Patent Applications

Based on the original idea, there are presently two procedures available for the use and application of this patent:

1. The seperation of tires into rings

2. The production of nets

The patent insures the singular rights of production and sales of machines ( tirecutter RTE ) and, for the
most part, nets (there is another similar patent application which does not, however; threaten this product).
ProLoop is working toward the expansion of this patents economic application and power through

• increasing customer interest
• and advertising the advantages of the product

Both the production and application of the product have a positive environmentally friendly impact. In the pursuit
of a singular right of production which is economically beneficial, attention must be paid to the competitive
marketing situation and the specific qualities of the nets:

Important Factors in Marketing

• There is not an open market in which the product stands alone. As an alternative possibility in an existing
market, it is always subject to competition.
• The product can only be manufactured manually which leads to high production costs in industrially
developed countries
• Other products have an advantage do to higher costs of production.
• There is an existing 'acceptance' problem in Germany which needs to be answered with well-founded
objective arguments.

Customer Application

The largest area of application for the product is in construction, especially the areas of ground
and water construction where it is used as a geo-construction material. For these applications
• environmental certification and
• appropriate construction permits are necessary.

Due to their special properties, function and other advantages, there are future possibilites for the application
of the nets. It is possible to develop new inexpensive technologies with different functions for customers in
industry and construction.

There are four aspects which make the use of nets interesting:
• they can be laid out quickly
• they are flexible when being laid out
• they can carry and transfer large weights and forces
• they can be used in a variety of situations

Product Qualities

The nets are environmentally friendly. The excellent material of the original tires are an accepted non-polluting,
high-tech product. The end product naturally shares these qualities. In comparison to all other known
geo-construction material and geo-textiles, nets made from this material have special positive characteristics.
• They can take extreme pulling, pressure and weight
• elastic, flexible, cushioning
• stability in water due to high density, non-corrosive and resistant to biological, chemical and physical influences

Product Advantages

The qualities of the material and the manufacturing process of the nets provide other advantages:
• re-usablitiy of the matts
• they can be driven on
• the product can cover any size and area
• pre-manufacture of standard elements is possible with seemless connection at the site

Application Possibilities

Different properties of the nets can be applied in various ways. Among the most important applications are:
- divisions, sealing and filling, protection and wrapping
- stabilising, covering, erosion protection from wind, water, streams and whirlpools

This provides the following main areas of application:
- economical, access to construction sites of all kinds and sizes (including tree and root protection)
- new possibilities to stabilize various terrain, drops, rock walls, slides and dumps
- explosives protection from all types of insulation, protection of people and materials in the area of
under water construction:
- stabilization of slopes, ports and canals against erosion.

Existing possibilities for application are limited due to the novelty of the product.

Adavantageous Strategies for the performance and use of the Product

1.   There are intelligent strategies to compensate for higher product cost
2.   It should be pointed out that there are technical, mechanical and ecological aspects of the product which
make its price competitive with other possible materials and methods
3.   Immediate and short-term application of the product should take place in areas where certification is
not necessary
4.   For areas in which permits and ecological certification are necessary, these conditions should be met
5.   Emphasis should be placed on finding and developing applications for the product which are specific to its
special mechanical properties. Properties which other products are hardly capable of matching.
6.   For the sales of  tire cutting RTE's, manufacturers who are interested in using the tire cutting RTE's in their
own production need to be identified.

Appraisal of Patent Application

Advantages
• The Patent insures the rights of singular production/marketing of machines (RTE) and nets.

Application
• This discourages copiers and plagers of the product. Fair play and loyalty to the original producers is not to be
expected in the branch.
• The patent gives a better image for customers and in aquiring business contracts, especially foreign contracts.

Aspect

The worth of the patent will increase in proportion to its success and expansion in the market.

The raw materials for the product are tires which are no longer suitable for usual road use. In Germany alone
600.000 tons of recyclable tires are disposed of yearly. From these only 50% are actually recycled. Innovative
applications for the 'cut tires' could result in more than 100 jobs in the Berlin/Brandenburg area! In the area of
Berlin alone there are 14 large tire dumps. In Germany it is estimated that close to 3 million tires are lying in dumps.