Easy installation

For contractors, a big advantage of using externally applied carbon-fiber reinforcement is the speed and ease of installation. "The labor is about 65% to 70% less than whats required for traditional methods," says Jackson.

Fortress Stabilizations simple six-step installation process requires no digging, drilling, concrete removal, or attachment hardware. The carbon/Kevlar strips come with a peel-off backing material that, when removed, leaves a bonding surface ready for adhesion to the prepared substrate. Installers apply the epoxy through a static mixer, so no measuring or mixing is required. Once the epoxy cures (generally after 1 hour depending on temperature), the process is complete.

To assure quality control, Fortress trains and certifies all contractors who install the system. Fortress also provides installers with a kit that comes with all the supplies needed, including the carbon/Kevlar strips, premixed epoxy, and vacuum lamination equipment. Jackson estimates that the company now has a network of 42 certified installers in 19 states as well as in Canada and Ecuador.

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