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Student stipends available for World of Coal Ash
January 16, 2026
Know of a student interested in a career in coal ash? Make sure they know about the World of Coal Ash 2026’s Student Travel Stipend program. WOCA is May 4-7, 2026, in Lexington, Ky. This program was rolled out at WOCA 2024, with great success! It was designed specifically with students in mind. Thanks to […]
Registration open for USINFI Advocacy Days 2026
January 14, 2026
Registration is now open for USINFI Advocacy Days 2026, March 17–18, in Washington, D.C. The event is exclusive to members of USINFI, a member group of Advanced Textile Association (ATA). To learn more about membership, visit textiles.org/membership. Members will discuss issues impacting the U.S. textile industry—such as the Berry Amendment, PFAS and trade—with Congress and […]
Solmax appoints Patrick Hébert as CFO
January 14, 2026
Photo courtesy of Solmax. Solmax has appointed Patrick Hébert as its CFO, succeeding François Laurin, who will retire later this year. Hébert is a CPA with an Executive MBA from Université de Sherbrooke and a certificate in Strategy, Execution and Post-Merger Management from Harvard University. He brings extensive experience in the aerospace and infrastructure sectors, […]
Intelligent compaction for quality assurance of geogrid-reinforced soil
January 13, 2026
The November 12, 2025, article entitled “Geosynthetics enhance pavement design life” discussed how geosynthetics can improve the response of the granular materials used for the pavement foundation which can allow the reduction of pavement section thickness and/or increase the pavement design life. Photo courtesy of HUESKER. In my opinion, one of the barriers to […]
Save the date for 2026 Outlook Leadership Conference
January 12, 2026
The Advanced Textiles Association's Outlook Leadership Conference is coming to Greenville, S.C., May 31-June 2, 2026. Attendees at the 2025 Outlook Leadership Conference in Green Bay, Wis. Photo courtesy of eTextile Communications/Devin Steele. As we step into the future, Outlook Leadership Conference is evolving to become a dynamic leadership event. Just as Greenville blends rich textile history […]
Fifteen U.S. state attorneys general oppose proposed revision to TSCA PFAS reporting policy
January 9, 2026
Fifteen U.S. state attorneys general have submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expressing their opposition to a proposed revision to PFAS reporting policy under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The comments were submitted Dec. 22 by attorneys general of Connecticut, Illinois, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, […]
PFAS laws in several U.S. states take effect
January 8, 2026
Several U.S. state laws related to the use of PFAS in products, such as bans and warning label mandates, went into effect Jan. 1. These states include Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and Vermont. Visit Advanced Textile Association’s PFAS Resource Center for information and updates about other state PFAS laws and regulations. Connecticut Most products (including […]
WANTED: Young and ambitious employees
January 5, 2026
Compass Canvas hosted a portion of the students enrolled in the Spaulding Marine Center apprenticeship program. Image: Camari Henderson/Compass Canvas Business leaders continually explore new ways to recruit and retain workers. This is especially true in the textile industry in regard to drawing in younger people who may not be knowledgeable about the industry and […]
Bridging across unstable and variable ground with geosynthetic reinforced load transfer platforms
December 23, 2025
Over the past 30 years the use of geosynthetic reinforced load transfer platforms (LTPs) has increased in various construction applications. Photo courtesy of Tensar, a division of CMC. These applications include the support of embankments over soft or variable foundation conditions as well as the support of large construction equipment, such as cranes. It also […]
Geosynthetics Conference 2027 call for proposals opens
December 22, 2025
Mark your calendars and start making your plans to be part of the technical program at Geosynthetic Conference 2027, Feb. 21-24, 2027 in Reno, Nev. Want to share your expertise with the geosynthetics industry? This is your chance to propose and organize a session for the upcoming conference. Types of Sessions: Technical paper sessions Panel […]
President Trump signs National Defense Authorization Act
December 19, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Dec. 18. The U.S. Senate and House passed the act earlier this month, following the reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the bill in a conference committee. The final NDAA retains the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) level under the […]
USDOT announces $1.5 billion in infrastructure funding
December 16, 2025
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) through Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants for Fiscal Year 2026 that makes $1.5 billion available for infrastructure projects across the country. Under Secretary Duffy, the merit criteria of BUILD grants will prioritize increasing safety measures, expanding transportation options for American […]
Nick M. Donohue nominated as Virginia transportation secretary
December 11, 2025
Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has appointed Nick M. Donohue to serve as Virginia’s next Secretary of Transportation. Nick M. Donohue. Photo courtesy of office of Governor-Elect Spanberger. “To strengthen our economy long into the future, we need to make sure Virginia has efficient infrastructure that allows families to get to work and school, businesses to transport […]
El Maximo: Keep it flowing
December 9, 2025
To reduce tons of phosphorus and nitrogen headed into Lake Okeechobee in Florida, the El Maximo Ranch Northern Everglades Water Quality Project diverted water for treatment. Part of the project involved constructing 40 earthen weirs to reduce hydraulic stresses from culverts moving the water under unpaved zigzagging roads. Their protection and road stabilization were critical. […]
Combining geosynthetics, lightweight fill for construction over unstable ground
December 4, 2025
There are many geotechnical solutions when needing to construct over soft unstable ground. Photo courtesy of Aero Aggregates. These solutions range from a simple option such as allowing a surcharge to consolidate the soil layers over time to more complex technologies that fully support the load on a series of columns transferring the load through […]