GEOFABRICS RANKS #1 - MANUFACTURING & CONSUMER GOODS AFR & BOSS MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

Leading geosynthetic manufacturer and supplier Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd ranked #1 in the Manufacturing & Consumer Goods category of the 2021 Australian Financial Review (AFR) & BOSS Magazine Most Innovative Companies list. The assessment measures top innovation across ten different industries, and this year comprised more than 600 entries.

The annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review & BOSS Magazine, is based on a rigorous assessment process managed by leading innovation consultancy Inventium in conjunction with a panel of industry expert judges. The judges rate the innovation based on how unique the idea is, how well the idea addresses the problem it is solving, and the evidence demonstrating the level of impact that the innovation has made.

Geofabrics has been recognised for their latest innovation, SORBSEAL®; a next-generation, hybrid Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL), which has been blended with a very specific, high surface area powdered activated carbon to attract and trap toxic emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

PFAS are known as forever chemicals due to their inability to breakdown easily. They can be found in our food and water as well as everyday items such as fast-food packaging, stain-resistant carpets, and non-stick cookware. Eventually, these products end up in landfill, and when the landfill is not adequately lined, PFAS and other emerging contaminants leak out from the area, entering waterways and ultimately, our food chain. This poses significant human health risks including cancer, thyroid conditions, and liver or kidney diseases.

SORBSEAL acts as a hydraulic barrier to liquids in the same way as a regular GCL containing only bentonite but can also trap and seal a wide range of contaminants, preventing them from polluting the environment. SORBSEAL can encapsulate contaminated landfill sites like a blanket to help stop liquids leaking out. It has already been used as a liner in a Queensland landfill cell and has the potential to assist with PFAS contamination in mining leachate ponds.

Geofabrics CEO & Managing Director Dennis Grech comments, “I am very proud to lead a business that is committed to solving big environmental problems. PFAS contamination is harmful to human health and the environment. Geofabrics, a local Australian company with manufacturing plants right here in Australia, is committed to using its deep R&D and manufacturing capability to find solutions for complex problems. To be recognised as Australia’s Most Innovative Company in Manufacturing and Consumer Goods is a wonderful acknowledgement of what makes Geofabrics such a great business - our people.”

ABOUT THE AFR BOSS MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES LIST

The AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list is now in its tenth year. The list ranks the most innovative organisations in Australia and New Zealand, by industry, and is the only national list of its kind. In 2021, the list comprised of ten industry lists, compiled from over 600 nominations - www.mostinnovative.com.au

ABOUT INVENTIUM

Inventium is a leading Australian behavioural science and innovation consultancy. Inventium is the official methodology partners of the AFR Most Innovative Companies list and the AFR Best Places to Work List - www.inventium.com.au

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW (AFR)

For more than 50 years The Australian Financial Review has been the authority on business, finance and investment news in Australia. The Australian Financial Review is owned by Fairfax Media Limited [ASX:FXJ], a leading multi-platform media company in Australasia - www.afr.com