Bio-based and compostable products for the GWW

TEFAB is the new name of T&F, a household name in the world of geotextiles and geosynthetics for over thirty years. Under this new name, with a new look and from new premises in Gilze, TEFAB is giving full force to its sustainable ambitions. With a strong focus on sustainability, the company is ready for the future. An interview with director Esther IJzer and Ron van Gestel about the company's new strategy and sky-high ambitions.

The land is our field of activity 

The land is what we all want to live, work and work on safely and healthily, says Iron. "To maintain that for ourselves and for generations to come, we all know we cannot continue as we are. New solutions are needed to that end. Soil, Road and Hydraulic Engineering can also make an important contribution to that with the right, sustainable materials."

Geotechnical applications    

TEFAB thinks and acts from geotechnical solutions. Van Gestel says, "We are committed to providing a 'clearly sustainable' solution for every geotechnical application. This can be a long life of traditional materials, the recycling of used materials, but certainly also the use of bio-based or compostable products. In this we are going further and further." Iron adds: "We can proudly say that in the Netherlands we are now the largest supplier of bio-based and compostable products for the Earth, Road and Hydraulic Engineering sector."

Clearly durable

Continuously, TEFAB develops innovative (biobased) materials in cooperation with manufacturers and techlabs. "Speaking examples are our jute woven geotextiles with a tensile strength of 40kN, the Duracover^®, a 100% compostable ground cloth made from PLA, or our latest innovation: Inogrid^®. This special grid, provided with a thermoplastic anti-corrosion coating, prevents digging damage to dikes and embankments by beavers and other burrowing species," Van Gestel explains. "This product was developed with maximum consideration for animal welfare and nature. The mesh is particularly durable with a life expectancy of at least 50 years."

Lasting relationships

We find it important that cooperation is pleasant, where we want to make the work for our customers more and more enjoyable, easier and better, IJzer summarizes. "This means thinking along from real-world experience, giving clear advice and ensuring that a project does not run out of materials. The customer can continue to work and rely on a supply of materials as required. And if there is a setback in a project, we are happy to go the extra mile to help the customer out." According to TEFAB, pleasant business also includes sharing knowledge, such as an internal workshop on sustainable materials, contributing to a test environment or being an active part of the industry association. Van Gestel concludes, "Pleasant and sustainable business is in keeping with our Brabant roots. We cordially invite you to experience it for yourself."