VSL Features Hardwire In Ad Campaign

VSL, the specialty reinforcement arm of The Structural Group (www.structural.net), has recently launched an extensive advertising campaign featuring Hardwire® reinforcement materials. These full page ads now appearing in McGraw Hill's Engineering News-Record (www.enr.com) started in August, 2003 and will run for a full year. The Structural Group, an equity partner in Hardwire LLC, realized the potential that a product like Hardwire could bring to the structural retrofit arena and invested early in the company. "Hardwire marks the next generation of composites," says Brian Gallagher, Director of Marketing for The Structural Group. "The potential for Hardwire to be coupled with cementitious and other fire retardant resin systems present opportunities in structural retrofit that simply were not possible before." Hardwire, based on steel-belted tire cord technology, offers reinforcements up to 450ksi and produces laminates up to 12M modulus and 260ksi composite flexural stiffness.

"The ease of use of Hardwire is exciting. The ability to bend it on right angles, to utilize the self adhesive product to adhere to vertical surfaces prior to resin impregnation, and the durability of the fiber on the shop floor will make this product a winner" states Gallagher. "The fire resistance of the steel fiber is not something to overlook either. The ability to pack such a strong punch in such a thin layer at a price far more affordable than carbon fiber is something we have been searching for. It truly is a Micro-Rebar® type reinforcement. The response to our Hardwire advertising has been tremendous. The marketplace is excited about this new technology."

Engineers understand steel ... do you? For more information on Hardwire and its use in the concrete retrofit market contact Jay Thomas at The Structural Group at (703) 451-4300. For general information on Hardwire contact Skip Ebaugh at (410) 957-3669.

Hardwire® and Micro-Rebar® are registered trademarks of Hardwire LLC.

Hardwire® products may be purchased directly via this website or though distribution at Composites One.