GEOFABRICS JOINS THE AUSTRALIA PACIFIC ISLANDS BUSINESS COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Leading geosynthetic manufacturer and supplier, Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd is pleased to announce the recent election of CEO & Managing Director, Dennis Grech to the executive committee of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (APIBC). This appointment reaffirms Geofabrics’ commitment to solving critical infrastructure challenges with dedicated efforts to support climate resilience in the Pacific Islands.

The APIBC is an independent association of businesses based in Australia supporting bilateral trade and investment between Australia and the Pacific Islands and advocating for economic and business growth in the Pacific economies. It provides a platform to facilitate and promote trade and investment between the business communities of Australia and Pacific Islands by offering the opportunity to network and connect across diverse industries as well as engage in dialogue with governments on business enabling policy issues.

Building on more than 30 years of fostering strong connections with coastal communities in the Pacific Islands, Geofabrics recognises the environmental challenges in the region and the importance of addressing these concerns. Pacific Island countries are the most vulnerable to the impacts of global warming, witnessing the devastating loss of coastal infrastructure and land from rising sea-levels, placing communities and aquatic ecosystems at risk. Geofabrics aims to leverage its expertise within the APIBC to collaboratively develop climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives for the Pacific Island nations.

As an Australian manufacturer, Geofabrics has the capability to oversee internal systems, energy sources and waste management, providing greater control over decisions that affect the environment. Recognised for its positive environmental impact, Australian made Elcorock geotextile sand containers have been deployed as a shoreline protection barrier to defend against coastal erosion in several critical coastal infrastructure projects across the Pacific Islands countries. Elcorock has successfully been used in projects including land reclamation and shoreline protection in Tuvalu, the provincial airfields upgrade in Solomon Islands, and runway protection works in the Cook Islands.

Geofabrics CEO & Managing Director Dennis Grech comments: “Geofabrics has a long-standing association with the Pacific Region. Our geosynthetic products have been deployed in projects protecting communities from the impact of coastal erosion as a consequence of global warming. Beyond local manufacturing and job creation, our innovation and research are distinctly Australian. To be able to share this with our Pacific neighbours is very rewarding. I look forward to making a personal contribution to the Australia Pacific Island Business Council and promoting Australian manufacturing in the region”.

ABOUT APIBC

The Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (APIBC) is a membership based independent association of businesses in Australia with interests in the Pacific Islands economies. Since its establishment in 2000, the council has worked to promote bilateral trade, investment relationships and economic opportunities across the regions and to support economic and employment growth in those economies. APIBC provides its members with an unparalleled network to advance their business goals in the Pacific Islands region. It also advocates to governments on business enabling policy issues. There are separate bilateral Business Councils which work for Australian business interests in Papua New Guinea and Fiji.