News for February 2009

News Archive

Gurit receives damage payment from Zoltek

GURIT HAS received US$21 million, or $23.5 million including interest, in damage payment from Zoltek Corporation.

Quickstep enters aerospace teaming agreement

Quickstep Holdings Ltd has signed a teaming agreement with EDAG Australia Pty Ltd forming an alliance to assist with targeting composite aerospace and defence manufacturing contracts.

Plexus website updated

ITW Plexus has updated and improved its web site with more information about its products and services.

Study of FRP in infrastructure Study of FRP in infrastructure

US and French researchers are teaming up to study the implementation of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) composites in civil infrastructure such as bridges.

India's Mahindra expands into boat building

Leading Indian industrial group Mahindra has announced its intention to start manufacturing composite powerboats and catamarans.

HITCO manufactures composites for F-35 Lightning II

Lockheed Martin has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) selecting HITCO to manufacture wing skins and other composite components for the F-35 Lightning II programme.

SP appoints distributor for NSW Australia

SP, the marine business of Gurit based on the Isle of Wight, UK, has appointed MarineWare Pty Ltd as its distributor for SP branded products in New South Wales, Australia.

COMPOSITES EUROPE exhibition returns to Stuttgart COMPOSITES EUROPE exhibition returns to Stuttgart

Germany's biggest composites exhibition, COMPOSITES EUROPE, returns to Stuttgart in 2009.

USA and China experience wind power boom

The USA has passed Germany to become world number one in wind power installations at the same time as China's total capacity doubles for the fourth year in a row, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) reports.

Camera allows remote composites inspection

Imperium Inc, in collaboration with Boeing engineers, has developed a portable ultrasound imaging camera for remote inspection and review of composite structures.

Prepregs supplied for Chinese wind turbines

Gurit has entered a contract for supplying prepreg materials to a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer.

Many environmental markets to grow despite recession

While air and water pollution control companies won’t be reporting record profits in 2009 and 2010, they will balance lost sales in some markets with growth in others, according to the latest forecasts from the McIlvaine Company.

Meridian installs SMC capabilities in Mexico

Meridian Automotive Systems Inc of Allen Park, Michigan, USA, plans to install sheet moulding compounding (SMC) capabilities in Mexico.

Soy-based resin for SMC/BMC and pultrusion

Reichhold has introduced a soy oil based resin, Polylite® 31325-00, suitable for sheet/ bulk moulding compound (SMC/BMC) and pultrusion.

Polyurethane pultrusion produces military containers

A polyurethane pultrusion process from Bayer MaterialScience has been used to produce composite military containers.

Combined wind and wave power device Combined wind and wave power device

Green Ocean Energy Ltd has developed a wave power machine which attaches to an offshore wind turbine thereby giving combined wind and wave power from one installation.

B787 production resumes B787 production resumes

The production of Boeing's composites-intensive B787 has resumed with the joining of the fifth aircraft designated for flight test.

Centre for aircraft composites in China

Airbus and a group of Chinese industrial partners have signed a contract to establish a joint venture (JV) manufacturing centre in Harbin, China, for aircraft composites.

DSM Composite Resins and BÜFA form joint ventures

DSM Composite Resins AG, headquartered in Switzerland, and BÜFA GmbH & Co KG, Germany, have announced plans to form two joint ventures.

Huntsman and Hexion terminate merger

Huntsman and Hexion have reached an agreement to terminate the merger of the two companies, and to end all litigations among Hexion, Apollo Management and Huntsman.