Leading containment liners

LEADING

containment liners

Designed specifically for use in chemically aggressive environments, AKS Lining Systems supplies a range of HDPE and LLDPE lining solutions, utilised extensively in infrastructure containment projects.

Peter Hardie, manager: Technical & International Sales, AKS Lining Systems

ince its inception in 2002, AKS Lining

SSystems has grown to become a competitive global producer of thermoplastic lining products. Its products are exported to more than 30 countries worldwide, where they are used in diverse applications such as mining, environmental conservation, water treatment, and general infrastructure.

Situated in Cape Town, AKS Lining Systems naturally offers strong support to South Africa and the SADC region.

Containment and corrosionresistant solutions

According to Peter Hardie, manager: Technical & International Sales, AKS Lining Systems, the company’s geomembrane range of products, Geoliner, is manufactured from HDPE or LLDPE resins that are considered chemically inert. Geoliner is supplied in 7 m wide rolls, with various surface finishes, such as smooth, textured or mega textured.

“Our geoliner products are used extensively in the construction of critical facilities like landfill sites, tailings facilities, ash storage facilities, but also in straight-forward applications in aquaculture, water storage, farm dams, etc.”

In addition to the Geoliner range is the flagship AKS™ Corrosion Protection Liner. AKS™ (Anchor Knob Sheet) is a liner extruded with a matrix of anchors. It is used extensively in acid-proofing concrete structures, by being cast into the concrete. The mechanical bond into the concrete means the product can be used in a vast range of applications, including mining, sewage treatment and large outfall sewers, to name but a few.

“Our AKS™ product is exported globally through a well-established network of distributors and installers who are able to offer a complete solution to their clients. By utilising this network, we have been able to supply some large projects with our 7 m wide Geoliner product range as well. A 300 000 m2 landfill project in Vietnam and an 850 000 m2 contaminated soil project in Singapore are just two recent exports.

“The resins we use are all imported and comply with (and often exceed) the requirements of the internationally accepted GRI-GM13 and GRIGM17 liner standards, as well as SANS 1526 requirements,” he says.

Being ISO 9001:2015 certified ensures that the internal management system and quality procedures are maintained and reviewed at the highest possible levels. These systems and procedures follow through from the resin suppliers, shipping and logistics to finished product, testing and delivery.

New, sustainable tech

AKS Lining Systems uses state-of-the-art, Europeanmanufactured extrusion lines. These large extruders are designed to utilise the latest technology and operate continuously and faultlessly. “We can achieve extrusion accuracies close to 5%; the current market trend is within a 10% range,” says Hardie.

AKS Lining Systems also utilises low-carbon emission technology to power its plants. The Cape Town-based production plant has installed a 500 kW solar facility, with plans to upgrade to 1 MW over the next two years. The company also makes use of equipment cooling facilities that utilise non-potable groundwater.

In 2020, AKS Lining Systems installed three additional large power generators, to ensure production remains unaffected during load-shedding. “This massive investment was done to ensure that our clients would not suffer delays in the delivery of their liner materials. Delays ultimately impact their project timeframes,” Hardie adds.

Guaranteed quality

“Our logistical team ensures expert handling and loading of trucks and containers, along with all the required export documentation. For identification, tracking and traceability, all AKS™ and Geoliner rolls are individually labelled and numbered. Our quality control system ensures that we can trace each roll and its components all the way from incoming resin through to testing and final quality certification,” explains Hardie.

AKS Lining Systems has an open-door policy, allowing customers to inspect and review their product during manufacturing and testing, giving them peace of mind when materials start arriving on-site.