Paving the Way for Composite Masonry
Piggybacking on the green movement, Minneapolis company VAST Enterprises is carving out a niche in what they call composite masonry. Founded in 2006, the firm seeks to replace concrete for such applications as landscape pavers, parking lots, driveways, and patios.
There were several important characteristics to consider when developing the technology. The company’s products are made from a combination of scrap tires and recycled plastics. UV stability was important so products would physically hold up after time and keep their color. The company also tested compressive strength and flexural strength so the products wouldn’t crack under intense weathering conditions such as rain and ice. Finally, chemical resistance was an important factor, particularly salt to remove snow as well as pool chemicals.
CEO Andy Vander Woude says a major advantage composites have over concrete relates to shipping. “A concrete plant can only ship its materials 100-150 miles before the economics overwhelm the cost structure. Composites can go nine times that distance.” Other problems he points out with concrete include difficulty in cutting, and slow, block by block, labor intensive installation.
Like other composites manufacturers in infrastructure, VAST is dogged by the liability-based, risk-averse nature of the industry. “Any new material, whether green or not, has to go through a lot of work to convince customers that its product is truly going to look as great as they say and will be a solid foundation,” said Vander Woude.
The company counteracts this resistance by beefing up its education efforts. The company communicates the results of lab testing and real-world installations in hopes of getting people over a fear of using new building material. And Vander Woude thinks the escalation of “green” importance plays right into the company’s hands. “It’s creating a counter-force that compels people more to look at new technologies. Everything would already be green, so this is causing them to reach out and embrace new things.”
Vander Woude adds this embracement is not only what the company needs to survive, but how the composites industry can grow. “We’re looking to change the way that those products perform by lowering labor costs and refining distribution methods. Anytime a material breakthrough, it creates opportunities to do business.”
