Composites

McLaren Automotive is to build a composites technology centre in the UK. 

Demand for fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites in the manufacture of wind turbine components will increase by 5.9% a year to just under 70 kt (152 million pounds) by 2020, according to a rece

Victrex and Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corp have established a joint venture, TxV Aero Composites, to accelerate the commercial adoption of polyketone composites by the aerospace industry.

Chery and Adesso Advanced Materials, based in Wuhu, China, are teaming up with the UK’s ELG Carbon Fibre to work on new components for the Chery eQ1 electric vehicle.

Additive manufacturing specialist Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) Inc of South Windsor has received further investment from Hexcel Corp of Stamford (both in Connecticut, USA).

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast in the UK are developing simulation tools that will help to improve the safety of aeroplanes and cars being built from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFR

Scott Bader has increased its production capacity for its range of Crestabond primer-less methyl methacrylate (MMA) structural adhesives. 

Evonik of Essen, Germany, has developed a process that it claims is capable of mass-producing complex moulded composite parts at a reasonable price.

SGL Carbon Fibers Ltd of Muir of Ord, UK, is leading an 18-month research and development (R&D) project to produce affordable lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components for t

A researcher at the University of Twente in the Netherlands has developed an efficient method for bonding parts made from thermoplastic composites to those made from metals. 

A majority of German companies working in the composites industry see the current global economy as positive for their businesses, according to a recent survey carried out by Composites Germany. 

Mitsubishi Rayon Co (MRC) Ltd is to acquire SGL Carbon Fibers LLC from the SGL Group in order to expand its carbon fibre business in North America. 

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, is working to develop wind turbine blades based on thermoplastic composites. 

Epoxy resin formulator Sicomin has supplied materials to produce both moulds and parts for the 5 gilded domes of the recently inaugurated Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Paris, France. 

Teijin Ltd has completed the acquisition of automotive composite parts producer Continental Structural Plastics Holdings (CSP) Corp for US$825 million.

Solvay of Brussels, Belgium, has agreed to sell its formulated resins business to ALTANA AG’s ELANTAS PDG Inc of St Louis, Missouri, USA. 

By replacing the sizing on carbon fibres with a coating of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), researchers in the UK claim to have improved both the thermal and electrical conductivity of carbon fibre-reinfor

Thermoset resins specialist Hexion Inc of Columbus, Ohio, USA, has announced plans to build a new European technology centre in Kamp-Lintfort, Germany. 

Lehmann&Voss&Co of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, USA, has opened Lehvoss New Material (Kunshan) Co Ltd, a 2500-m² production facility and application technology centre in Kunshan, China.  

Quickstep Holdings of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, has been awarded a contract to manufacture a range of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components for a portable, lightweight X‐ray d

A cost-effective composite façade system for office buildings has been developed by construction company TGM and its partners on the project Indupol, Aliancys, Euroresins, Büfa and Solico. 

The German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) of Frankfurt has elected a new board.

North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) of Renens, Switzerland, says that its ThinPreg 736LT epoxy prepreg system has now been approved by Lloyd’s Register.  

The University of Nottingham in the UK is to host the Future Composites Manufacturing Hub.

Gurit of Zurich, Switzerland, has acquired Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF’s polyethylene terephthalate (PET) structural foam business. 

Fokker of Papendrecht, The Netherlands, is working with Airbus and other partners to develop smart variants of its fibre metal laminates (FMLs), previously branded as Glare.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in the UK claim to have built the world’s first reconfigurable carbon fibre composite robotic machine tool.

The first course to train inspectors in the airline and aircraft manufacturing industries nondestructive inspection techniques (NDI) for solid-laminate composite materials has been developed by the

An epoxy resin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam sandwich panel from Sicomin of Marseille, France, and 3A Composites Core Materials of Sims, Switzerland, has been tested to fire classification

Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH is investing to expand the capacity of its performance foams business at its production site in Darmstadt, Germany. 

Quickstep Holdings of Sydney, New South Wales, is working with Futuris Automotive Group of Melbourne, Victoria (both in Australia), to develop a composite front seat back for automotive manufacture

The development of fibre-based materials for high-performance applications is the goal of the Future Fibres Hub, a research and development (R&D) centre established within Deakin University’s I

Two key contracts between Hexcel Corp and Airbus Group have been amended, with the former expecting these contracts to generate total sales of US$15 billion.

Boeing has opened a new composite centre at its campus in St Louis, Missouri, USA

Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) are between them investing nearly US $50 million in their shared manufacturing

Durable thermoplastic foams and composites that can be used to make wind turbine blades lighter and more recyclable than conventional blades are being developed as part of European Union (EU)-funde

Solvay of Brussels, Belgium, is increasing its capacity for the production of composites with a new resin facility and an upgraded site in Östringen, Germany.

SCIGRIP of Durham, North Carolina, has completed an agreement to acquire Arjay Technologies Inc of Largo, Florida, a manufacturer of bonding compounds for the composites industry. 

Prepreg producer North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT) of Renens, Switzerland,  has been chosen to supply composites for a proposed Thin Aperture Light Collector (TALC) space telescope project.

Composites able to heal themselves at low temperatures are being developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK and the Harbin Institute of Technology in China. 

Mikrosam has delivered a fully automated filament winding line for compressed natural gas (CNG) tanks to global automotive supplier Magna’s plant in Graz, Austria. 

Teijin Ltd is to acquire North American automotive composites supplier Continental Structural Plastics Holdings (CSP) Corp for US$825 million. 

A three-dimensionally (3D) printed composite trim-and-drill tool has received the title of ‘largest solid 3D printed’ item by Guinness World Records. 

Stratasys Inc of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, has developed two pieces of additive manufacturing technology for producing composite structures: Robotic Composite 3D Demonstrator; Infinite-Build 3D

Owens Corning has announced plans to invest US$110 million to increase the production capacity of its composites operations in India.

Demand in the US for composites reinforced with carbon, aramid and S-glass fibres will rise by 5.3% per year to a value of $10.0 billion in 2020, according to a recent report from Freedonia Group.