Jan 5 2011
Axion International (OTCBB: AXIH), producer of the world’s strongest recycled composite plastic industrial building products and railroad ties, announced today the successful completion of its first project with ONCF, the national railway of Morocco.
The project provided Axion’s patented recycled plastic composite crossties (sleepers) for the North African nation.
In relation to this initial test order, Axion was compensated approximately $100,000 by ONCF. ONCF operates more than 1,100 miles (1,900 kilometers) of track throughout Morocco (North Africa) and carried over 29 million passengers last year. ONCF budgets approximately 100 miles of track to be replaced annually.
“Today’s announcement signifies a major win for Axion as we complete this initial contract with Morocco’s national railway,” stated Steve Silverman, Axion’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “Not only does the completion of our initial contract with ONCF represent an opportunity to expand our relationship with the railway in Morocco, it provides a key validator for Axion as we look to expand the sales initiatives for our innovative thermoplastic technology to international markets around the globe.”
Mr. Silverman continued, “We have reached the point where customers have completed various projects and tested our plastic building materials and railroad ties, seeing for themselves the value our products offer. We’re grateful for our relationship with the ONCF and to be able to provide a product that is tailored to their exact specifications. We look forward to expanding upon this relationship and working with our clients to develop superior rail and building products.”
ONCF originally contracted with Axion in June of 2010, when they ordered their first quantity of ties to be installed and tested. The product was shipped in two installments, with one being delivered in June and the other in September, whereupon they were successfully installed at Morocco’s Rabat Agdal train station, which is along the northern Atlantic coast between Casablanca and Tangier. The crossties were produced at Axion’s manufacturing facility in Portland, PA and measure 9 inches x 5.5 inches (0.229m x 0.14m) and up to 14.4 feet (4.40m) in length.
Developed in conjunction with Rutgers University’s Materials Sciences and Engineering Department, Axion’s Recycled Structural Composite (RSC) material is inert and contains no toxic materials. It is impenetrable to insect infestation, it is made from virtually 100% recycled plastics and it does not warp, rust or corrode. Because it is lighter than traditional materials, transporting RSC is less expensive and reduces energy costs. In addition, RSC is recyclable at the end of its functional life.