In addition to the news on the Reinforced Plastics website, here's a selection from other sources ...
- GM, Daimler and Toyota Lead Automakers in Emerging Technology Partnerships (Lux Research) Megatrends like sustainability, urbanisation and materials revolution are forcing OEMs to build a web of partnerships that drive innovation. Technologies like alternative fuels, electric vehicles and advanced composites are partial responses to these megatrends. (Lux Research report: Under the Hood: Mapping Automotive Innovations to Megatrends.)
- Rock West Composites Opens Precision Assembly Division (Aerospace Manufacturing and Design) Rock West Composites opens its new Precision Assembly Division at its facility in West Jordan, Utah. This new division is dedicated to providing high quality assembly services to manufacturers of precision composite components – at an overall cost that is competitive with offshore operations.
- Asia composites to surge (European Plastics News) For the plastics industry, two key trends worth watching in composites emerged from the JEC Asia show in Singapore: Asia’s composites industry, including plastics, will outpace growth in North America and Europe; and a big focus globally on using more thermoplastics in composites.
- 'Bridge in a backpack' gets important approval (Mainebiz) The 'bridge in a backpack,' a composites bridge developed by the University of Maine, received a key approval from a national transportation non-profit that could advance efforts to expand its commercialisation. US Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, has said that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials approved the technology, "[signifying] the potential growth of this revolutionary technology." (Learn more about this technology in this Reinforced Plastics feature.)
- Faurecia Buys Sora Composites's Car Part Unit (WSJ) French car part maker Faurecia announced it has bought the car part business of plastic and glass fibre manufacturer Sora Composites. Faurecia will take over two factories, which generate €70 million ($85.9 million) in revenue, in western France.
- Quickstep opens new facility (YouTube) A video from Quickstep's new manufacturing facility at Sydney's Bankstown Airport. Quickstep is a manufacturer of advanced carbon fibre composites for the aerospace and automotive industries.