Loading ...Under the U.S. financial Reform Bill, which is about to become law, auto, marine and RV dealers will be excluded from the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Speaking of dealers, the Small Business Administration Dealer Floor Plan program is set to end in September if an extension doesn’t pass.
If job creation is the next phase of economic recovery, the renewable energy industry is doing its part. Vestas announced it will hire more than 1,000 people at three Colorado-based turbine manufacturing plants after receiving a surge of orders. Daewoo finalized an agreement with the government of Nova Scotia, Canada to build a wind turbine plant, creating 120 jobs within the first year and up to 500 in the next three. Meanwhile, support for ‘green’ initiatives from governments and industry continues to grow. State lawmakers in Massachusetts moved ahead with a bill that would make it easier for wind projects to receive permits and overcome opposition, while GE issued a call for entries in a 10-week contest to speed global power-grid upgrades, promising investment and marketing help for the best submissions, to the tune of $200 million. Also, the Sierra Nevada Corporation provided $1 million to the University of Nevada, Reno for research into a transportable, renewable energy generating system. The project will bring together the mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical and advanced composites departments within the university. However, reaching renewable energy goals is still a distant future for some: With six months left to hit their target, California utilities struggle to meet mandated renewable-power requirements.
Boeing grabbed most headlines in this week’s aerospace news. The new 787 aircraft made its European debut on Monday at the UK-based Farnborough International Airshow, and the F-15 Silent Eagle demonstrator made its first flight, used to validate the initial engineering design approach. The company forecasts a $3.6 trillion market for new commercial airplanes over the next 20 years.
In marine news, U.S. Navy vessel manufacturer Northrop Grumman is considering a sale or spinoff of its shipbuilding unit; but will take several quarters to make a decision. UK-based Composite Mouldings is now manufacturing pram dinghies made entirely of surplus materials, thus preventing large amounts of waste within the yard.
Carbon fiber applications continue to find acceptance in the automotive and motor sports market. Lamborghini opened an Advanced Composites Research Center (ACRC) in the brand’s hometown of Sant’Agata Bolognese. The facility will research cutting-edge carbon fiber production and design processes. The Indy Racing League announced it will stick with current chassis-builder Dallara for the next generation of lighter-weight, all-carbon fiber chassis. Tesla Motors announced it will soon tour its pure-electric, hand-build carbon fiber Roadster. And after a fatal accident in Seattle last week, the NHRA announced that carbon fiber brake rotors and pads will be a mandatory part on Top Fuel dragsters and cars by August 11, 2010.
In other news, West Virginia University Professor Barbero, of mechanical and aerospace engineering, recently completed a second edition of “Introduction to Composite Materials Design”, aimed at undergraduate students and practicing engineers. Core-composites supplier Tricel Honeycomb announced Sue Mesmer as its new customer service manager.
