NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Axion International Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: AXIH), a leader in Recycled Structural Composite (RSC)™ technology used to produce railroad ties and bridges, is pleased to announce that its I-beam design was named one of the Top 3 worldwide innovations of 2011 after receiving one of only three R&D 100 Editor's Choice Awards at the R&D 100 Awards Ceremony held in Orlando, Florida, on October 13th.
Axion previously announced that it was recognized by R&D Magazine as one of the top 100 technologies in the world for its “All Thermoplastic Composite, I-Beam Design, High Capacity Bridge System.” Now it has received the additional distinction of being chosen from this pool of 100 candidates as a Top 3 most innovative technology worldwide. The I-beam design was used by the US Army at Fort Bragg, NC, to allow for the crossing of an M1 Abrams Tank weighing in at approximately 70+ tons over several bridges designed from 100% recycled plastic.
For almost 50 years, the prestigious R&D 100 Awards have been recognizing the year’s best new high-technology products. Determined by a panel of experts chosen by R&D Magazine, the award is recognition that the selected product is one of the most important innovations of the year. The Award for the innovative recycled plastic design was granted to the following joint developers and contributors to the I-beam project: the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center, Rutgers University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McLaren Engineering Group, and Axion International Holdings, Inc.
“To have this technology take its place as an R&D 100 Award winner alongside major think tanks, governmental agencies, and various technological innovators speaks volumes with regard to the joint effort put forth by our team and is truly rewarding,” stated Axion Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Jim Kerstein. “For a company of our size to even be mentioned with some of the other giants of industry recognized here is truly a testimonial to how innovative and effective a public, private and academic partnership can be. To be selected by the editors of R&D Magazine as a top 3 technology for the year 2011 is not only a thrill for everyone involved, but serves to support the role that this technology could play in greening tomorrow’s infrastructure and reducing the role of planned obsolescence in building materials.”
The R&D 100 Awards were established in 1963 and provide a mark of excellence known to industry, government, and academia as recognition of the most innovative ideas of the year. The criteria for the R&D 100 Award includes demonstrable technological significance compared with competing products and technologies. This means that the product should exhibit orders of magnitude of improvement over existing products. In the past, the R&D Awards have recognized many significant products including the automated teller machine, the fax machine, the digital wristwatch, anti-lock brakes, the liquid crystal display, cardiac defibrillator and HDTV.
To learn more about the R&D 100 Awards, please visit: http://www.rdmag.com/Awards/RD-100-Awards/R-D-100-Awards/
To view a detailed write-up on Axion’s innovative RSC technology, entitled “Recycled Plastic, Ingenuity Builds Bridges,” please visit: http://www.rdmag.com/Awards/RD-100-Awards/2011/08/Recycled-plastic-ingenuity-builds-bridges/
Developed in conjunction with Rutgers University’s Materials Sciences and Engineering Department, Axion’s RSC is inert and contains no toxic materials. It is impervious to insect infestation, will not leach toxic chemicals nor warp. Because it is lighter than traditional materials, transporting RSC is less expensive and reduces energy costs. In addition, RSC is completely recyclable at the end of its functional life.
About Axion International Holdings, Inc.
Axion International Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: AXIH) develops structural building products in the United States and internationally from 100% recycled consumer and industrial plastics. It offers structural composite railroad crossties, structural composite I-beams, tongue and groove planking, and various sizes of boards for use in engineered design solutions, such as rail track, rail and tank bridges, pedestrian and recreation bridges, marinas, boardwalks, and bulk heading. The Company markets its structural products to the railroad industry, military, and industrial engineering and contracting firms. Axion International Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in New Providence, New Jersey.
For additional information, please visit Axion’s corporate website: www.axionintl.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission's "safe harbor" provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause Axion’s actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated, including the availability of materials at favorable pricing, sufficient manufacturing capability and the risk factors identified in Axion’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.