News for March 2009

News Archive

Umeco Composites restructures

Umeco Composites has restructured its operations into two subsidiaries: Process Materials and Structural Materials.

IFS’ FRP composite layer prevents steam manhole burns IFS’ FRP composite layer prevents steam manhole burns

Industrial Fiberglass Specialties Inc (IFS) has developed a hybrid steam manhole cover that includes an insulating layer of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to prevent burns.

Wave power converter relies on composites Wave power converter relies on composites

A wave energy converter designed to produce electricity from the movement of waves is being developed in Europe. The device’s construction relies on composites to provide long-term corrosion and impact resistance, and low maintenance.

GKN Aerospace and SLCR develop laser repair process for composites

GKN Aerospace and SLCR Lasertechnik GmbH (SLCR) have signed an agreement to develop an automated laser process designed to provide better, cheaper and faster repair of composite aircraft structures.

VISTAGY and ITS cooperate in Russian composite aerospace market

Engineering software company VISTAGY Inc has entered a strategic partnership with Innovation Technologies and Solutions (ITS) for VISTAGY’s composites engineering software for the aerospace industry.

Quickstep wins research contract for F-35 carbon composites Quickstep wins research contract for F-35 carbon composites

Quickstep Holdings Ltd has been awarded a subcontract to support advanced composites fabricator Vector Composites on a research programme focusing on developing an out-of-autoclave processing cycle on a high temperature bismaleimide/carbon fibre prepreg composite system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Programme.

‘Composite Park’ to be established in France

The Composite Park project aims to establish a business park dedicated to composite materials and plastics processing in the Eastern Moselle area of France. Financial incentives are available to support the set up of new companies.

Strongwell’s fibreglass replaces heavy concrete covers Strongwell’s fibreglass replaces heavy concrete covers

Lightweight fibreglass reinforced polymer (FRP) covers from Strongwell’s fabricator GEF Incorporated, have replaced heavy concrete utility trench covers.

AGY buys 70% stake in E-glass yarn producer

AGY has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Grace THW Holding Ltd to acquire a 70% controlling interest in the E-glass yarn producer Shanghai Grace Technology Company Ltd.

Fiberforge and Oribi Manufacturing enter composite licensing deal

Fiberforge has signed a licensing agreement allowing Oribi Manufacturing to develop and produce advanced composite parts using Fiberforge’s Relay™ Station.

Alcan Composites introduces second generation PET foam

Alcan Composites introduces the second generation of its polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam core material, AIREX® T92.

Amber Composites and Axson Technologies broaden partnership

Amber Composites and Axson Technologies are adding Italy, Spain and Portugal to the list of countries to which the companies’ complete composite solution is available.

Composite catamaran launched Composite catamaran launched

The 63 ft Brazilian composite catamaran Cat 190 manufactured with vinyl ester resin through an infusion process has been launched by São Paulo-based shipyard Brasil Cat.

LM Glasfiber supplies wind turbine blades to Goldwind

LM Glasfiber will provide wind turbine blades to Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co Ltd under a large supply agreement, which has lead LM Glasfiber to establish its third wind turbine blade factory in China.

Victrex enables thinner prepregs for carbon fibre composites Victrex enables thinner prepregs for carbon fibre composites

Japanese carbon fibre composite materials company Mitsuya has developed a <40 µm prepreg sheet using Victrex’ APTIV™ film as the matrix polymer.

Dow manufactures wind energy formulations in China and South Korea

Dow Epoxy Systems (DES) has established a manufacturing facility in China and will start producing blends in a Dow Epoxy site in South Korea to serve composites, wind energy and infrastructure customers in the China and Asia Pacific region.

ACG signs supply agreement with Southern Spars

Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), part of Umeco’s Composites Division, has signed a three-year supply agreement with the carbon fibre spars manufacturer Southern Spars.

Vestas and Boeing collaborate on technology research

Vestas and Boeing plan to collaborate on joint research projects that further the development of environmentally progressive technologies for the wind energy and aerospace industries.

Automating wind turbine blade manufacture

Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica and M.Torres Diseños Industriales will cooperate on R&D for a new concept for wind turbine blade design, as well as on an automated wind turbine blade manufacturing process.

Fiberglass Structural Engineering appoints CEO

Fiberglass Structural Engineering (FSE) has appointed Christopher Renoud, the son of founder Winston Renoud, as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Quickstep to boost Middle East aerospace sales

Quickstep Holdings Ltd has signed two key agreements with Abu Dhabi-based diversified conglomerate, Al Farida Group, for sales in the Middle East, and a convertible loan agreement.

Welcome to our new website

Reinforced Plastics has launched a re-designed website with improved functionality and features.

FRP deck solution offered for long span bridges FRP deck solution offered for long span bridges

Composite Advantage LLC (CA) has developed a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite deck product for long span bridge applications.

Alcan Airex licences foamable PET technology to Armacell

Alcan Airex AG, part of Alcan Composites, and Armacell GmbH and have reached a licence agreement on Alcan Airex’s foamable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) technologies, thereby ending all pending patent lawsuits.

Architectural cladding system based on composites Architectural cladding system based on composites

A modular cladding system based on sandwich composites has been developed by Skandinaviska Glassystem (SG), Sweden, for a building in Denmark. The lightweight composite approach results in faster installation, requiring less people, than the traditional steel latticework method.

Menzolit not affected by Plastal insolvency

Menzolit has issued a statement that it is not affected by the insolvency of Plastal Holding AB of Mölndal, Sweden, filed on 5 March.

Hexcel constructs wind energy prepreg facility

Hexcel has begun construction of its prepreg manufacturing plant to serve the North American wind energy industry in Windsor’s Great Western Industrial Park, Colorado, USA.

GE Aviation opens Chinese manufacturing facility

GE Aviation has opened a systems manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China for autoclaved composite parts, mechanical fabrications, structure assembly and civil aircraft actuation systems.

Wind bracing itself for slower 2009 Wind bracing itself for slower 2009

Emerging Energy Research’s (EER) 2008 Wind Turbine Market Share Update shows that banking on long-term growth, turbine manufacturers push capacity investments while bracing for slower 2009.

LM Glasfiber inaugurates wind blade factory

LM Glasfiber has inaugurated a composite wind turbine blade production facility in Goleniów, Poland, to serve the rapidly growing multi-megawatts wind turbine segment for onshore and offshore windfarms in the Northern, Central and Eastern parts of Europe.

Hexion builds wind energy epoxy materials facility

Hexion Specialty Chemicals will build a production facility in Esslingen, Germany, to produce specialty epoxy resins used in the production of wind turbine blades for the wind energy market.

Monitoring corrosion of composite tanks Monitoring corrosion of composite tanks

Fibermaq of São Paulo, Brazil, has released a monitor measuring corrosion of composite tanks.

Carbon fibre oar shafts take the waves Carbon fibre oar shafts take the waves

CST Composites has started producing carbon fibre composite shafts for surf and rowing scull oars.

Over 70 technical presentations at Aerospace Testing

Over 70 technical presentations, including some on composites, will be given by industry experts at Reed Exhibitions’ Aerospace Testing, Design & Manufacturing Expo, on 21-23 April in Munich, Germany.

Material and structure modelling software released

e-Xstream of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, has released DIGIMAT 3.2.1, a nonlinear multi-scale material and structure modelling platform for composites.

TAI delivers first composite parts for F-35 TAI delivers first composite parts for F-35

Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc (TAI), a supplier to Northrop Grumman Corp on the F-35 Lightning II programme, has delivered its first composite parts for the aircraft.

VEC Technology delivers military containers

VEC Technology LLC, (VEC) has begun delivery of VEC built composite containers to the US Army National Guard (USANG) under a US$1.5 million initial test order.

Composite anti-slip offers weight reduction Composite anti-slip offers weight reduction

The glass fibre reinforced (GRP) composite LAMILUX Anti Slip from LAMILUX Heinrich Strunz GmbH offers weight reductions over wood, and strong rigidity.

Software cuts lead time by 20%

Airborne Composites expects to cut new product lead time by 20% and scaled versions by 30% using VISTAGY’s FiberSIM® Software for composite design and tooling.

High-performance plastic available as micro-powder

The plastics division of BASF has launched a high-temperature resistant Ultrason® thermoplastic E 2020 P SR in the form of flakes and micronised as a powder.

Composite floor plinths for Airbus A380

Tods Aerospace has entered the first phase of a contract to manufacture more than 700 structural composites flooring plinths for premium class seating areas for a new fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.

METYX distributes CFM for 3B

METYX Composites will be the exclusive distributor in Turkey for 3B The Fibreglass Company's Advantex™ Continuous Filament Mat (CFM).