GRANIT

News, Events and Press Releases

(in the original language)

17 JANUARY 2008

"Romande Energie Renouvelable" partner of Environmental Technology Center in Orbe
The signing of three agreements with Romande Energie Renouvelable and two Italian groups boosts the credibility of Granit SA. The second phase of the environment and renewable energies center of Orbe can now become effective.
See article in 24 heures (in French) pdf, Partnerships & Projects, pdf, Summary

JANUARY 2008

Stefan Grass (BPS AG) and his insulating panels made out of natural fibers are on the cover of the publication Environnement / Umwelt of the Federal Office of the Environment of the Swiss Confederation.
"La technique au service de l'environnement" ( pdf in French)

Federal Office of the Environment: www.bafu.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en (in English); www.ofev.ch (in French); www.bafu.ch (in German)
Biomass Process Solutions: www.bpsag.ch

7 DECEMBER 2007

Representatives of some 20 water treatment plants visit Orbe's plant
Granit is "selling" its unique sludge treatment process. As regulations become everyday more restrictive on the disposal of waste on agricultural fields, Orbe treatment plant is a show window for Granit Wet Oxidation Process, which can contribute greatly to the solution of that problem.
See article in La Région du Nord Vaudois ( pdf, in French)

13 JUNE 2007

Insulation boards made from natural grass fibers
Granit signed a contract with the owner of the company Biomass Process Solutions to acquire the majority of the company which owns the patent and the expertise to process natural vegetable fibers (for example grass) and produce insulation boards for the building industry. Granit will finance a first industrial production line, which will be located in the Environmental Technology Center (www.tecorbe.com) in Orbe, Switzerland. This line will produce insulation boards from various types of vegetable fibers and will serve as demonstration site for future plants. Granit plans also to finance production facilities of natural insulation boards in other European countries.

27 FEBRUARY 2007

Plastic depolymerization to produce hydrocarbon fuel
Granit signed a contract with two inventors for the industrial development of a new technology to process waste plastic into hydrocarbon fuel. The process is patented and Granit has acquired 100% of the rights on the patent. Granit will finance a pilot plant which will be used to measure all processing parameters necessary for the design of the industrial plant. Several sites for the first industrial plant have already been identified in Germany and in Italy.

Archives

22-23 NOVEMBER 2006

Daniel Brelaz, Mayor of Lausanne (Photo: Philippe Krauer)

SESEC V's Achievements and New Targets
Beside the projects, partnerships and cooperations that result, as every year, from the SESEC symposiums, this year 5th issue has opened new horizons:

The creation of the International Federation of Green Regions Associations (IFGRA) announced by the Mayor of the City of Lausanne, Daniel Brelaz, with the support of this Olympic City, the Canton of Vaud, Swiss governmental agencies and a number of public or private entities. With the setting up, among others of: a Steering Committee; an Environmental Investment Fund (Green Bank); the basis for an integrated Eco-databank.

See SESEC V news.

14-15 OCTOBER 2006

"The ecological future of the planet could pass through Lausanne"
The capital city of Canton of Vaud (with its Green Mayor, Daniel Brelaz) wants to position itself as a leading partner for sustainable development. Within two or three years, it is planning to launch an ecology-focused event of worldwide scale.
The founder of SESEC, Dr Alain Jenny supports the idea of the city developing this concept. "I already met the Mayor on that subject and we both think that it would be possible to exend the range of this symposium to have an impact on a world scale". (PDF)

La capitale vaudoise (avec son syndic Vert Daniel Brélaz) a pour ambition de se placer à la pointe en matière de développement durable. D'ici deux ou trois ans, elle compte lancer un événement d'envergure mondiale centré sur l'écologie.
Fondateur du SESEC, le Dr Alain Jenny serait favorable à ce que la ville développe le concept: "J'ai déjà rencontré le syndic à ce sujet enous pensons qu'il serait possible d'étendre la portée de ce rendez-vous pour que les débats puissent avoir un impact mondial".

SESEC V Symposium - Global Development of the Quality of Life at the Local Level
From 21 to 23 November 2006 (Tuesday to Thursday) , the 5th SESEC symposium (Swiss Environmental Solutions for Emerging Countries) will take place, as in the previous years, at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
Anyone concerned with the challenges of sustainable development, please see SESEC website for information and/or registration: www.sesec.org

The SESEC IV Symposium (Swiss Environmental Solutions for Emerging Countries), a meeting point between users and providers of integrated environmental technologies, as well as public and financing entities, took place from 5 to 7 October at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. It focused on:

with the active support of Swiss and international organizations and private companies:

● BUWAL (SAEFL) Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape ● State of Vaud ● City of Lausanne ● SECO Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs ● SOFI Swiss Organization for Facilitating Investment ● ADNV Northern Vaud Development Association ● EPFL Swiss Federal Institute of Science and Technology, Lausanne ● IMD International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne ● BCG Beijing Capital Group, China ● GRANIT Group of Research and Applications in Nature - Innovation - Technologies ● TecOrbe Environmental Technology Center, Orbe ● Y-Parc Science and Technology Park, Yverdon-les-Bains ●

12 MAY 2005
Renewable energies: Granit's answer presented to the Electricians Association of Western Switzerland (Les Electriciens Romands)
The biosolar principle: combining biomass and sun to produce energy.
The Swiss Environmental Technology Center in Orbe: a place to optimize local synergies in an industrial environment, and a showroom for environmental technologies.
Opening to new markets: the contribution of SESEC Swiss Environmental Solutions for Emerging Countries through symposiums opened to users and suppliers of environmental technologies from all over the world.

7 APRIL 2005
10th Energy Film Festival - FIFEL, Lausanne
Films, TV reports and conferences on "Energy, sustainable development and enterprising attitude", including a presentation by President, Dr Alain Jenny.

APRIL 2005
Partnership Agreement Sogea-Granit for Sludge Treatment
The Management for water treatment of Sogea Construction has signed an agreement of exclusive partnership with Granit to implement the Wet Oxidation Technology (OVH) in the field of urban sludge of wastewater treatment in France (in L'eau, l'industrie, les nuisances No. 279, March-April 2005).

La Direction du traitement de l'eau de Sogea Construction vient de signer un accord de partenariat exclusif avec la société Suisse Granit pour mettre en œuvre la technologie de I'Oxydation par Voie Humide (OVH) dans le domaine des boues de stations d'épuration urbaines en France.

L'OVH permet l'oxydation poussée des boues de station d'épuration jusqu'au stade ultime de destruction de la matière organique. Cette oxydation est réalisée en milieu aqueux à haute pression et haute température sans flamme et sans émission de fumée. Le produit final issu de ce procédé, totalement inerte, ne contient que la fraction minérale des boues, et son volume après déshydratation ne représente plus que 20 ~ 25 % de la masse de boue initiale. Ce procédé constitue une alternative intéressante ~ l'incinération conventionnelle des boues. En effet, il ne produit pas de fumées et sa consommation énergétique est faible, compte tenu du caractère exothermique des réactions d'oxydation.

SESEC Symposium IV, October 5-7, 2005, Olympic Museum
The next SESEC Symposium (Swiss Environmental Solutions for Emerging Countries) seminar will focus on integrated systems in the field of environmental protection (www.sesec.org).

New European Center at the Environmental Technology Center in Orbe
The organizers of 'Earth Champions' (see below) have opened a new 'European Center' in the industrial zone of Orbe. Enthusiastic supporter of this initiative, the research company Granit SA has generously provided this site (in Presse-NordVaudois, 10 December 2004).

The Athena Foundation will present the nominees of Canton de Vaud on an event June 5th, 5:00 pm, at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, in the presence of national and international personalities.

Dubai Big 5 Show
Granit SA participated to the Dubai Big 5 Show on construction and environmental issues, in November 2004, at the SWISS Pavilion, Hall 4 - Stand 4 E151.

Mr. F.J. Zagzoog, Developper in Orbe
• Mr. Faiz J. Zagzoog of Rednet SA is the main investor of the Center (in PME Magazine, a Swiss monthly for small-medium size companies, November 2004).

pdf

Environmental Technology Center in Orbe
• Two affiliates of the Granit Group (specializing in water treatment and lignin recovery) are located at the Environmental Technology Center (in Presse-NordVaudois of Sep. 29, 2004).

Earth Champions Award Launching
• Launching of the Quest for Earth Champions in Canton de Vaud, first European region to organize this event outside Australia where it took place in the presence and with the support of Nelson Mandela, at the headquarters of IUCN - The World Conservation Union in Gland, Switzerland (in Presse-NordVaudois of Oct. 2004).

Papeteries du Leman (PDL) Effluent Treatment Plant
• "Green Paper". First industrial facility to use Granit Technologies' wet oxidation process to treat waste water from PDL pulp of Thonon, France, a subsidiary of the Bollore group, (in Hydroplus, the Water Business Magazine of October 2004).

• Papeteries du Leman, world leader for thin papers inaugurates Granit Technologies wet oxidation treatment plant at its PDL pulp mill for special papers in Thonon, France (copy from Tribune de Geneve, June 25, 2004).