performed by Theo Rietkerk (member of 

the Provincial Executive of Overijssel) and 

Loek de Vries, President and CEO of 

TenCate. OICAM stimulates companies in 

the creation, development and marketing of 

innovations in an open innovation process. 

As a partner, TenCate has been involved in 

OICAM since its inception. 

OICAM in Nijverdal is an integral network 

of companies and knowledge institutes in 

the region of Twente. Together they focus on 

sharing knowledge of, conducting research 

into and developing high-grade materials and 

material technology. The main objective of the 

centre is to establish an open, innovative and 

creative environment, in which new ideas and 

technologies relating to advanced materials 

are fully developed in joint ventures. Advanced 

materials play a major role in technological 

innovation. This applies in particular to the 

region of Twente, which will from now on be 

called Materials Valley. These are advanced 

materials that ‘make a difference’ and they 

form a key objective for regional development. 

Laboratory facilities 

The open innovation centre is housed in 

Nijverdal in a former TenCate factory. 

This is where innovative research into 

materials with unique properties, the building 

of demonstrators and the trial production of 

these materials will all come together. 

The presence of laboratory facilities and 

equipment for trial production will enable 

innovations and spin-offs to be developed 

rapidly and cheaply. OICAM will also facilitate 

the design, organization and implementation 

of complete development projects. 


19


TENCATE PARTNER IN OPEN INNOVATION CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS 

The composite Fiby tipper won 

the JEC Innovation Award in the 

Transport category earlier this year. 

‘In Japan, people are amazed that 

so much knowledge and know-how 

of materials is available in a small 

country like the Netherlands.’ 



Involvement 

‘The core and the strength of this OICAM open innovation 

centre are to be found in the openness and the involvement 

of market participants These enable innovation drivers to 

tie in effectively with market demand’, said Loek de Vries 

(President and CEO of TenCate). ‘New or complementary 

product-market-technology combinations can be developed 

by working together and innovating with other companies 

in the value chain, but especially with companies in other 

value chains. This will enable new connections to be made 

and allow the network to grow rapidly and vigorously. If 

this network is successful, it will also lead to an increase in 

employment opportunities in a wide range of applications.’ 

Added values 

‘By participating in open innovation the business partners 

demonstrate their desire to organize themselves specifically 

around complementary added values. This openness 

requires mutual trust and, above all, an entrepreneurial 

spirit. Cooperation like this calls for courage: the courage 

to take a look beyond the walls of one’s own company and 

to go beyond provincial and national boundaries. The region 

of Twente provides a strong base in the field of advanced 

materials, but the orientation of the activities in this 

initiative will have an international character. The growing 

use of virtual reality is an effective tool to support this. 

Speeding up the time to market and extending 

market scope are two important elements of the 

innovation and commercial processes. Systems in 

which technologies converge have a different market 

approach from products; in our system approach there 

will be an increasing number of partnerships.’ 

Entrepreneurial spirit 

‘The implementation of GreenSource, Inkjet and other unique 

projects demands an entrepreneurial spirit’, said Loek 

de Vries. This is the second precondition for the success 

of OICAM in the future. ‘If innovation is not market-driven, 

it will not get beyond the drawing-board stage. Innovation 

for the sake of innovation should not be the goal, which 

is why market orientation is crucial. The clustering of 

innovation strengths must be carried out in such a way 

that it enables fundamental research and applied research 

to be more closely aligned. We are therefore making a 

plea to national government for a top-flight ‘Advanced 

Materials’ institute in this region, which will fulfil the role 

of coordinator of the various intiatives and will enable 

innovation funds to be deployed more effectively. 

Space 

‘Companies and knowledge institutes need to be 

given space’, said Theo Rietkerk member of the 

Provincial Executive of Overijssel in his speech. 

‘Innovation is an inherent part of entrepreneurship. 

The province of Overijssel believes that it is the pooling 

of knowledge and innovation that is important 

in this region. And we do that very well here.’


TENCATE AND PENTAIR X-FLOW LAUNCH WATER TREATMENT DEMONSTRATOR 

GreenSource: synthetic turf as a filter 

TenCate and Pentair X-Flow have presented the first demonstrator developed in open innovation for drinking water management. 

This project, known as GreenSource, combines a synthetic turf system from TenCate with the water filtration technology from Pentair X-Flow. 

GreenSource, the combination of synthetic turf 

and water treatment, will make it possible to 

use drinking water and other water management 

worldwide both on sports complexes and on 

landscaping based on synthetic turf. This applies 

particularly in areas where water shortages 

prevail or only polluted water is available. 

There is a growing demand globally for 

sustainable products, in particular those which 

conserve water. The GreenSource project meets 

this need. It combines synthetic turf systems for 

sports or landscaping with Pentair technology 

for water treatment. Rainwater and sewage 

is collected in elements and treated to remove 

any unhealthy bacteria and viruses. The water, 

which is now free of contamination, can be 

used for spraying synthetic turf pitches for 

sports activities and for irrigating the terrain. 

Water of this quality can moreover be made 

suitable for use as drinking water. This form of 

water management will bring relief in particular 

to Africa, parts of the Middle East and now 

even southern Europe too. This is because the 

process lends itself to large-scale application. 

Complementary 

Pentair X-Flow (formerly Norit X-Flow) and 

TenCate have got together for a number of 

reasons. It is not only that the companies 

are geographically close, both have an 

innovative mindset, are technology-driven 

and complementary in terms of technology. 

The combination of synthetic turf systems 

and water treatment is a striking example of 

this. Both companies are seeking to achieve 

high innovation strength and to shorten the 

lead time of new products. It is thus only 

logical that they should collaborate. 

GreenSource was presented on the occasion 

of the opening of the Open Innovation Center 

for Advanced Materials (OICAM) in Nijverdal 

on 7 July. On a synthetic turf lawn in front of 

the OICAM building and a test arrangement 

inside, the process was demonstrated. 

TenCate provided the top layer of the system: 

the synthetic turf and underlying geotextile. 

The water filters came from Pentair X-Flow, 

which is skilled in membrane and ultra-filtration 

technology. TenCate is currently working on the 

development of a synthetic turf fibre which will 

attract and absorb condensation from the air. 

Nanocoating 

GreenSource is the first project within OICAM 

to be based on material science. A second 

project that was initiated, called Inkjet, relates 

to nanocoating technology for textile substrates. 

This will harness the scientific knowledge of 

the University of Twente and in particular the 

Knowledge Centre, Design and Technology of 

Saxion University (Smart Functional Materials 

Group). As a result of the recent purchase of a 

compact inkjet machine from Xennia Technology, 

professors and students will be able to gain 

experience in open innovation using the 

technology for the nanocoating of various fluids 

on advanced materials, including ‘smart textiles’. 

• GreenSource project combines TenCate 

synthetic turf systems for sports or 

land scaping with the Pentair X-Flow 

technology for the treatment of rainwater 

and sewage. 

• The process enables treated water to be 

made suitable for use as drinking water, 

as well as for large-scale applications. 

• TenCate and Pentair X-Flow both have 

an innovative mindset, are technologydriven 

and aim to shorten the lead time 

of new products. 

www.oicam.nl 

21


TENCATE MAIN PLAYER IN MATERIALS VALLEY 

Innovation strength 

In 2004 President and CEO Loek de Vries set out his vision on the future of the manufacturing industry in Twente and of the region as 

Materials Valley. With the opening of OICAM, that future will start to take shape. ‘We are now really going to get down to work on innovation.’ 

TenCate is a textile company. ‘It is in that field that we have knowledge and skills. We must 

link up chemical technology, textile technology, material technology and nanotechnology.’ 


During the celebration of TenCate’s three 

hun dredth anniversary in 2004 President and CEO 

Loek de Vries presented his vision on the future 

of textiles, the Twente manufacturing industry 

and the role that open innovation played in this. 

To that end he outlined his image of Twente as 

Materials Valley. ‘At a regional level there is a 

great need for increased cooperation between 

the industrial sector and knowledge institutes, 

he told his audience. ‘As the largest private 

employer in Twente, TenCate has taken the 

initiative that has resulted in the launch of 

Materials Valley to ‘bring about alliances 

between companies and to tighten links 

with the University of Twente, Saxion 

University and regional education centres. 

In addition, TenCate has invited companies 

from other sectors to join forces in applying 

their knowledge, skills and experience.’ 

Framework for innovation 

As early as 2004 there was a need at national 

level for a framework to promote innovation. 

In the opinion of Loek de Vries it was up to 

national and regional administrators to create 

the preconditions to make innovative solutions 

possible. ‘Ambitious plans demand not only a 

challenging climate for research and education, 

but also financial participation by government 

to cover the risks inherent in innovation and 

cooperation between industry and science.’ 

In his view, it is the research & development, 

the level of education and the creativity that are 

available that form the input for the innovation 

strength of a region. The output is made up of the 

innovations resulting from it. ‘This is very often 

measured in the number of patents. The interplay 

of forces and cooperation within the innovation 

triangle, consisting of companies, administrators 

and knowledge institutes, will determine 

whether you achieve valorization - an increase 

in value in fundamental and applied research in 

industry. This requires face-to-face contact and a 

functional relationship between inventors, manufacturers 

and suppliers to get the partnership off 

the ground. OICAM fulfils its own role in this.’’ 

Linking of technologies 

In essence, Twente is a materials area, a 

Materials Valley. Approximately 28% of 

companies are to be found in this high-grade 

manufacturing industry. ‘We should not renounce 

our roots, however. TenCate is a textile company, 

and it is in that field that we have knowledge 

and skills. We must link up chemical technology, 

textile technology, material technology and 

nanotechnology and embed these disciplines in 

a foundation of applied and industrial research. 

That is what TenCate does. Together with other 

companies this produces innovative spin-offs. 

Such a supra-regional approach will really put the 

region of Twente on the map as Materials Valley.’ 

Loek de Vries emphasizes the importance 

of cooperation between the four elements, 

consisting of companies, public sector bodies and 

educational and research institutes, observing 

that in companies there is always a sense of 

urgency. ‘There is greater haste, more drive. 

Innovation cannot be imposed from above. 

The role of government must be supportive 

and enterprising. True innovations always 

start small and need to be given structure.’ 

Innovation route: five clusters 

The above four elements have defined five 

clusters for the Innovationroute Twente: 

Nutrition, Care, Megatronics, Materials and 

Construction. The first three are demand-driven, 

the remaining two, supply-driven. ‘What you now 

have to do is look for common ground: where 

does supply support demand? What for example 

can the Materials cluster do to help the Care 

cluster? It is from these sorts of questions that 

innovation springs. We must strive to achieve 

chain-knowledge structuring and remain focused. 

This sometimes demands bold options: good 

strategy makes some customers unhappy.’ 

On the interface between the supply and 

demand of the clusters, collaboration will be 

possible by combining fundamental, applied 

and industrial research. The University of 

Twente, Saxion University and industry are 

working together on this Regional Technological 

Roadmap. ‘Scientists and regional and provincial 

administrators monitor the connections and 

give or withhold the go-ahead. This is the right 

way to spend innovation budgets. If you aim 

to create strength, you must not give money 

to the clusters separately, without any coherence. 

It is vital to achieve unity and structure. 

Ultimately, it is the government that has final 

responsibility for allocating innovation budgets.’ 

Inventions and innovations 

‘Our entire company is R&D-driven’, concluded 

Loek de Vries. ‘At least five per cent of our 

budget is spent on research and development. 

TenCate is without doubt the worldwide leader 

when it comes to the number of patents filed 

in the textile market. But not every invention is 

an innovation; an invention does not become an 

innovation until it is actually used. In general, it 

appears that companies do not use 95% of all 

inventions. “Large companies have five to ten 

per cent of true innovations and these are thus 

the real cash cows”, said Professor of Urban 

Economics, Frank van Oort in the 2010Twente 

Index. The same applies to TenCate. You evolve 

from invention to innovation, from prototype to 

product and then it must also be reproducible 

and sustainable. I regard it as a great asset 

that, with the support of Peter den Oudsten 

as Chair of the Region of Twente, a centre like 

OICAM will enable us now to really get down 

to work on innovation. Let’s make an energetic 

start and above all, respect each other’s roles.’ 

23


TENCATE AND MESA + IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 

Technology of the 21 st 

The vision - Twente as Materials Valley - of 

TenCate President and CEO Loek de Vries 

corresponds with the ideas of Professor Dave 

Blank. He is scientific director of Mesa + , 

the NanoLaboratory on the campus of the 

University of Twente. Mesa + is the work terrain 

of 500 scientists and is considered one of the 

world’s largest research institutes in nanotechnology. 

TenCate, with Xennia Technology, 

specializes in the development of industrial 

production processes based on inkjet technology. 

In February 2010 TenCate introduced 

inkjet-based nano process technology for textile 

applications. This enables functional characteristics 

to be applied to materials at nanoscale. 

Heavily invested 

Nanotechnology is called the technology 

of the 21 st century, so it is unsurprising that 

the Netherlands has seen heavy investment 

in nanotechnology over the last few years. 

NanoNed is the initiative of eight knowledge 

institutes and is one of the national research 

programmes. Its aim is to cluster our country’s 

strengths in the field of nanotechnology and the 

relating enabling technologies. This has fostered 

the cooperation of different disciplines from 

physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, biology 

and medicine, leading to a clear added value in 

knowledge. NanoNextNL, the new national nano 

programme, is now underway - an initiative in 

which more than 120 institutes and companies 

are cooperating in the field of nanotechnology. 

‘With the aid of nanotechnology we can make extremely 

strong materials,’ says Dave Blank, ‘such 

as water-repellent windows, better implants for 


The Netherlands has seen heavy investment in nanotechnology over the last few years. Mesa + , which is located at the University 

of Twente, is one of the world’s largest research institutes in nanotechnology. TenCate is an important player in inkjet technology for 

artificial hips and the like, or “self-thinking” textiles. 

We devise and compute new materials of 

this kind. It’s very basic research but with a direct 

connection to applications. In our clean room PhD 

students and entrepreneurs stand side by side.’ 

Manufacturing industry 

‘Twente as Materials Valley, as Loek de Vries 

advocates, appeals to me,’ continues Dave 

Blank. ‘The cluster manufacturing industry 

and the research into materials are very 

Dave Blank 

refining (dyeing, printing, finishing) textile substrates at nanoscale. 

important for this region. I also agree with 

him that it is wiser not to waste attention on 

components where you fail to excel. Moreover, 

you must invest in fundamental research, 

otherwise you cannot stimulate innovation.’ 

The inkjet technology of Xennia applies the 

principle of nano-surface technology: in this 

case refining (dyeing, printing, finishing) textile 

substrates at nanoscale, including ceramics 

and textiles. Here it’s a matter of nano-surface 

technology. At Mesa + / NanoLab people are

century 

more concerned with nano-depth technology. 

‘We can learn from one another’s findings.’ 

Optical signals 

Professor Blank and his researchers are 

busy with such issues as optical signals 

for data processing. TenCate is particularly 

interested in the outcome of this fundamental 

Mesa+ research in connection with its own 

industrial research plus subsequent applications 

in materials, modules or systems. 

The importance of this new technology for the 

innovative capability of the East Netherlands 

region is considerable. The Innovation Platform 

Twente and the University of Twente, as well 

as the Province of Overijssel, are doing their 

utmost to support innovation projects in the 

field of new materials and nanotechnology. 

In the first place the innovations of TenCate 

will relate to the theme safety and protection, 

such as protective fabrics for industrial and 

defence applications and outdoor fabrics. 

Such materials must be printed and coated to 

have the required functional characteristics. 

In due course the solutions that Xennia is 

developing will also be applied to other 

TenCate market products, such as composites, 

synthetic turf and conductive coatings. 

• Extremely strong materials can be made 

with nanotechnology, such as waterrepellent 

windows, better implants and 

“self-thinking” textiles 

• The inkjet technology of Xennia applies 

the principle of nano-surface technology 

to the dyeing, printing and finishing of 

textile substrates 

• In the first place the innovations of 

TenCate will relate to the theme safety 

and protection, such as protective and 

outdoor fabrics 

Mesa + rests on three pillars. ‘We do excellent 

research, we have a fantastic infrastructure, 

and with our industrial contacts and spin-off 

companies we also do something with the 

research - valorization, as it is called. Philips, 

Océ and ASML are companies that work with 

spin-offs from Mesa + . Valorization stems 

from an incredible amount of cooperation. 

I am chairman of NanoNextNL, the new 

national research programme, and witnessed 

the birth of the nano research agenda in the 

Netherlands. I see my main role as scientific 

director to create a bond between people. 

And that’s also the strength of Mesa + .’ 

www.utwente.nl/mesaplus/ 

www.nanoned.nl 

www.nanonextnl.nl 

25

Trading update H2 2011 

TENCATE PUbLISHES RESULTS OF FIRST HALF OF 2011 


Loek de Vries, President and CEO Royal Ten Cate 

The year 2008 saw the company reach a significant 

milestone, with annual sales of more than 

€1 billion. TenCate is now on course to break this 

record. Markets are for the most part showing 

growth, with a growing exposure too in emerging 

markets, known as the bRIC (brazil, Russia, India 

and China) countries. On 2 August the half-year 

figures were presented, with revenue growth of 

30% and a 69%increase in net profit.

TenCate heading for 

record revenues in 2011 

Sales of protective fabrics show 

substantial growth 

‘The increase in sales of TenCate Defender M 

products made the greatest contribution to 

TenCate’s profit growth in the first half-year. 

This is, however, not the sole mainstay of this 

splendid performance: TenCate Tecasafe Plus 

is the second “product champion” in the 

TenCate Protective Fabrics market group. 

Industry is searching for products which 

provide protection against a number of risks 

(multi-risk) and which are attractively priced 

and also offer greater wearer comfort. Apart 

from the traditional markets, in which TenCate 

occupies a leading position, there are also new 

geographical markets. In India, for example, 

changes to employment legislation are being 

drawn up that relate to safety provisions for 

employees in industry. Many companies are 

now taking measures in readiness.’ 

Composite: the material of the future 

‘In the field of aerospace composites too there 

has been a major improvement in the situation. 

That sales of aerospace composites would 

increase was never in doubt, but the question 

was when this would happen. Technical 

problems in the development of new aircraft 

and the financial crisis have led to serious 

delays. At the moment there is a scaling-up of 

production, which at TenCate is simple, thanks to 

the investments that were made in the past. 

TenCate is ready. 

The arrival of the Boeing 787 and the Airbus 

A350 has led to a rapid acceleration in the use 

of composite materials and of thermoplastics, 

such as TenCate Cetex®, in particular. 

A new development is the positioning of 

TenCate in new markets, where there is a 

demand for lighter and strong materials; the 

automotive sector is an example of this’ 

Temporary decrease in result of TenCate 

Geosynthetics & Grass sector 

‘Although the group’s overall figures for the 

half year looked excellent, the TenCate 

Geosynthetics & Grass sector showed a 

decrease in its results. The trend in raw 

material costs (PE / PP) has resulted in a 

temporary pressure on margins, principally at 

TenCate Geosynthetics. In the synthetic turf 

industry, which is essentially a young industry, 

an integration process has been taking place, 

with integrated value chains undergoing a 

formation process. This connects the 

production of components with end-markets 

and installation companies. 

TenCate has been at the forefront of this 

process, in part to protect the quality image of 

the TenCate brand.’ 

TenCate ready for the future 

‘Although 2008 was the best year in TenCate’s 

history, in 2011 TenCate looks even better. 

New acquisitions have been made, which have 

strengthened our position in the market and 

new technological developments are beginning 

to bear fruit. These have also enabled Xennia 

Technology to record increasing growth in 

revenues. The BRIC countries mentioned above 

also offer good prospects. Production capacity 

for geosynthetics in China has recently been 

expanded. 

As the last “opportunity”, the ABDS system 

(active blast countermeasure system) must not 

go unmentioned here. Although this system is 

still in the testing phase, the results look very 

promising.’ 

27

Inkjet technology 

XENNIA TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATES OSIRIS MACHINE IN PACKAGE 

Inkjet technology 

at speed 

With the relaunch of Osiris after its bankruptcy, TenCate has acquired a specific 

application of inkjet technology for the textile sector. Osiris and Xennia Technology are 

no strangers to each other. both operate in the inkjet technology market, although on the 


basis of different directions in technological solutions. Technological cooperation 

strengthens the Xennia proposal for applications in the field of textile printing and 

functional coatings for technical textiles. 

The textile sector - in particular the fashion 

industry - already uses inkjet technology for 

small series and samples. What is new, however, 

is the use of inkjet technology for continuous 

production processes at high speeds, with a high 

degree of precision and / or with high-quality 

printing. The major advantages of this technology 

are the quick response time, end-user-specific 

products (mass customization) and reduced 

inventory and production costs. The technology 

for these applications is still under development, 

but Osiris is the first producer to reach high 

production speeds with inkjet technology. 

Fashion materials 

The Xennia Osiris machine has been in operation 

at Vishal Fashion in India since the beginning

of this year. Large volumes (more than 10 

kilometres) are printed as fashion materials 

every day. This company has a business model 

based on rapidly changing collections inspired by 

the fashion image in current (television) films. 

‘The Xennia Osiris machine is a valuable 

addition to the developments within Xennia,’ 

explains Tim Phillips (marketing manager Xennia 

Technology). ‘The system complements our 

own solutions. Now it is vital to develop the 

market, and within this context TenCate is 

an important party who is going to apply this 

innovation in the field of technical textiles.’ 

Inkjet coatings 

TenCate is presently working on the development 

as launching customer in the field 

of inkjet coatings for technical textiles, and 

the Osiris technology can form part of this 

too. An additional advantage is that Osiris 

is located in the East Netherlands region, 

which facilitates the optimal deployment 

of human capital in all developments in 

this field. Furthermore, the recently opened 

Open Innovation Center Advanced Materials 

(OICAM) can mean a strengthening of 

knowledge in the field of inkjet technology. 

Trial production and sampling will be carried 

out within OICAM in order to create new applications 

in cooperation with partners. Moreover, 

inkjet technology is not necessarily applicable 

solely to textiles; these advanced coating 

processes are suitable for other materials too. 

• Inkjet technology for continuous production 

processes means quick response 

time, customized end-user products and 

reduced inventory and production costs 

• The Xennia Osiris machine is a valuable 

addition to the developments within 

Xennia and complements Xennia solutions 

• Trial production and sampling can be 

carried out within OICAM to create new 

applications in cooperation with partners 

www.xennia.com 

enquiries@xennia.com 

On the Osiris machine at Vishal Fashion in India large 

volumes of fashion fabrics are being printed every day. 

29

Sustainability/Environment 

TENCATE POLYSLOPE ® S SYSTEMS FOR AVALANCHE PROTECTION 

The avalanche dam at Mühlau, to the north of Innsbruck (Austria), has been built into the mountain landscape to give a natural appearance. 


At Mühlau, just to the north of Innsbruck 

(Austria), runs a channel in which an avalanche 

dam has been constructed. It consists of five 

parallel concrete blocks with a reinforced slope 

on either side based on TenCate geosynthetics. 

This natural channel serves as a discharge 

for avalanches and in spring for the large 

quantities of meltwater. This ensures that 

the villages of Mühlau and Arzl and - in the 

worst-case scenario - the city of Innsbruck 

itself are not overtaken by this natural disaster. 

The concrete structure serves to considerably 

lessen the destructive force of the avalanche. 

The reinforced earth slope on either side of 

it blocks the passage of snow and water. 

This avalanche dam is 23 metres high and 

22 metres wide at its base. The structure is 

designed to resist a pressure of 20 tons per m². 

Traditional solutions using only stone or 

MARKET – Environmental and infrastructure 

pro jects PRODUCT – TenCate Polyslope ® S 

(TenCate Polyfelt ® Rock, TenCate Polyfelt ® Green 

and TenCate Miragrid ® TECHNOLOGY – Reinfor- 

ced earth system, adapted to local conditions 

PROCESS – System was installed on site; Ten 

Cate was contacted to support the development 

and provide calculations for the project. 

Natural disaster 

contained 

Avalanches and large quantities of meltwater are being guided safely away from 

Innsbruck, in part thanks to the use of a system incorporating TenCate geosynthetics. 

concrete are not viable: the costs of such a 

structure and of transporting building materials 

to such a remote and difficult terrain would 

be too high. Moreover, the area is popular 

with tourists, which is why providing a natural 

appearance is by far the preferred solution. 

This has been successful, in part thanks to the 

use of TenCate Polyfelt Polyslope ® S systems, 

an environmentally-friendly and attractively 

priced system for the construction of retaining 

walls. It consists of geosynthetics for 

reinforcement (TenCate Polyfelt® and TenCate 

Miragrid ® ), a preformed steel grid (shuttering), 

TenCate Polyfelt ® erosion protection and 

locally available soil as filling. This ensures 

that a green bank covered in vegetation will 

grow rapidly and have a natural appearance. 

www.tencategeosynthetics.com 


31


TENCATE INITIATES AND HOSTS CONFERENCE ON PROTECTION OF SOLDIERS 

New threats, 

new solutions 

TenCate Advanced Armour and TenCate Protective Fabrics were the initiators of an international conference with the theme 

Protecting the soldier in modern conflict, which was held in London on 23 and 24 May. The aim of this high-level event was to 

demonstrate how TenCate translates its commitment to protecting soldiers into protection solutions. 

Foto: Simon Lane 

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer former Scretary-General of NAVO and member of the International Advisory Board) 

chaired the conference. Among those present were representatives of the international defence industry, 

politicians and, on behalf of TenCate, President and CEO, Loek de Vries, the management of TenCate 

Protective Fabrics and TenCate Advanced Armour and the other members of the TenCate International 

Advisory Board: General (retired) Dick Berlijn and former Boeing top executive Kees Blekxtoon. 


TenCate Protective Fabrics and TenCate 

Advanced Armour develop and produce 

functional materials to provide safety and 

optimum protection to people and material. 

In a period of remarkable unpredictability, 

when both the nature and the level of threats 

are constantly changing, there is continuous 

investment in product development. TenCate 

Protective Fabrics and TenCate Advanced 

Armour are working together on this with 

fibre producers, the suppliers of chemicals and 

knowledge and test institutes. There is also 

frequent contact with governments, garment 

makers and end-users (the military). Defence is 

both the customer and the end-user of protective 

equipment. The cooperation of the military with 

the defence industry and knowledge institutes 

is of vital importance in order to be able to 

conduct targeted research and development into 

protection solutions. Judging by the position 

TenCate occupies in the markets, it is apparent 

that this approach pays. 

Immense achievements 

Soldiers have to produce immense achievements 

under dangerous conditions to protect 

citizens and nation states. One comment 

that was frequently heard related to the 

responsibility of politicians for ensuring 

maximum protection when providing military 

support troops. ‘The central task that TenCate

has set itself is to offer the right materials for 

the optimum protection of people and materiel 

at the right price’, said Loek de Vries on this 

occasion. ‘This task has resulted in a range 

of solutions. Our knowledge and experience 

of technical textiles as an effective means of 

protection are exceptionally wide-ranging.’ 

The US Army and the U.S. Navy are familiar 

with this. Their experiences of inherent 

flame-resistant TenCate Defender M fabric 

have been extremely positive.’ 

Protection measures 

The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have 

transformed the understanding of effective 

soldier protection measures among Western 

armed forces and defence industries. The current 

generation of protective equipment in use 

in Afghanistan is the best ever made available. 

This has cost time and money and will continue 

to do so. In terms of technology, an effective 

answer must be formulated to every change 

and increase in threat levels. This is barely 

compatible with shrinking government budgets 

for protection and safety. 

‘Technology is often expensive, which is why 

we must be innovative or find the most practical 

use of the technology’, said Steen Tanderup 

(managing director, TenCate Advanced Armour, 

Europe). In view of the unrest in the world, the 

protection of soldiers must continue to be a high 

priority. A thorough understanding of the nature 

of the conflict, the conditions of the terrain 

and the political context of interventions is an 

essential element of this. It reduces risks and 

facilitates faster and improved decision making. 

Priority 

Soldier protection will remain a high priority, 

even after the end of the international 

mission in Afghanistan. There are a number 

of reasons for this, the main ones being the 

unrest in the world, the fact that ever more 

sophisticated weapons are being developed 

(such as roadside bombs), that terrorism shifts 

its base and that methods of warfare change. 

Moreover, the media in particular is taking an 

ever greater interest in international conflicts 

and the deployment of peace troops in these 

conflicts. It is therefore not only the role of the 

troops, but also the protection of the individual 

soldier – and indirectly of local citizens – that is 

at the top of the political agenda. Every time a 

soldier is injured or killed during his mission, a 

piece of vital social support erodes. 

Discussed 

The conference provided ample opportunity 

to discuss the subject from all angles, Matt 

Minshell (head of defence coordination of 

TenCate Advanced Armour) believes. Because 

the commercial return is not easy to quantify, 

the defence industry does not generally opt for 

such an approach. Our decision to sponsor it 

was both appreciated and respected and we 

received appropriate praise for the initiative 

and for the high level of the conference. 

The conference elevated TenCate to the 

forefront of awareness in key areas of defence 

protective methodology. It also demonstrated 

that TenCate is not simply a commodity supplier 

but a provider of integrated solutions that 

genuinely cares about the people served by its 

products in the short, medium and long term.’ 

Relationship 

In Matt Minshell’s opinion, the conference 

contributed to the good relationship between 

various international ministries of defence and 

the defence industry. This will help to give a 

commercial advantage in the future. It also 

provided the opportunity for a useful discussion 

between Advanced Armour and Protective 

Fabrics about areas of mutual interest and 

possible synergy. Such potential collaboration 

is something which is now being discussed 

with other TenCate divisions - in particular 

in relation to end-user marketing, which is a 

key aspect to success. This is currently being 

carried out concurrent with all other activities. 

These include medium and long-term strategy 

marketing and relevant, dynamic R&D, in 

response to end-user feedback, to ensure 

that we are always at the forefront of mature 

protective technology. 

• Cooperation of the military with the 

defence industry and knowledge 

institutes is of vital importance for 

targeted research into the development 

of protection solutions 

• Unrest in the world ensures that top priority 

is given to the protection of soldiers 

• Conference contributed to a positive 

relationship between ministries of 

defence and the defence industry 

www.tencateadvancedarmour.com 

advancedarmour.europe@tencate.com 

33


TENCATE CETEX ® IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY 

Construction of the full-scale demonstrator of a torsion box based on carbon laminates. 

Torsion box for Airbus 


Fokker Aerostructures is building a demonstrator of a torsion box based almost 

exclusively on thermoplastic composite materials. The development of the torsion box 

is part of the TAPAS programme. TenCate Advanced Composites is one of the partners 

in this development programme, which is examining the further application of 

thermoplastic composite materials in aircraft. A torsion box based on these materials 

is a real possibility.

As part of the Thermoplastics Affordable 

Primary Aircraft Structures (TAPAS) project, 

aircraft manufacturer Airbus and its partners, 

including Fokker Aerostructures and TenCate 

Advanced Composites, are examining the 

potential applications for thermoplastics in 

aircraft. In this context Fokker Aerostructures 

has built a full-scale demonstrator of a 

torsion box based on carbon laminates. 

Torsion (‘twisting’) and bending occur when an 

object is subjected to tensile and compressive 

forces, which results in tensions building 

up in the material. A torsion box allows the 

torsion and bending which occur in aircraft - for 

example in the flaps on the tail piece and the 

rudders - to be absorbed. A torsion box in the 

wing for example will prevent it tilting. 

Absorbing forces 

‘The wing and tail are box constructions’, 

explains Arnt Offringa, director of R&D at 

Fokker Aerostructures. ‘You can compare them 

with the cardboard core in a roll of paper towel. 

This is a stiff, light tube and constructions like 

this allow you to absorb a great many forces. 

Within TAPAS Airbus is itself focusing among 

other things on the development of a fuselage. 

Fokker Aerostructures and TenCate Advanced 

Composites are helping in this project. 

This demonstrator allowed us to add something.’ 

The horizontal tail of the Gulfstream 

G650 business jet served as a model for the 

torsion box. The development is targeting 

future Airbus programmes. ‘It could be a 

large flap for an Airbus wing, some of which 

are ten metres long. Airbus is interested in 

the development of fuselage structures in 

thermoplastics and is happy to have the Dutch 

industry as a supplier of these structures or 

wing flaps.’ TenCate can play a role in this 

with TenCate Cetex ® carbon composite. 

In September work will begin on a test 

programme at the National Aerospace 

Laboratory in the Noordoostpolder (NL). 

The results will be made known in the early 

spring of 2012. Where necessary, these will 

lead to adjustments to the design. Once this 

has been done, the torsion box will in principle 

be ready for production, with the incorporation 

of TenCate Cetex ® composite materials. 

• Construction of demonstrator of a torsion 

box with carbon composites, as part of 

the TAPAS programme 

• Development targets future Airbus 

aircraft programmes 

• TenCate Cetex ® composite materials will 

be used in the production stage 

www.tencateadvancedcomposites.com 

advancedcomposites.europe@tencate.com 

www.tapasproject.nl 

35

End-user marketing 

TENCATE PROTECTIVE FAbRICS RELEASES 3D ANIMATED FILM 

In the picture 

TenCate Protective Fabrics has developed a 3D animation film showing the protection solutions 

it offers to the firefighter. Reactions indicate that this interactive approach hits the mark. 

TenCate Protective Fabrics has developed 

TenCate Millenia ® 450 for the turnout gear 

of fire services. It is a multi-layer system that 

provides optimal protection, and a fire suit can 

be made from this material that weighs no 

more than 2.5 kg. This is exceptionally light, 

as well as comfortable to wear (with room 

to move). A further advantage is that the 

different layers are finely tuned one to another. 

Thanks to the composition and structure of 

the moisture barrier, TenCate Millenia® 450 

ensures that the heat is distributed quicker and 

more efficiently over the suit and eliminated. 

Being able to offer the system is one thing; 

explaining how it works, as well as the 

functionalities provided, is another. This can 

now be clearly and graphically demonstrated 

in a four-minute 3D animation film. The primary 

target group consists of fire services in Europe, 

the Middle East and Africa. In addition clothing 

manufacturers are being approached, as the 

film can serve as a sales support resource. 

The 3D animation film can be seen via the 

TenCate Protective Fabrics website and 

on YouTube. It is also featured in product 


presentations to clothing manufacturers 

and in workshops for end-users. That the 

interactive approach is on target was 

evident from the reactions during a recent 

visit of fire station personnel. They were 

Fragment from the animation film 

MARKET – Fire services PRODUCT – TenCate 

Tecasystem - Millenia 450 TECHNOLOGY – 

Multi-layer system based on weaving and 

coating technology PROCESS – Processed 

by clothing manufacturer into firefighting gear. 

extremely enthusiastic about what they had 

seen, and praised its informative nature. 

www.tencateprotectivefabrics.com 

protectivefabrics.europe@tencate.com


TENCATE INDUSTRIAL ZHUHAI PERFORMS WELL ON HEALTH & SAFETY CONDITIONS 

Award for safety 

On 1 June this year TenCate Industrial Zhuhai received the Advanced Enterprise Award 

for Occupational Health and Safety Management 2010. The award was presented by the 

government authority of the Special Economic Zone of Zhuhai GaoLan Port. This is an 

acknowledgement of the company’s efforts to provide its employees with a safe workplace. 

TenCate Industrial Zhuhai was officially 

opened in June 2008. During the fifteen 

months prior to the presentation of the award 

all its health and safety systems were closely 

scrutinized and tightened up. This related to 

both improvements in the hardware and an 

increase in the employees’ knowledge and 

awareness of every aspect of safe working. 

A local government committee then carried 

out a strict and thorough inspection, during 

which they looked not only at the safety 

management systems but also examined 

absenteeism percentages, day-to-day 

developments and the involvement of 

management and employees in the working 

conditions. Another important factor in the 

granting of the award is the confidence that 

the company enjoys of the local government. 

TenCate Industrial Zhuhai believes that a 

good relationship is of great importance. 

Employees of TenCate Industrial Zhuhai with the award for safety in the workplace. 

Twenty companies 

TenCate Industrial Zhuhai was one of only 

twenty (of the more than six hundred) 

companies in this economic region to whom 

this award was presented. These also included 

foreign companies such as BP and Shell. 

For the company the award highlights the 

fact that excellent progress has been made 

in maintaining good working conditions. 

‘Our commitment to safety does not end here’, 

said general director Nang Young. ‘It has given 

a boost to further improvements, and not just 

those in the field of working conditions only. 

We are now also competing for an award from 

both the city of Zhuhai and the province.’ 

www.tencateindustrialfabrics.com 

industrialfabrics.asia@tencate.com 

37


TENCATE ADVANCED ARMOUR PRESENTS 3D MOULDING PROCESS 

Lighter and improved 

In mid-September TenCate Advanced Armour will present an advanced technology for three-dimensional moulding of armour solutions 

based on TenCate Liba ® . Hinged steel components for armoured vehicles can thus be replaced by parts consisting entirely of composite 

material. This will ultimately lead to the production of lighter and better protected vehicles. 

Traditionally, armoured vehicles consist of steel 

or aluminium armour, and composite material is 

used for the add-on armour layer and the vehicle’s 

spall-liners. A spall-liner is a soft material 

that is fitted into the cabin to protect the crew 

against shrapnel (spall) upon impact. This new 

technology will enable the key components of 

armoured vehicles that were originally made 

of steel, such as hatches, doors, panels and 

bulkheads, to be replaced by components 

consisting entirely of composite. This means 

improved protection for less weight. 

Impediments 

During the development of the technology 

a number of impediments were overcome. 

The new materials were for example required 

to have the same stiffness as steel. To achieve 

this, the fibres have to be meticulously fitted in 

the right direction. The design may not display 

a single ballistic weakness. This required 

finding the right weaving architecture and 

ensuring that no cuts are made. Typically, a 3D 

shape needs to be constructed of a complex 

‘mesh’ of pieces of material. Each one of these 

cuts reduces performance and adds weight to 

the solution, as extra reinforcement has to be 

added. For the new technology it was decided 

to use 3D TenCate Liba ® ceramic and a no-cut 

aramid backing. ‘No other ceramic system 

is capable of being formed into a 3D shape’, 

explains Paul Bourke (research, technical & 

development director, TenCate Advanced 


Armour). ‘Its sophisticated nature lies not only 

in the ceramic systems but also in the backing, 

which has been formed in a single piece. This is 

an exceptionally difficult task.’ 

Practical tests 

The design and testing of the structural 

armouring were supervised by the project team, 

headed by lead engineers Dylan Cawthorne 

and Maxime Dartois from TenCate Advanced 

Armour. During the mechanical design stage 

the TenCate Advanced Armour R&D team had 

to tackle aspects such as structural analysis, 

the shape of the insert, fitting, testing and 

environmental characteristics. The ballistic 

solution was then subjected to a number of

protection 

practical tests. Paul Bourke expects these to 

show that only minor adjustments will prove 

necessary to ensure that the systems are fully 

ready for use. ‘Thorough and ongoing research 

has been conducted and exhaustively tested. 

There was also close cooperation with the 

vehicle manufacturer, which formed the basis 

of the project.’ 

Matrix 

TenCate Liba ® is a patented lightweight 

protection solution based on ceramic pellets in 

a matrix of elastic polymer. From this mater ial 

the inserts are made. TenCate Liba ® has 

excellent characteristics as regards flexibility 

and multi-hit capability. The latter ensures a 

high degree of protection if the vehicle is hit by 

MARKET – antiballistics (personal and vehicle 

protection) PRODUCT – TenCate Liba ® 

TECHNOLOGY – ceramic and polymer 

technology PROCESS – inserts are fitted 

into bulletproof vests and vehicle armouring. 

various projectiles or shrapnel. For this reason 

TenCate Liba ® was the obvious choice for the 

project. Moreover, TenCate Liba ® makes a 

flexible and cost-effective production process 

possible. As a result of this development in 

armour technology the vehicle manufacturer 

can achieve considerable savings on the overall 

weight of the vehicle. All in all, a major step 

can thus be taken to reduce the costs of the 

product life cycle and increase the service life 

of the vehicle. 

Presentation 

The 3D technology will be presented at the 

Defence Security and Equipment International 

Exhibition (DSEi) in London in September. This 

is the ideal venue for the presentation of such 

a development in structural armouring. The 

exhibition is visited by large numbers of vehicle 

manufacturers, military officials and representatives 

of defence forces. They will all benefit 

from the advantages that the technology 

offers. ‘Ultimately, this will make it possible to 

replace a number of heavy steel vehicle parts 

with lighter and stronger solutions consisting 

entirely of composite’, says Paul Bourke. ‘It will 

lead to lighter and better protected vehicles.’ 

www.tencateadvancedarmour.com 

advancedarmour.europe@tencate.com 

39


TENCATE GEOSYNTHETICS INVOLVED IN AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION IN ALGERIA 

Extension of Ain Arnat 

Three types of geosynthetics, originating from the production companies of TenCate Geosynthetics in Linz 

(Austria), bezons (France) and Almelo, have been used in extending the runway of the international airport 

Ain Arnat in Sétif (Algeria). More than 100,000 m² of non-wovens, wovens and geogrids have been used in realizing 

a sustainable and cost-efficient solution. Furthermore TenCate has offered technical support. 


Ain Arnat (Sétif International Airport) is located 200 km 

southeast of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. To enable future 

generations of large aircraft to land and take off, it is necessary 

to extend the runway to 3200 metres. The soft soils in 

the low-lying area where the extension is to be carried out 

is a critical issue. To ensure the safe behaviour of the embankments 

(up to 13 m high), it was decided to use TenCate 

geosynthetics: 33,000 m² of TenCate Bidim ® non-woven 

(for drainage trenches and blankets to prevent clogging); 

34,000 m² of TenCate Geolon ® wovens (as strong reinforcement 

at the embankment base); and 40,000 m² of TenCate 

Miragrid geogrid (to increase stress diffusion on fills). 

TenCate Bidim ® S72 is manufactured in Bezons and is a 

non-woven for filtration and separation. The material is used 

mainly in hydraulic constructions where stringent filter 

criteria apply or extreme mechanical stresses are expected. 

TenCate Geolon ® PET 400 is a high-strength woven 

geosynthetic from Almelo. It is especially applied as 

base reinforcement for earth courses on weak soils and 

piled foundations. It is designed for long service, in most 

cases more than 100 years. TenCate Miragrid GX 55/55 

are geogrids from Linz. They are specially designed for 

reinforcing coarse-grained non-cohesive material. 

As far as specifications are concerned, the materials can 

be accurately tailored to both project and customer through 

flexible production. This means the right product in the right 

place at the right time. An external laboratory has successfully 

conducted tests on the performance of the geosynthetics. 

The local distributor and TenCate sales and engineers 

are providing technical support in the successive phases of 

the design and the installation. In this complex geotechnical 

context, this useful advice was highly appreciated by the 

different actors in the project. The work has caused no 

disruption at all to air traffic.On delivery during the course of 

2012, the extension of the Ain Arnat runway will serve as a 

good reference for future comparable technical applications. 

www.geosynthetics.europa.com 


industrialfabrics.europe@tencate.com 


41

Process optimalization / Cost efficiency 

TENCATE AND SITA PARTNERS IN SUSTAINAbLE WASTE PROCESSING 

Environmental 

and cost savings 

Not long ago the transport and processing of waste from the TenCate production companies in Nijverdal became centralized 

and more efficiently organized, resulting in substantial savings on the transport and processing of the waste produced annually 

by these companies. The logistics process has been optimized, which also benefits the environment. 


Until recently the industrial waste from the 

Nijverdal production companies was collected 

by different carriers for processing. 

In Gerard Scheffer’s opinion, it was possible 

to handle this in a more environment-friendly 

and cost-efficient way. Specifications and 

a call for tenders followed. The health, 

safety and environment coordinator of 

TenCate in Nijverdal was in charge of the 

project content, while Duco van der Lugt, as 

purchasing director, was responsible for the 

commercial aspects and process monitoring. 

In a close finish, the waste processing 

company SITA emerged as the best of the 

selected service providers. 

Good feeling 

‘In addition to the hard figures, we had a 

good feeling about the service, response 

speed and the way in which the free 

package was filled in,’ says Gerard Scheffer. 

SITA’s improvement proposals related, 

among other things, to combi transport, 

logistics, kinds of waste containers and 

future possibilities for savings. The reuse 

value of waste products was also included 

in the pricing. The agreement incorporates 

an overview of performance indicators and 

a bonus-penalty system. 

‘A collective approach means professio nalization 

and economic benefit,’ according 

to Gerard Scheffer and Duco van der Lugt. 

‘There is now one contact point, which 

makes you less vulnerable from the point of 

view of risk management. All the information 

concerning the nature and processing 

of the waste streams is now centralized, 

which allows more scope for action.’ 

Substantial savings 

In the case of TenCate in Nijverdal, it’s a 

question of an annual total of approximately 

700 tons of waste. Substantial savings will 

now be realized on transporting and processing 

the waste and on hiring containers. 

The participating production companies will 

benefit from these savings, which vary from 

25% to 60% per company, in proportion 

to their quantities of waste. Carbon waste 

from TenCate Advanced Composites will 

still be recycled in CFK Valley in Germany. 

Employees are equipped with the means 

to separate the waste at source. Further 

proposals for savings are in the pipeline. 

In accordance with the agreement, SITA 

will actively support and inform TenCate 

regarding any further possible cost 

savings. These will then be investigated to 

assess their sustainability. Moreover CO 2 

scans will be carried out. After all, waste 

separation - or rather dealing with waste 

prudently - leads to CO 2 reduction, among 

other benefits. 

Circular economy 

SITA believes in the principle of a circular 

economy and ecodesign. In a circular or 

revolving economy all used materials are 

efficiently utilized in the same or in another 

product without any loss of quality. 

When all residual products can be reused 

and the products are environmentally 

neutral, the cycle is complete. Not only 

economic and technical but also human and 

environmental criteria must be factored into 

the design of a process or product. TenCate 

endorses these principles and is already 

putting them into practice. 

• Transport and processing of waste 

from the Nijverdal production 

companies has been outsourced to 

one waste processing company 

• SITA scored the highest when it came 

to the list of demands, as well criteria 

such as service, operating speed and 

proposals for future savings 

• Partners endorse importance of 

circular economy and ecodesign 

www.tencate.com 

g.scheffer@tencate.com 

43

Sustainability / Environment 

TEN CATE THIObAC bV CELEbRATES FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Forty years of backing 

The backing company of TenCate Grass started 

life in 1971 as the joint venture Thiokol-Ten 

Cate, with two weaving machines for the 

production of polypropylene-based carpet 

backing. At that time carpet was colonizing 

Dutch living rooms. Jute, the traditional base, 

was liable to stretch and shrink. Four years 

later production was already in full swing on 75 

weaving machines. In 1976 Thiokol Corporation 


On Thursday, 23 June, Ten Cate Thiobac, the company of TenCate Grass that supplies backing for 

synthetic turf systems, celebrated its fortieth anniversary. Management and employees added lustre to 

(US) withdrew and the company became a 

full subsidiary of TenCate under the name TtC 

Polyolefins. TtC revived memories of the old 

name: polyolefins are polymers (plastics) based 

exclusively on carbon and hydrogen, such as 

polyethylene and polypropylene. It was during 

this period that TenCate also began to develop 

and produce synthetic turf fibres. In 1996 TtC 

merged with Nicolon and TenCate Nicolon was 

the celebration in a festive and sporting fashion. 

born. The name change to Ten Cate Thiobac 

dates back to the beginning of this century. 

New fabrics 

Ten Cate Thiobac currently forms part of the 

Grass group. In recent years the cooperation 

between Ten Cate Thiobac and Ten Cate 

Thiolon in this group has expanded, leading 

to the development of new fabrics for the

synthetic turf industry. This has occurred in 

close consultation with the customer. Entering 

into alliances and partnerships has also had a 

positive effect on the developments - including 

those of Ten Cate Thiobac itself. Among these 

developments are the so-called multilayers: 

backings with multiple layers of fabrics and 

non-wovens. In particular, sports such as rugby 

and American football require a robust underlay 

The fortieth anniversary was celebrated with a festive get-together in the Polman Stadium in Almelo. 

The celebrations included a mini-football competition on the synthetic turf in the Polman Stadium. 

The independent inspection institute, Sports Labs Ltd from Scotland, made a positive assessment of the 

condition of the pitch and the underlying construction in July for the third successive time. This led to the 

pitch once again being awarded the FIFA Two Star standard, the highest rating in professional football. 

of this type. Within the Grass group, Ten Cate 

Thiobac also responds to various developments 

in the market, such as the demand for 

environmental friendliness and recycling. As 

these demands are being translated into new 

products and new means of production, the 

company will still be able to present itself in 

the years ahead as an innovative market leader 

in the area of fabrics for the synthetic turf 

industry. This has already led to the investment 

in a new warp knitting machine. More new 

investments are likely be made in the future 

so that the company can line up as a market 

forward and score as a striker. 

www.tencategrass.com 

grass.europe@tencate.com 

45

Social commitment 

TENCATE PERMATRON ® FOR FIRST SPRING FIELD IN EUROPE 


bounz 

The opening of the first bounz field in Europe was 

organized by Karin bloemen in Amsterdam on 

Wednesday, 15 June. bounz is a new form of exercise 

on multifunctional trampoline fields. The integrated 

bounz field is produced by bosan and sponsored 

by TenCate, which supplies TenCate Permatron ® 

photos: Sander Nieuwenhuys. 

trampoline fabric for this purpose. 

The Bounz field in Amsterdam consists of 34 

trampolines, a 24-metre-long tumbling track 

and sloping springy walls, where according to 

the organization ‘sport & fun are combined’. 

Bounz is supported by NOC*NSF and is 

regarded as the official Field Lab for New 

Sports Opportunities. Using this field lab, the 

umbrella sports organization NOC*NSF focuses 

on innovative recreational sports. The aim is get 

more Dutch people moving and to contribute 

MARKET – Sport, recreation and windbreaks 

PRODUCT – TenCate Permatron ® 

TECHNOLOGY – Fabric based on polypropylene 

and carbon fibre, with UV protection and 

high tensile strength PROCESS – Fabric is 

made to measure and customized as part of the 

trampoline field as a whole. 

towards the ambition to have 75% of the Dutch 

population taking part in sport. The experiences 

of the field labs will be used to feed tips and 

advice to sports associations and sports clubs 

in the hope that the new sports on offer will 

also stimulate more people to take up sport 

and start moving. The TenCate Sportboulevard 

Enschede has also been a field lab. 

www.nocnsf.nl/proeftuinen

txtures in 2011 

LOOKING AHEAD TO TXTURES 4 / WINTER 2011 

Among the articles in the winter edition of txtures you can expect the following. 

TenCate 

Advanced 

Armour France 

TenCate Advanced Armour is 

participating in the Eurocopter project. 

The facility in France has brought into 

use a new production company. 

Results 3 rd 

quarter 2011 

Background to the results realized 

in the third quarter of 2011. 

Volume 46 - number 3 - autumn 2011 

Connected through end-user marketing 

The theme of the 2010 annual report is connected with end-user marketing. In edition 4 the efforts 

of TenCate Outdoor Fabrics and TenCate Advanced Armour in approaching end-users. 

Antiballistic 

solutions 

The development of ABDS, the active 

blast countermeasure system, is making 

good progress. It is a patented concept 

for improved protection of army 

vehicles against roadside bombs. 

ITMA-ITMF 

World Textile 

Summit 

A retrospective of the top international 

conference of the European Committee 

of Textile Machinery Manufacturers 

(CEMATEX) and the International Textile 

Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) in 

September. TenCate is one of the sponsors. 

txtures is a corporate review of Royal Ten Cate for its employees and external stakeholders. The magazine is 

published four times a year in a Dutch and English version. Reproduction of articles or parts of articles is authorized, 

providing the source is acknowledged and that passages and quotations are not placed in a different context. 

Editor’s address Translations Design Printing 

Royal Ten Cate Gay Howells DeNK•creatieve vrijdenkers LulofDruktechniek 

Coen Heldeweg (chief editor) 

phone +31 546 544 305 

c.heldeweg@tencate.com 

Janice Collins Almelo Almelo 

47

Game intensity is rising 

In a fast and technical game like hockey, players want total control over their stick and the ball. The high ball speed 

makes it an exciting game to play and popular to watch. This success results in a continuous need for durable 

hockey systems of high quality. Water-based hockey pitches are the norm, providing the perfect performance that 

players demand. 

The micro-fibrillated TenCate LSR ® blades and the innovative TenCate backings combined with a high tuft density are the 

premium stable basis on which the game is played, right up to the highest level, while raising the intensity of the game. 

www.tencategrass.com

end-user marketing geosynthetics / advanced composites - TenCate

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