Arizona company proposes reinforcing concrete border wall with carpeting

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Mexican border wall is a gigantic project. The Trump administration is looking for innovative ways to build it and CMJ Systems, LLC of Tempe says it has an answer -- and it's not the usual concrete reinforced with steel.

"Our technology says there is another product to replace the steel and use carpet.. it is twice as strong and the weight is half of what steel reinforced concrete will be," said CMJ Systems' President, Marc Winkelman.

And it's an environmentally-friendly solution too, the company says. Recycling carpet that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

The federal government says the wall should be thirty feet tall. That's as high as a three-story building. Add in another 10 feet of the wall below ground to hold it up. That's a lot to build.

Winkelman says using carpeting will make the project more affordable.

"The cost of that compared to steel is a fraction of the cost.. will help save cost of border wall as much as 50 to 70 percent.. reduction of cost, stronger, lighter cheaper, yes."

CMJ Systems isn't trying to do all of the building, but the company wants whoever does the construction to use its carpeting technology.

The Department of Homeland Security is asking companies interested in the border wall project to send concept design information about their plans by March 20.

CMJ Systems, LLC - www.cmj.systems

Department of Homeland Security - www.dhs.gov