News for December 2010

News Archive

3A Composites Core Materials appoints Trident Foams UK distributor 3A Composites Core Materials appoints Trident Foams UK distributor

3A Composites Core Materials has named Trident Foams Ltd as the exclusive distributor of its AIREX® and BALTEK® core materials for the UK market from January 2011.

EC proposes duties of 13.8% on Chinese glass fibre

The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) reports that European Commission (EC) has released a document to the EU27 Member States for consultation on the ongoing investigation into certain glass fibre originating in China and is proposing duties of 13.8% from March 2011.

Season's greetings Season's greetings

The Reinforced Plastics office will be closed for the Christmas holidays from Friday 24 December until Tuesday 4 January.

Researchers fatigue test composite bridge

Researchers at Bristol University are testing a prototype of a large-scale bridge with composite decking to learn more about the behaviour of composite bridges under load.

Growth predicted for composites in passenger rail market

Composites use in passenger railcar applications is expected to see double-digit growth during 2010-2015 to reach US$732 million by 2015, according to a report from Lucintel.

SP - High Modulus sponsors Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds SP - High Modulus sponsors Zhik 2011 Moth Worlds

SP - High Modulus, the marine composites business of Gurit, has become a partner sponsor of the Zhik 2011 Moth World Championships sailing event taking place in Australia next month.

Suzlon and Idé-Pro improve wind turbine blade design

Suzlon Blade Technology and Idé-Pro Engineering & Software A/S have signed a three year contract under which Idé-Pro will deliver a complete integrated solution for the design of future wind turbine blades to Suzlon worldwide.

Composite stacks reduce maintenance costs Composite stacks reduce maintenance costs

Two new composite exhaust stacks installed at a Camden, New Jersey, wastewater facility significantly reduced initial costs for the Camden County Municipal Authority and will essentially eliminate maintenance costs for many years to come.

AVK Innovation Awards 2011 – call for entries

The German Federation of Reinforced Plastics, AVK, is inviting nominations for its 2011 Innovation Awards.

Gamesa Supplies 60 Wind Turbines to California

Gamesa is supplying a total of 120 MW of wind turbine capacity to the Windstar wind project, for Western Wind Energy Corporation at the Tehachapi Pass in southern California, USA.

Almatis to toll produce flame retardants for Huber

Huber Engineered Materials and Almatis Inc have reached an agreement under which Almatis will toll produce a number of its speciality flame retardant products for Huber.

Last week's top 3 stories Last week's top 3 stories

The following stories were the most popular with visitors to the Reinforced Plastics website last week.

Spirit rolls out Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter fuselage Spirit rolls out Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter fuselage

Spirit AeroSystems Inc has celebrated the rollout of the Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter fuselage. The fuselage assembly includes composite cockpit and cabin sections designed and built by Spirit.

Scott Bader Europe increases prices

Scott Bader Europe is increasing the prices of all Crystic® unsaturated polyester, DCPD, Crestapol® and vinyl ester resins from 20 January 2011.

AOC announces resin price increase for Europe

AOC LLC is increasing the prices of all resins sold in Europe from 17 January 2011.

NGenTec gets £2m for offshore wind technology

NGenTec Ltd has secured investment of £2 million from Amsterdam based SET Venture Partners and Scottish Enterprise’s Scottish Co-investment Fund for the design, manufacture and testing of its multi-megawatt offshore wind turbine generator technology.

Hexcel releases 2011 outlook

Composite materials specialist Hexcel Corporation has provided its guidance for 2011, projecting solid growth in both revenues and earnings.

European Offshore Wind Development Centre gets €40m from EU European Offshore Wind Development Centre gets €40m from EU

The proposed European Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Scotland has been awarded a grant of up to €40 million from the EU through the European Economic Recovery Plan.

ANSYS and VISTAGY integrate ANSYS Composite PrepPost and FiberSIM

Engineering simulation specialist ANSYS and engineering software provider VISTAGY Inc have integrated ANSYS® 13.0 Composite PrepPost™ and FiberSIM® 2010 composites engineering software to enable the more efficient optimisation of composite parts, assemblies and structures.

Reichhold announces price increase for Europe

Reichhold has announced a January 2011 price increase on all products for the European composites industry.

Plasticon Europe BV acquires AC Plastiques

Corrosion resistant equipment manufacturer Plasticon Europe BV, Oldenzaal, the Netherlands, has acquired AC Plastiques Canada (1992) Inc.

REpower Delivers 51 MW of Wind Turbines to US REpower Delivers 51 MW of Wind Turbines to US

REpower will deliver 25 of its MM92, 2.05 MW wind turbines to EverPower for projects in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington.

Hexagon Composites issues profit warning

Norwegian company Hexagon Composites warns of a weaker than expected result in the fourth quarter of 2010, mainly a result of lower sales in two of its subsidiaries.

WebCore's TYCOR W core material GL approved for wind blades

WebCore Technologies LLC has announced that its TYCOR® W core material products have earned a Certificate of Approval by Germanischer Lloyd (GL) for use in the manufacture of composite wind turbine blades.

DSM increases resin prices

DSM Composite Resins has announced a price increase for its complete range of unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins.

AOC realigns Latin America distribution strategy

AOC LLC has ended its exclusive distribution strategy with Poliformas Plasticas in Mexico.

Spirit AeroSystems ships first spar component for Airbus A350 XWB Spirit AeroSystems ships first spar component for Airbus A350 XWB

Spirit AeroSystems Inc has shipped the first production leading edge spar component – an outer spar made from carbon composite – for the Airbus A350 XWB programme out of its Kinston, North Carolina, facility.

BayernLB finances Turkish 30 MW wind farm

BayernLB is contributing €26 million for the 30 MW Seyitali-Aliaga wind farm in the northwestern Turkish province of Izmir.

Last week's top 3 stories Last week's top 3 stories

The following stories were the most popular with visitors to the Reinforced Plastics website last week:

COP-16: No solution, but going in the right direction

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) says no solution has yet been reached at the international climate talks at COP-16 in Cancún, Mexico, but that the road ahead is starting to emerge.

People

New appointments at AVK, and Lincoln Composites.

METYX Composites announces price increase

Turkish reinforcements supplier METYX Composites has announced a price increase for its products.

Geothermal could supply 20% of European energy by 2050 Geothermal could supply 20% of European energy by 2050

Geothermal could supply at least 20% of European energy demand in 2050, according to the European Geothermal Energy Council (EGEC).

Chem-Trend introduces HAPs free release agent

Chem-Trend has added to its Chemlease® products with the new One FS EZ easy to apply, HAPs free, semi-permanent release agent.

Bird Organization Calls for Regulation of Wind Power Bird Organization Calls for Regulation of Wind Power

The American Bird Conservancy urges US Senators to include the US Fish and Wildlife Service Advisory Committee’s recommendations for wind turbine impacts on wildlife as part of the renewable energy tax package currently under review.

Clean and renewable energy sector could attract US$2.3trn by 2020

Private investments in G-20 clean and renewable power projects could total US$2.3 trillion by 2020, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

COP-16: Wind power industry wants “urgent progress” in Cancún

Wind power can and must make a significant contribution to saving the climate, according to international wind industry representatives at the Global Wind Energy Council´s (GWEC) ‘Wind Power for a Low Carbon Economy’ conference at COP-16 in Cancún, Mexico.

GRPMS named UK distributor of Jushi glass fibre products

UK headquartered distributor GRPMS has signed a contract with Chinese company Jushi to act as exclusive UK distributor for Jushi's glass fibre reinforcement materials.

Conergy sells off French and German wind project business

Conergy AG is selling off its German and French wind development and operating business to an investment fund managed by Impax Asset Management, as part of its programme to refocus on its core solar business.

Evonik's ROHACELL foam used in China's C919 composite aircraft Evonik's ROHACELL foam used in China's C919 composite aircraft

Evonik’s ROHACELL polymethacrylimide (PMI) rigid foam core material has been used in the manufacture of the composite rear pressure bulkhead prototype of China's first large commercial airliner, the C919.

Moldex Composites establishes manufacturing in India Moldex Composites establishes manufacturing in India

Moldex Composites Pvt Ltd is new company offering composite products for the automotive, aerospace and other markets from a purpose-built facility in a Special Economic Zone at Sachin, in Surat, Gujarat, India.

Samsung sets up wind blade and tower plants in Ontario

Samsung and partners is setting up a wind turbine blade manufacturing plant in Tillsonburg and wind turbine wind tower plant in Windsor, Ontario.

Seco launches product line for composites machining

Seco Tools has expanded its product line with a new range of specialised routers for use in the machining of composite materials.

Composite bridge can carry 60 ton traffic Composite bridge can carry 60 ton traffic

A composite lift bridge designed to carry heavy traffic has been installed in the city of Oosterwolde in the Netherlands.

Composites Horizons expands production facilities

Composites Horizons Inc (CHI), part of the Aerostructures & Composites division of the UK based Hampson Group, has announced an expansion programme to support recently signed contracts.

Last week's top 3 stories Last week's top 3 stories

The following stories were the most popular with visitors to the Reinforced Plastics website last week.

Report outlines growth for FRP tank market in North America

The North American fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) tank market is likely to recover from the 2009 recession and post positive growth from 2010 onwards, according to a report from Lucintel.

Borealis thermoplastic wins automotive innovation award Borealis thermoplastic wins automotive innovation award

Borealis has received the Frost & Sullivan 2010 Global New Product Innovation Award in the Automotive Under the Hood Plastics category for its Xmod™ GB306SAF glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (PP) compounds.

Siemens Sets up Wind Turbine Factories in the US and China

Siemens has opened a wind turbine blade manufacturing plant in Shanghai, China, and a wind turbine nacelle production plant in Hutchinson, Kansas, as well as selecting Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada for a Canadian wind turbine blade site.

Mitsubishi R&D hub for offshore wind technology to Scotland

Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd (MPSE) plans to invest up to £100 million in an engineering facility to carry our research and development into offshore wind turbine technology in Edinburgh, Scotland.

REACH document delivery service launched

REACH Delivery International is launching a new service designed to help chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and users guarantee the secure delivery of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and associated documentation when they ship chemical substances to customers in Europe – a key requirement of EU REACH legislation.

Nordex Delivers 75 MW of Wind turbines to EverPower Nordex Delivers 75 MW of Wind turbines to EverPower

Nordex USA has secured an order for a 75 MW wind power project using its 2.5 MW N100 wind turbines from EverPower Wind Holdings Inc.

New European rules on notifying chemical substances

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) is reminding companies that new rules on classification, labelling, packaging and notification of chemical substances came into force on 1 December 2010.

ROI and funding issues hampers European offshore wind

The offshore wind industry has moved from a niche market to a maturing industry, however securing funding and low returns on investment are major issues for players in this sector, according to KPMG.

Gamesa and Eolia develop wind farms in Mexico

Gamesa and Eolia Renovables de Inversiones will develop two wind energy projects in Mexico, for which Gamesa will supply wind turbines with a combined installed capacity of 324 MW.

METYX holds RTM training course in Turkey METYX holds RTM training course in Turkey

45 people from 13 different countries attended METYX Composites' RTM training course in Turkey last month.

November's top 3 stories November's top 3 stories

The following stories were the most popular with visitors to the Reinforced Plastics website during the month of November.

MCT aims for tidal energy farm in Scotland by 2013

UK tidal energy company, Marine Current Turbines (MCT), aims to install a 5 MW tidal energy farm in Scotland by 2013.

AkzoNobel introduces cobalt-free thermoset accelerators

AkzoNobel is launching a new range of cobalt-free and low-cobalt accelerators under the Nouryact® name for use in the curing of unsaturated polyester resins.

Gamesa sets up wind turbine nacelle facility in Brazil Gamesa sets up wind turbine nacelle facility in Brazil

Gamesa will set up a 300 MW wind turbine nacelle facility in Brazil following a memorandum of intentions with Jacques Wagner, Governor of the Brazilian state of Bahia.

Embraer starts construction of composites facility in Portugal

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has started construction of a new facility dedicated to manufacturing composite airframe structures and components in Évora, Portugal.

Quickstep selects FiberSIM software to manufacture composite parts for JSF Quickstep selects FiberSIM software to manufacture composite parts for JSF

VISTAGY Inc has announced the sale of its FiberSIM® software to Quickstep Technologies Pty Ltd for use in manufacturing composite parts for the newest generation of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the F-35 Lightning II.