When W. E. Rawson formed in England in the mid-19th century as a manufacturer of multi-purpose textiles, few could have predicted the company’s pivot into underground infrastructure rehabilitation.
This unconventional market entry occurred approximately 50 years ago, when the company expanded its knowledge of textile manufacturing to help establish the cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP) installation process, as well as some of the world’s first CIPP liners themselves.
By 1997, Applied Felts saw a growing opportunity for CIPP in the North American market. To support the introduction of this technology to the United States, Applied Felts invested in a manufacturing plant in Martinsville, Virginia.
Today, North America has become the largest CIPP market in the world.
Developing the first CIPP
The CIPP process that we know today remains similar to the original development by W.E. Rawson and Applied Felts.
Felt liners and tubes are manufactured then saturated with resin. They are then inverted into cleaned sewer pipes and cured in place.
The process produces a tight fitting “÷pipe within a pipe’, rehabilitating a sewer and providing long-term structural integrity.
According to Applied Felts spokesperson Alex Johnson, the environmentally conscious implementation of CIPP liners to help rehabilitate crumbling infrastructure fits in with parent company W.E. Rawson’s tradition of global responsibility.
“It’s an integral part of protecting what lies beneath us,” said Mr Johnson.
“Rehabilitated sewer pipes using liners removes the risk of sewer overflows and eliminates the need to extensively dig up the earth. This minimises disruption to our ecological footprint.”
Now one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers of CIPP liners, Applied Felts’ production process is 100 per cent vertically integrated and accredited to ISO 9001:2008, ensuring every phase of the manufacturing process – including a 28-stage testing system – is done in one location, providing oversight and ensuring a high-quality product.
Performance under pressure
In response to customer feedback regarding requirements, as well as growing industry demand, Applied Felts is poised to offer the newest innovation in CIPP liners: liners optimised for use in pressurised conditions.
“After years of stringent research and development, Applied Felts’ family of fibreglass-reinforced liners has been expanded to include products suitable for pressure sewer pipes and other non-potable water applications,” continued Alex Johnson.
“Products include AquaCure RPå¨, a breakthrough liner that combines fibreglass reinforcement with Applied Felts’ existing best-in-class felt liner design and construction; AquaCure PSå¨, which has been specially designed for use in a pressurised environment; and our latest introduction, AquaCure PWå¨, designed specifically for potable water applications.