Download

AEC Announces New E-Stapler Application System for E-Staples

New ASTM Soil and Rock Standard Helps to Determine Performance of Temporary Ditch Checks

For Immediate Release Press Contact: Barbara Schindler
Release #7461 610/832-9603; bschindl@astm.org
New ASTM Soil and Rock Standard Helps to Determine Performance of Temporary Ditch Checks

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., 17 August 2006—ASTM Committee ASTM International Committee D18 on Soil and Rock has approved a new ASTM International standard that covers the guidelines, requirements and procedures for evaluating the ability of temporary ditch checks to protect earthen channels from stormwater-induced erosion. The standard, D7208, Test Method for Determination of Temporary Ditch Check Performance in Protecting Earthen Channels from Stormwater-Induced Erosion, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D18.25 on Erosion and Sediment Control Technology.

A temporary ditch check is a barrier consisting of rocks, straw bales, excelsior logs, wattles, lumber, rock bags, interlocking pre-cast concrete blocks or other materials installed or constructed across a drainage way, swale or other ephemeral waterway to reduce flow velocity, decrease erosion and promote soil retention.

An effective ditch check needs to slow runoff to encourage sedimentation, trap soil particles up stream of structure and decrease soil erosion.

“Sediment control is becoming a focus of regulatory agencies so we must understand the performance capability of the products that are used to combat the problem,” says Kurt Kelsey, Director of Technical Resources, American Excelsior Company.

Kelsey notes that manufacturers, departments of transportation and regulatory agencies would be the most likely users of Test Method D 7208. The test method uses full-scale testing procedures, rather than reduced-scale simulation and is based on conditions typically found on construction sites after earthwork operations have been complete, but before the area has been revegetated.

Subcommittee D18.25 continues to be active in the development of erosion and sediment control standards and invites the participation of all interested parties.

ASTM International standards are available for purchase from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585; service@astm.org) or at www.astm.org.

For further technical information, contact Kurt Kelsey, American Excelsior Company, Rice Lake, Wis. (phone: 715/236-5643; kkelsey@erosionlab.com). Committee D18 meets Jan. 28-31, 2007, during the January Committee Week in Costa Mesa, Calif. For membership or meeting information, contact Robert Morgan, manager, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9732; rmorgan@astm.org).

Committee D18 is one of 139 ASTM technical standards-writing committees. Established in 1898, ASTM International is one of the largest standards development and delivery systems in the world. ASTM standards are accepted and used in R&D, product testing, quality systems, and commercial transactions around the globe.

Download

AEC Announces new Bio-Degradable E-STAPLE

Introducing e-Staple & Applicator System

A New Biodegradable Anchoring Staple and Applicator System
By American Excelsior Company and UZET

(Arlington, TX) - American Excelsior Company and UzetWorld Dublin, Ireland, have partnered together to bring e-Staple to the erosion control industry. According to Jerry Bohannon, Director of the Earth Science Division, “this partnership with UzetWorld allows the American Excelsior Company to combine our leadership skills with the leader in biodegradable technology to continue to provide our customers with innovative, unique
biodegradable solutions for todays erosion and sediment control markets.”

e - Staple provides the very best solution in biodegradation from cold to warm composting conditions and will not soften during storage through humidity pickup. e – Staple can also be used on coastal erosion installation projects as the material is waterproof and is approved by the Department of the Marine. Combine these material characteristics with e-Staple’s unique design, which provides the very best in holding and tensile strength, add to this the manual applicator system and soon to be introduced pneumatic hand held and automated applicator system, the contractor is now working with the best solution available.

“UzetWorld is delighted to announce its working relationship with American Excelsior Company. We believe that American Excelsior provides the very best solutions and products available to the Erosion Control Sector. American Excelsior demonstrates all the characteristics of a company with the ability to develop and qualify solutions for now and into the future. This combination of very best practices, developing industry standards and
market knowledge is only achieved through a very strong professional team culture, which UzetWorld is happy to be part of.” Aidan Lynch CEO & Peter Kelly VP Sales and Marketing UzetWorld.

For more information, contact ESD Customer Service at: (800) 777-SOIL or sales@AmericanExcelsior.com

Download

AEC Announces New Curlex Roll Sizes

American Excelsior Company Introduces New Roll Sizes on Curlex®
Excelsior Blankets

Arlington, TX – November 18, 2005 – In response to their distribution network and the contractors that install ECB’s, American Excelsior Company announced a series of new roll sizes designed to better utilize warehouse space, provide standard roll lengths and enhance material utilization by providing an option on roll sizes.

To further enhance the installing process; all Curlex products will now be machined stitched to eliminate any un-rolling issues on the construction site.

Jerry Bohannon, Director of ESD for American Excelsior Company, said, “The new roll sizes confirm that we are responsive to the suggestions of our customers. These new standard roll lengths will help reduce labor and material handling on our 4’ and 8’ Curlex blankets, and our new 16’ wide blanket will reduce installation costs on large construction or landfill projects.”

All standard Curlex Blankets will now have a standard length of 101.25’. This will provide a 45 square yard roll of 4’ product weighing only 33 pounds (Curlex I, Natural) with the 8’ rolls being 90 square yards and only weighing 66 pounds.

In addition, the new sizes can be bundled in 9-packs eliminating the need for pallets, thereby reducing stacking heights during warehousing.

This announcement was made in conjunction with American Excelsior’s recent Press Release to announce the opening of two new straw manufacturing facilities next year.

American Excelsior Company has 11 facilities in the U.S. and over 100 distributor partners to serve you. More information is available at www.curlex.com.

For additional information please contact: Ken Starrett at kstarrett@americanexcelsior.com

Download

Castle Rock, CO Restaurant Goes Topless and Bottomless

NEW RESTAURANT GOES TOPLESS AND BOTTOMLESS!

The builders of a new Red Robin Restaurant in Castle Rock, Colorado exercised sound
sustainable design, and environmentally friendly, development principles when they called for the use of 100% biodegradable temporary erosion control blankets (ECBs) for their project.

Normally this specification would be met with blankets constructed with wood excelsior, or
straw, or 70% straw/30% coconut blend, or 100% coconut fibers. Such blankets are typically stitched on top only, or top and bottom, with layers of woven jute thread nettings.

Compared to traditional plastic nettings, woven nettings have been shown to pose less of a threat for entrapment of small birds and mammals, are less likely to get entangled in mowing equipment, and reduce tripping hazards to the public. However, there can still be problems associated with the use of netted blankets in areas of wildlife habitat, high levels of foot traffic, or maintained turf subject to early mowing operations.

For the project the contractor selected a revolutionary 100% biodegradable wood excelsior ECB, which completely eliminates the potential disadvantages of all types of netting. The ECB consists of 100% weed seed free Great Lakes Aspen excelsior fibers stitched into a three dimensional matrix using biodegradable rayon thread, without the need for nettings of any type on either the top or bottom of the blanket.

Additional suggested applications include shoreline rehabilitation, wetlands restoration/replacement, and riparian habitat restoration where the potential for wildlife entrapment concern is the greatest. Golf course, park, and school site construction projects are also ideal locations for its use, since these types of development normally exhibit a high level of foot traffic and site managers are often anxious to begin early mowing to promote rapid establishment of turf grasses to allow public use as soon as possible.

The product is Curlex^® NetFree^™ and is manufactured by American Excelsior Company, Arlington, Texas 1-800-777-7645.

Download