BRENDAN Rasmussen is a Dunkeld local with an intriguing and broad range of professional roles in his background.

He has been a soldier in the Australian Army, progressing to a commissioned officer which saw him undertaking domestic and international roles.

Post-military service, Mr Rasmussen transitioned into the civilian sector, assuming functional and leadership positions in diverse fields such as mining, exploration, IT security services, emergency services, and aviation.

More recently, he held an operational position with the State Emergency Service (SES).

Presently, Mr Rasmussen is involved in a collaboration with a new company called Syngensis that is working with international company, Polypave International (PI), to develop a product called Polypave®, for road surfaces.

These surfaces are designed to withstand the impacts of significant weather conditions including flooding and heat, and has good durability under heavy traffic.

Polypave International is the intellectual property owner - Syngensis is the PI government relations and global business development partner.

Mr Rasmussen said the company was comprised of “big-thinking and creative international partners who came together to bring new disruptive solutions” to enduring infrastructure problems such as roads.

“Polypave is potentially the biggest ’thing’ in road construction since the patenting of bitumen - and its Australian IP (intellectual property),” Mr Rasmussen said.

“(It) is non-toxic and we can often recycle in-situ pavements to build a new road.” 

Mr Rasmussen said Polypave can be constructed faster in all weather conditions, featuring a short turnaround time from road construction start to heavy transport usage in just hours.

It is a liquid polymer forumal that is presently manufactured in Malaysia, “but we want to rehome all aspect back to regional Australia,” Mr Rasmussen said.

He also said the product can significantly decrease heavy truck movements and quarry activities further enhancing the product’s ‘green’ credentials.

In a briefing to government, Syngensis said Commonwealth, States and Territories needed to move to resilient infrastructure and away from traditional ‘flexible’ pavement technologies which have been demonstrated to fail at each significant rain event.

“Its (Polypave’s) quick construction reduces road plant impacts including diesel consumption, construction noise, and community disruption,” Mr Rasmussen said.

It uses an “exothermic process that occurs with pavement curing, which creates an exceptionally strong and flexible surface, impervious to water ingress, significantly extending pavement life and decreasing costly maintenance in later years”.

Mr Rasmussen said it was designed to suit highways, minor arterial and country back roads.

“We cover all three,” he said.

For background, Mr Rasmussen said Polypave was developed in mind that freight tasks can significantly change over time. 

“In fact, this is the challenge much of our current regional infrastructure faces,” he said. 

“For example, the highways surrounding Hamilton were never designed to carry the heavy freight tasks that they do today.

“Polypave can ‘future proof’ regional infrastructure with its waterproof base.”

He said, “In addition to being suitable for regional roads, we believe (the product) can make a significant (impact) in the mining and resources sector, defence, and where hard standings are required - think wind turbine and similar construction sites”.

Mr Rasmussen said because of his military background and working experience in developing countries in the Pacific and Asia, he had seen the impact of failing infrastructure firsthand.

“The concern I have is regional Victoria - we have that same problem now.

“One of the drivers I’ve got to make sure Polypave is used as quickly as possible is to rebuild our infrastructure particularly in regional Australia, because if we’ve got good infrastructure we have the basis for a good economy.

He said he had met with infrastructure and transport minister, Catherine King, and had also briefed Wannon MP, Dan Tehan and shadow infrastructure and transport minister, Bridget McKenzie, about the product to promote its potential.

“Dan Tehan has been very helpful,” he said. 

“We have also connected with each state and territory roads departments and are having senior discussions in all. 

“We are also in discussions with Austrade and are looking to take Polypave into the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Africa and Asia.”

Excitingly, Mr Rasmussen said that Syngensis was currently in discussions with local governments.

“We are in discussion with a local government presently for construction of a demonstration road in south west Victoria,” he said.

“These discussions are progressing well.”