Initial deliveries of prepregs have already been made and both ACG and Southern Spars now anticipate a busy period of close co-operation as manufacture of the first rigs made with ACG’s MTM® prepregs gets under way.

ACG’s track record of supplying prepregs into Formula One racing, the America’s Cup, and other Round the World racing campaigns, are said to be significant factors in Southern Spars’ decision to select ACG as its preferred supplier.

David Glen, Southern’s Group General Manager, says: “ACG’s commitment to the manufacture and supply of high quality prepregs, developed specifically for optimum mechanical performance and ease of processing, was a highly attractive proposition for Southern Spars.”

ACG, of Heanor, UK, offers a range of structural resin systems and customer specific prepreg formatting. The company sees the agreement with Southern Spars as a “significant achievement for ACG in the competitive global marine industry.”

Southern Spars, which designs and engineers carbon fibre spars, has manufacturing facilities in New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. The company is involved with the grand prix yacht racing, America’s Cup campaigns, Round the World races, Fastnet races, Sydney-Hobart races, Ton Cups, Olympic campaigns and World Championships.