Scottish Adventurer Jock Wishart plans a rowing expedition, using composite boats, to the North Pole.

According to the latest reports, aerospace manufacturer TenCate sales doubled in the first half of 2010.

Boeing Tianjin Composites Co Ltd. plans to double the number of its employees. The company is a joint venture between Boeing and China Aviation Industry Corp.

Bicycle manufacturer Edge Composites has changed its name to Enve Composites to avoid trademark infringement in international markets.

A former employee of Fiber Glass Systems, who filed a lawsuit claiming harassment and discrimination, was awarded a substantial judgment.

Wausaukee composites received Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credit, effectively helping the company hire more than 100 people over the next five years.

Clipper joins Minnesota wind turbine research at the University of Minnesota.

Denmark will soon get a new wind test center, located in north-western Jutland, and will soon house seven mega wind turbines for testing purposes.

TPI Composites will open a wind blade innovation center in Massachusetts and will be the center for development of advanced blade manufacturing technology.

The new Kestrel, a compact electric vehicle, is made with a composite material made from cannabis-composite material.

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Graham Harvey - General Manager: Marine, Gurit

Graham Harvey started as a structural engineer for Brown and Root. He became interested in composites and joined the marine industry 22 years ago. Looking ahead, he shares his views of the growth, and growing pains, composites have in store.

How have you seen the marine industry change in the last couple years?

Overall, there’s been tremendous reduction, especially in the last 18 months. There have also been a lot of changes in the way things are done technically with more people moving toward composites within the mainstream leisure market.

What are some growing trends?

I see more focus on health and safety activities, so lower styrene use along with more work in closed molding and vacuum bagging. We see a general trend of people discovering how they can industrialize their operations. Everyone wants to have lower prices and good quality, and they’re looking for production solutions to achieve that.

Have you seen much economic improvement in the marine industry recently?

People are reordering supplies and of course they want/need fast service in order to meet their own customer’s orders and stay competitive. At the moment, we’re cautiously optimistic.

How have you seen the composites industry evolve?

Composites used to be very esoteric, high-tech stuff. Now people are used to it. We’ve moved from the “unusual and rare” category to “very useful.” The way to move forward is to customize to meet people’s needs.

Within Gurit there are three main business units: marine, transportation and wind energy. Wind energy is a growing market with large customers and large volume orders. Within transportation we have aerospace and automotive, where customers like Aston Martin are using more composites steadily. The marine industry is fragmented. While still growing, it really only has one or two large companies, while the majority are reasonably small. On the automotive side, we actually make panels because the sector hasn’t had a composite manufacturer that can hit those quality requirements. But in marine we don’t because the need isn’t there.

What is the fastest growing market of the three?

Wind energy is the fastest growing market- it makes up 60 percent of our composite business. Turbine manufacturers are using composites extensively in blades and nacelles. The transportation industry is growing and we see it as a very long-term industry. Within transportation composites are used in aircraft interiors because of its fire retardant properties.

What are trends you see in marine materials purchased?

Each segment is so different. For example, in yachts competing in the America’s Cup, they want the ultimate in lightweight, a stiffness-driven carbon and nomex structure. They are after an edge, searching for the latest developments in materials technology with a track record of reliability. After all, if it’s the lightest but doesn’t complete the course it’s failed.

Within recreational boats, their requirements for materials are cost and rapid production techniques. In 2007-2008 it was, “how fast could I get through the process?” Now, manufacturers aren’t at capacity and cost is more critical than cycle time.

Where are you focusing your efforts in 2010?

There are a lot of 6- to 9-meter boats out there. They might not be core structures, but they’re built very simply, and our aim is to grow into that market. The latest solution we’ve come up with is our SmartPac, which is basically a boat in a box. Everything is cut, labeled, and stacked in the right order, allowing greater quality control checks.

What are characteristics of a successful manufacturing company?

Whether they supply composite materials, or manufacturing a car or boat, people need a constant drive to see how they can improve processes. Good companies are run tightly. Sure, there’s the buzz word “six sigma,” but when you go into a yard you can tell if it’s run well; it’s clean, organized, they know what/when/how and activities are measure and monitored.

What characteristics are unique to the marine industry?

The marine industry is not in most cases an industrial process. If you look across the automotive or wind turbine industries, the volumes of repeatability are higher than you see in marine. There are a few exceptions with skidoos and small watercraft, but the majority of manufacturers aren’t making hundreds of boats. Most are custom, which makes it more artisan and therefore repeatability is a struggle. You get good at things when you do it a lot—not to say boat manufacturers aren’t good boat builders—simply that the more times you do something, the faster and better you can do it.

What areas could composites increase its presence?

I think composites have the leisure boating market taken care of, but I see untapped potential in larger boats, super structures, reconditioning yachts that are steel hulled and military applications. It’s difficult to say there is one single thing to make people rush across to composites. It comes down to yards that are able to deal with composites materials and quoting them in an effective manner. I mean, if composites break into bigger boats, you then are dealing with steel fabrication yards that are used to building steel or aluminum crafts. They have the facilities to build big boats, but not the technical background to do it in composites, so the price can reflect their uncertainty.

What can the industry do to educate them?

I’m a great believer that we can provide education, but it is going to be the physical demand that causes them to come looking for solutions, such as weight savings. Manufacturers will look into ways to solve the problem and through education realize it’s not that difficult to do. However, it’s a learning curve, and people don’t want to be the first in the area until it’s worked its way up. People get used to the idea and want to see a track record that it’s been out there working successfully. It’s not like you flick your fingers and people come over; it’s steady education and proof by experience.

As a company, we try to push the barriers up from where we are. We’ve been working on the big super structures and find you start at the top, and as the years go by, people get used to it and more and more parts are made of composites. Yet, I also believe that composites aren’t for everything. Steel and aluminum have a good place in our lives and we can’t replace them in everything. They sit side by side.

What are you most looking forward to?

There’s a lot of innovation within the marine industry. A good thing about the industry is that usually the people in it are passionate, which is good because it’s not always an easy ride. A manufacturer must rely on the fact that it will fluctuate and keep moving forward. It’s definitely what’s kept me going for 20 years. And to know that what you can’t do now, in two to three years time technology will advance enough to allow you to do it. For example, years ago we started trying to get fire and toxicity ratings to enable us to enter the more commercial craft segment. We were not successful at the time, but we now have epoxy-based systems that mean structural properties and fire retardancy are incorporated together, rather than as additional paneling which adds weight and cost.. I’m looking forward to fire-retardant systems that are epoxy based and can therefore be built into the boat structure instead of having to add additional protection, which adds weight and cost.

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Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology have developed a new thermoplastic fiber composite for safer cars.

An SPE conference keynote speaker from McLaren Automotive will discuss the company’s carbon fiber-reinforced-plastic safety cell or MonoCell.

Wausaukee Composites received tax credits from Michigan to help hire 100 workers during the next five years.

Fiberglass boat sales dropped sharply in July.

A study conducted by the Global Wind Energy Council and the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association found wind energy can generate up to 24 percent of the country’s total power by 2030.

Renewable energy is seen as the new cash crop for British Farmers.

Dow Venture Capital group made a minority equity investment in Blade Dynamics, a designer and manufacturer of advanced wind turbine blades.

Norwegian-based turbine manufacturer Statoil is considering sites off Scotland and the eastern U.S. to test its floating wind farm.

Aerospace-parts manufacturer Royal Plastics changed its name to Royal Engineered Composites, which the company says more accurately reflects its name.

The landing gear on the Virgin Galactic space tourism jet collapsed during a test flight on Thursday. However, manufacturer Scaled Composites called it a “minor incident.”

Ocean Renewable Power Company successfully generated grid-compatible energy with its 60-kilowatt tidal power generator installed off the coast of Maine.

Former Vestas employees formed a new company, Sureblades, and re-opened a closed turbine plant in Isle of Wight.

Duke Energy dropped plans to install demonstration wind turbines off the coast of North Carolina, citing the project was too small to be worth the cost.

The global cast polymer market will grow by 9 percent, according to a new report.

TPI Composites adds a supply chain expert from GE to its board of directors.

Construction has begun on the National Composites Centre in Bristol.

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Dirk Plas – President, BYK, USA

BYK makes additives for composite applications in the construction, transportation, automotive, recreation, and wind energy markets. Applications include wind blades, fiberglass tubs, boat hulls, automotive body panels, and duroskins for fiberglass doors. The additives are designed to improve the processing or air release in spray-up and lay-up manufacturing as well as the casting process (marble, solid surface). Dirk Plas, BYK-USA president, discusses his view of the composites industry.

What markets are you more focused on?

The area we’re most focused on is anything to do with energy savings, which includes “green” and wind energy. Many customers are working actively to replace existing raw materials with more sustainable materials. There’s a lot of money being invested there. There’s a very significant focus right now on developing alternative energy technologies. There’s a high demand for green products and more money going into that area. A lot of our customers need help in making these new materials work.

What challenges do your customers have?

When formulating with green products, there are challenges with regard to compatibility. Customers are always looking for ways to reduce scrap. Anytime you make a composite, you have an air release problem. Filler materials help make composites more cost competitive, and so do the wetting and dispersing additives. These additives reduce rollout time and filler increase.

Is the “green” movement here to stay?

I think so. Green doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. Some industries will be slow to adopt, but ultimately it’s not a fad, and it’s not going away.

What is the state of the additives industry?

Like everyone else, we suffered a decline at the end of 2008 that continued through 2009. Things have started to improve; however, the market was already competitive but has become even more so. Everyone’s looking for new business, scrambling after stimulus dollars and looking for new areas. As a result, competitors are also moving into new areas. But we’re also doing the same thing. We’re not seeing a lot of consolidation, but rather more people coming into the market.

How has the market changed in the past decade?

The market for additives in composites isn’t an old market, so we’ve seen a lot of growth. New technologies are being developed and it’s still a growing market. Our company in particular started focusing on the composites industry about 20 years ago, and we began seeing strong market pickup.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that now, we get more demands or requests for composites that are highly flame-retardant because reduced emissions of the actual composite are a more important factor. In any industry, everything focuses on low VOCs. Personal safety for the workers, the people who work in manufacturing, is always important. Nanoadditives have also come on strongly in the last three to four years in the composites market. There have been a lot of government regulations, particularly in regard to styrene. ACMA has been an active voice in regard to styrene regulation.

How do you see the styrene issue playing out?

I speculate we have reached the minimum amount of styrene that we can work with. I don’t think those can go much lower. There are trends in development that are styrene-free, but I don’t think the government will push much for us to reduce styrene content. Styrene is an integral part of the polyester, which is responsible for cross-linking in chemical processes. It has over 50 years of historical use in these types of composites. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to take them out in the next few years. Alternatives to styrene do not offer same type of historical use or consistency in use. Partial replacements could occur in the near future, but we’re talking about a very long time to make a total replacement.

How will the composites industry change in the next five years?

I think lower densities and lighter weight composites will be a trend for all applications. Everyone’s always looking for stronger composites, so that will be a trend. Renewable resources will continue to grow. You’ll also see an increase in coupling agents that will increase the physical properties of composites. Nanoadditives will emerge more and more for certain applications such as antimicrobial tendencies.

In aviation, there’s a big push for carbon fiber. It’s a little bit of a fragmented, niche application market, so it’s hard for us to focus on that market. We want to though, because we believe it’s an area where composites is going to grow. Technology in aviation sometimes transfers to automotive, so we’ll see a trend in that direction.

From your viewpoint, how can composites grow?

There needs to be more applications away from steel, aluminum, and wood. The standard approach composites has had for years is converting applications, but there needs to be more of a focus on day-to-day growth. That approach has picked up in the construction market and has helped reinvigorate the infrastructure market. Those two areas have strong immediate and long-term growth opportunities.

What segments have been hit hardest?

The recreation market was down almost 80 percent in 2009. It has recouped a little bit since then, but it’ll be a long-term process to get back to where it used to be. A lot of baby boomers are coming onto the market, and they may be interested in RVs, so that might drive growth a bit. Concerning boats, manufacturers have had success with making boat hulls from composites. You can see a conversion to infusion-molding and vacuum bag from spray-up and lay-up. I think companies that make RV parts can diversify by integrating their parts into construction or fire-retardant panels.

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The Seattle Boat Show took place last week, giving attendees a chance to shop around with 90-minute sailboat rides, free stand up paddleboard lessons and other demos.

Seawind Catamarans was named the Australian Marine Exporter of the Year during the Sydney International Boat Show.

Florida-based Catalina Yachts launched its new Catalina 355.

California candidate for senate Carly Fiorna visited SnugTop Custom Fiberglass Manufacturing last week.

North Fork Composites’s owner was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed by his former company over trademark use for fishing products.

ASA Manufacturing Inc. caught fire last week. The plant, which makes fiberglass structures for theme parks, was almost destroyed.

Miles Fiberglass received a $50,000 grant from the Oregon Business Development Dept. to help create jobs that support wind energy.

Matrix Composites & Engineering recorded more than $18 million profit last year.

Now one of the biggest cultured marble companies in the southeast, Atlanta Marble Manufacturing is celebrating 40 years in business.

Continental Structural Plastics is closing an Ohio plant and moving its production to India.

Turkish Aerospace Industries delivered its first composite prototype for the new F-35 Lightning II.

ATK and NASA will begin the second ground test of the Ares five-segment solid rocket motor at the end of August.

Renovalia Energy invests 220 million in Canadian wind farm, scheduled to begin in early 2011.

The British government plans to install solar panels and wind turbines to every public building and hospital car park, giving local authorities a way to earn up to 100 million pounds a year from electricity generation.

Siemens Canada will build new turbine blade factory in Ontario, employing 300 people.

Beacon Power began construction on a flywheel energy plant in New York, made of carbon-fiber composite material, which will reduce emissions by 82 percent and provide 10 percent of the state’s energy.

Struggling solar panel maker Energy Conversion Devices will eliminate 140 U.S. jobs as it shifts production from Michigan to Mexico to save money.

Australia-based AGL Energy announced a joint venture wind farm with New Zealand-based Meridian Energy. Construction of the Victoria farm will begin by early 2013.

Former GE executive joined wind turbine manufacturer TPI Composites.

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As part of a global company that spans the renewable energy, automotive and marine sectors, Harvey dubs the marine industry as one of the most unique. “The marine industry is not as industrial as it is process. If you look across the automotive or wind turbine industries, the volumes of repeatability are higher than you see in marine,” he explains. “There are a few exceptions with skidoos and small watercraft, but the majority of manufacturers aren’t making hundreds of boats. Most are custom, which makes it more artisan and therefore repeatability is a struggle. You get good at things when you do it a lot—not to say boat manufacturers aren’t good boat builders—simply that the more times you do something, the faster and better you can do it.”

With this challenge in mind, SP Gurit turned its focus to automation. “We see that people are beginning to reorder supplies, and of course they want and need fast service in order to meet their own customers’ orders and stay competitive,” Harvey says. “We work to find services that will simplify boat builders’ lives. As a result, we’ve recently launched our SmartPac, which is basically a boat in a box. Everything is cut, labeled, and stacked in the right order, allowing greater quality control checks.” And while Gurit can’t give specific numbers, Harvey alludes to case studies to their success. “When we produce something that saves time, it’s not like the boat yards want that published because they use it as competitive advantage. If I had to estimate, we’re confident it saves 20 percent on labor time dependent on what type of boat is manufactured.”

This product and the upwardly-mobile economy make Harvey “cautiously optimistic” and looking toward the future. “I think composites have the leisure boating market taken care of, but I see large untapped potential in larger boats, super structures, reconditioning yachts that are steel hulled and military applications.”

NMMA's John McKnight talks about the future of the marine industry and the role of composites in it.

John McKnight has worked for the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) for 16 years, where he’s responsible for tracking environment, health, and safety regulations and regulatory compliance issues. Prior to joining NMMA, he was environmental engineer at Witco Chemical Corporation.

What are the various marine manufacturing segments?

We break the industry down into three separate segments: engines, vessels and accessories. There are four different types of engines used depending on the type of vessel. Accessories include anchors, tubs and showers, which can be cultured marble or fiberglass products. The vessel, or boat segment, is where composites really fit in. The vessels could be pontoons, cruisers (a joy ride, comfortable vessel), speed boats (built for things like water skiing to 100 mph races) and yachts.

What trends do you notice between carbon and fiberglass composites?

Right now, I see the majority of the industry continuing to use fiberglass over carbon composites because it offers high quality and you can get it for lower cost. However, when you look at racing boats, people will look at carbon because weight is the biggest factor. But when looking at the general boat manufacturing industry that sells to families or fishermen, the most economical solution is still fiberglass.

Is there one segment of the marine industry that uses composites more?

Well, pontoons are usually made from aluminum, and you’ll find a mix among small fishing boats, but personal watercrafts such as cruisers and yachts are primarily fiberglass. You may find two or three manufacturers who use aluminum, but by and large, composites are the material of choice.

Where do you see the most potential for composites?

From a business point of view, we are seeing consolidation, but it’s not a strategy on composites. One thing companies can do when they slow down, which our industry has done, is go back and focus on improving the production line. Some manufacturers are looking into adapting robotics into the process for things like gel coating to allow better control. We’ve also seen manufacturers dabble into various epoxies to get away from unsaturated polyester resins or styrene, but the cost is higher than the return. Thus, we’re all following the future of styrene carefully. An inability to use styrene will change the game quickly.

What advice would you give to a composites manufacturer trying to break into the marine industry?

I would first caution them that they need to do research to see where opportunities are. Someone would have to have a good network and a product that is so unique to reach the market segment because there is already a lot of capacity, and boating is one of the first to go during a recession and last to come out. We’ve seen the work force cut by 60 to 80 percent, and that doesn’t include supporting industries.

From a chemical industry standpoint, I would suggest start looking for alternatives to styrene and ways to get styrene out of unsaturated polyester resins because that’s where opportunities really lie. It’s not going to get any better regulatory-wise and we need a new generation of resins that will meet the demands that the government will put on us as manufacturers. If I was making resin and could make one that used a monomer that’s not a HAP (hazardous air pollutant) and maintains the same quality, I’d make a fortune. We hear tidbits of information that things are being developed, but nothing has come through yet.

What are reasons manufacturers choose other materials over composites?

Primarily for cost. There are certain product lines like a pontoon or small fishing boat where a manufacturer can make an inexpensive, rugged product that consumers are looking for. In these instances a metal boat that can handle repeated scraps and nicks on a fishing trip, as well as being inexpensive, is appealing. Still, fiberglass is the primary material used for recreational boats because it provides the best quality for the price.

Do you think there is room or a need for more education within the industry?

Through various associations and chemical companies, a broad range of composite education tools are available. There are many suppliers who offer in-house training for companies so they can keep abreast with new processes or materials. The thing about the recreational boating industry is, we don’t get into high-end composites like aerospace, and we’re using general purpose resins. Many of our members are small and don’t have resources to delve into the science of composites like in large companies and some may not even have an engineering degree. If there is something either product or process-wise that would help manufacturers cut costs and improve products, then there is still room for education.

How have composites helped the industry?

There would be no modern boat industry without composites or styrene. You can build a boat out of aluminum, but it doesn’t have the same type of quality finish that composites allow. Composites give a different look and finish that consumer are looking for. For example, I know a few companies that exist because composites allow them to do high volume, high production manufacturing. If composites disappeared due to styrene or other regulatory issues, we’d go back to wood or aluminum and I’m not sure how that would turn out. On that issue, NMMA and ACMA share the same concern.

What do you view as the most innovative product/process in marine manufacturing within recent years?

The biggest improvement has come from emissions on the engine side, but composite-wise, closed molding has been the most innovative. I’d also mention other worker safety improvements that have evolved. If you walked into a boat plant 20 years ago, you’d see a very different scenario than today’s plants due to things like closed molding, improved resins, gel coats and ventilation.

How was the industry affected by the recession, and how do things look for 2010?

We were obviously hard hit and it may be a bit too early to tell, but we see improvement from last year. Things seem to be getting better, but the question on everyone’s mind is: is it a blip? Companies had completely shut down because there were no orders at all. For our industry, it wasn’t a recession, it was a depression. In some sectors it was down as much as 80 percent; a lot of people were let go and that’s not including the supporting industries. As we look at this year, companies are now running but at reduced capacity.

What are the main goals of your association in terms of helping manufacturers succeed?

We are involved in a lot of things, from government regulations to trade shows. A couple of things people may not realize we do are lobby for things like marinas and water safety so that people will have clean, safe places to go use our products.

How are manufacturers staying competitive?

Through reduced cost. We compete for discretionary income as people try to make choices between better TV sets, an indoor game, an RV, a snowmobile etc. There are so many things they want, but they’re not necessities. So, companies try to make it more affordable and accessible by reducing cost—therefore always seeking ways to reduce waste and improve output.

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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.

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), there are key issues on the minds of marine manufactures in 2010

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), there are key issues on the minds of marine manufactures in 2010; namely, economic stability and regulatory issues.

“We were obviously hard hit last year,” explains John McKnight, director of environmental and safety compliance and director of government relations for NMMA. “Last year, a large percentage of companies completely shut down because there were no orders at all. For our industry, it wasn’t a recession – it was a depression.” In some sectors, the marine industry was down as much as 80 percent; many people were let go and, according to NMMA statistics, that’s not including the supporting industries. “As we look at this year, companies are now running but at reduced capacity. However, they’re seeing a silver lining. It may be a bit too early to tell, but we see improvement from last year,” says McKnight. “Things seem to be getting better, but the question on everyone’s mind is: is it just a blip?”

Regulatory issues are also of grave concern to the industry, mainly because they can drastically impact the industry. “There would be no modern boat industry without composites and therefore styrene,” says McKnight. “You can build a boat out of aluminum, but it doesn’t have the same type of quality finish that these composites allow. Composites give a different look and finish that consumer are looking for. For example, I know a few companies that exist because styrene allows them to do high volume, high production composite manufacturing. If composites disappeared due to styrene or other regulatory issues, we’d go back to wood or aluminum and I’m not sure how that would turn out. On that issue, NMMA and the American Composites Manufacturers Association share the same concern and we continue to watch very closely the advocacy efforts related to the EPA’s suggestion to label styrene as a reasonably anticipated carcinogen.”

Yet despite these looming clouds, marine manufacturers are moving ahead in their developments and use of composites. “We compete for discretionary income as people try to make choices between better TV sets, an indoor game, an RV, a snowmobile etc. There are so many things they want, but they’re not necessities,” says McKnight. “Companies try to make it more affordable and accessible by reducing cost—therefore always seeking ways to reduce waste and improve output. As a result, we see the majority of the industry continuing to use fiberglass—even over carbon composites—because it offers high quality at lower cost to families and fishermen. Customers feel, except in cases like the aluminum pontoon boat, it’s the most economical solution.”

In an online article, Aviation Weekly addressed the future of composite repairs in aerospace. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced it will present aerospace awards in late July, including innovative design concepts incorporating new composite materials. Hartzell Aerospace received Nadcap accreditation for composites, accompanied by upgrades to its manufacturing capabilities within the facility.

The infrastructure industry was looking a little green this week, as New Polymer Systems Inc. announced it plans to commercialize a bio-based additive from lignocellulose fiber for use in landscaping, roofing and drainage pipes applications. Meanwhile, fiberglass siding may soon become a more widespread option for residential homeowners. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) plans to file a lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for removing a provision that allowed contractors to bypass extra preparation, clean-up and recordkeeping requirements in homes where there were no children under six or pregnant women, thus avoiding additional costs.

Efforts in renewable energy received some high-profile boosts. President Obama announced a $400 million loan to support solar panel manufacturing. The University of Houston’s efforts to become a national leader in offshore wind technology received a $2.3 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy for a testing facility. And Colorado-based Abound Solar secured a $400 million Recovery Act loan guarantee for manufacturing thin-film solar panels. Danish-based wind energy giant Vestas announced a new R&D office in Louisville, Ky. that will employ up to 240 people over the next few years. Elsewhere in the sector, a recent feasibility study published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy says that deepwater, floating wind turbines up to 5-megawatts won’t topple. China officially started transmitting power from its biggest offshore wind farm, off the coast of Shanghai, to the mainland grid. Suzlon bagged a wind turbine order from Hindustan Petroleum Corp for the company’s 25.5-megawatt project in Rajasthan, India. A wind farm project protest proves that, to some, green energy isn’t green enough.

Turning to marine, the U.S. Court of Appeals exonerated Cook Composites and Polymers for claims related to gel coat cracking on yachts built by Viking Yacht Co. and Post Marine Co. between 1997 and 2004. Sabre Yachts celebrated its 40^th anniversary this past weekend in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. And Australian-based Bar Crusher introduced a new 550CR model, the first in a new series, offering crossover boats to a broader audience.

If you kept an eye on the leisure and recreation industry, you would have seen a new giant fiberglass eye sculpture at Chicago’s Pritzer Park. Deakin University researchers will incorporate out-of-autoclave composites in the development of a “Smart Bike” for the UCI World Road Championships later this year. Reynolds’ composites division unveiled a more aerodynamic version of their RZR 46 wheels in the opening prologue of this year’s Tour de France. Finally, composite baseball bats suffered another setback as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) banned the materials until they can meet a revised performance standard.

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