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SGL increases carbon fibre production
Industry news
Letters Prepreg waste (continued) Continuing the debate on recycling of prepreg waste (Reinforced Plastics, April 2007, page 11, and May 2007, page 10), one reader has the following suggestion. To use up the offcuts of prepreg, one needs small items, which sell well. One idea would be V-shaped tent pegs from CRP. Similar tent pegs are injection moulded from glass fibre reinforced thermoplastics. Dr.-Ing. Lutz Müller Germany Searching for sustainability Dear Editor, We work in the construction industry and have over several decades produced some notable and interesting GRP constructions (simple polyester resin and chopped strand mat systems). However, we are increasingly being asked by clients about sustainability issues. We are currently collecting information on this topic and would welcome any comments and contributions from other composites manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. Dick Kiss Designer, Design and Display Structures Ltd, UK www.design-and-display.co.uk What do you think? Reinforced Plastics welcomes your comments. Please send your letters to the Editor, Amanda Jacob; e-mail: [email protected]; fax: +44-(0)1865-843973
GE factory to focus on composite engine parts GENERAL ELECTRIC Company (GE) is set to build a jet engine component factory near Batesville, Mississippi, USA. The Batesville factory will manufacture composite fan blade platforms for the GEnx engine, which will enter service in 2008 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The GEnx is said to be the only jet engine with both composite fan blades and a composite fan case. Components for military engines will also be made at the facility, including parts for the F136 engine being developed
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REINFORCEDplastics
jointly by GE and Rolls-Royce to power the F35 US Joint Strike Fighter programme. In preparation for the new factory, GE joined forces with Mississippi State University’s College of Engineering at its Raspet laboratory for an incubator programme to demonstrate the production of composite components for jet engines. Raspet will continue to make components for GE until the new facility is operational. GE Aviation; www.geae.com
July/August 2007
SGL increases carbon fibre production THE SGL Group, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, is building a third production line for carbon fibre at its manufacturing facility in Inverness, Scotland. Scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2008, the new line will take the annual production of carbon fibre at Inverness to a total of 4500 tonnes. The company says it is also planning to build a 3000-6000 tonnes capacity carbon fibre plant in Germany over the next five years to meet customer demand, especially from the wind energy industry. SGL already operates a 1000 tonnes per year capacity carbon fibre production facility in Wyoming, USA, together with US company Aldila Inc. SGL says that the German plant will be necessary since all
capacity currently in place or under construction is largely utilised as a result of long-term supply agreements with major customers until into the next decade. The supply of raw materials for all new capacity has been secured by a strategic cooperation with Japanese company Mitsubishi Rayon Corp and a joint venture agreed with Lenzing AG, based in Lenzing, Austria. The SGL Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon-based products, ranging from carbon and graphite products to carbon fibre and composites. In 2006, the company’s workforce of 5250 generated sales of €1.2 billion. SGL Group; www.sglcarbon.de Aldila Inc; www.aldila.com
CPI and Northstar team up CREATIVE PULTRUSIONS Inc (CPI) of Alum Bank, Pennsylvania, USA, and Northstar Vinyl Products LLC, based in Cartersville, Georgia, have signed a partnership agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Northstar will become the exclusive marketer of the SuperLoc™ Composite Sheet Pile System in the United States market at the same time as exploring potential opportunities internationally. CPI will become the exclusive manufacturer of fibreglass sheet pile for Northstar.
SuperLoc Composite Sheet Pile, a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheet pile, is manufactured using the pultrusion process. It is claimed that the composite sheet has been designed and manufactured to provide lasting performance in environments that are highly corrosive. Applications for the composite material can be found in the marine industry, for example, in retaining walls. Creative Pultrusions Inc; www.creativepultrusions.com Northstar Vinyl Products LLC; www.northstarvinyl.com
Letters Prepreg waste (continued) Continuing the debate on recycling of prepreg waste (Reinforced Plastics, April 2007, page 11, and May 2007, page 10), one reader has the following suggestion. To use up the offcuts of prepreg, one needs small items, which sell well. One idea would be V-shaped tent pegs from CRP. Similar tent pegs are injection moulded from glass fibre reinforced thermoplastics. Dr.-Ing. Lutz Müller Germany Searching for sustainability Dear Editor, We work in the construction industry and have over several decades produced some notable and interesting GRP constructions (simple polyester resin and chopped strand mat systems). However, we are increasingly being asked by clients about sustainability issues. We are currently collecting information on this topic and would welcome any comments and contributions from other composites manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. Dick Kiss Designer, Design and Display Structures Ltd, UK www.design-and-display.co.uk What do you think? Reinforced Plastics welcomes your comments. Please send your letters to the Editor, Amanda Jacob; e-mail: [email protected]; fax: +44-(0)1865-843973
GE factory to focus on composite engine parts GENERAL ELECTRIC Company (GE) is set to build a jet engine component factory near Batesville, Mississippi, USA. The Batesville factory will manufacture composite fan blade platforms for the GEnx engine, which will enter service in 2008 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The GEnx is said to be the only jet engine with both composite fan blades and a composite fan case. Components for military engines will also be made at the facility, including parts for the F136 engine being developed
8
REINFORCEDplastics
jointly by GE and Rolls-Royce to power the F35 US Joint Strike Fighter programme. In preparation for the new factory, GE joined forces with Mississippi State University’s College of Engineering at its Raspet laboratory for an incubator programme to demonstrate the production of composite components for jet engines. Raspet will continue to make components for GE until the new facility is operational. GE Aviation; www.geae.com
July/August 2007
SGL increases carbon fibre production THE SGL Group, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, is building a third production line for carbon fibre at its manufacturing facility in Inverness, Scotland. Scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2008, the new line will take the annual production of carbon fibre at Inverness to a total of 4500 tonnes. The company says it is also planning to build a 3000-6000 tonnes capacity carbon fibre plant in Germany over the next five years to meet customer demand, especially from the wind energy industry. SGL already operates a 1000 tonnes per year capacity carbon fibre production facility in Wyoming, USA, together with US company Aldila Inc. SGL says that the German plant will be necessary since all
capacity currently in place or under construction is largely utilised as a result of long-term supply agreements with major customers until into the next decade. The supply of raw materials for all new capacity has been secured by a strategic cooperation with Japanese company Mitsubishi Rayon Corp and a joint venture agreed with Lenzing AG, based in Lenzing, Austria. The SGL Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon-based products, ranging from carbon and graphite products to carbon fibre and composites. In 2006, the company’s workforce of 5250 generated sales of €1.2 billion. SGL Group; www.sglcarbon.de Aldila Inc; www.aldila.com
CPI and Northstar team up CREATIVE PULTRUSIONS Inc (CPI) of Alum Bank, Pennsylvania, USA, and Northstar Vinyl Products LLC, based in Cartersville, Georgia, have signed a partnership agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Northstar will become the exclusive marketer of the SuperLoc™ Composite Sheet Pile System in the United States market at the same time as exploring potential opportunities internationally. CPI will become the exclusive manufacturer of fibreglass sheet pile for Northstar.
SuperLoc Composite Sheet Pile, a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheet pile, is manufactured using the pultrusion process. It is claimed that the composite sheet has been designed and manufactured to provide lasting performance in environments that are highly corrosive. Applications for the composite material can be found in the marine industry, for example, in retaining walls. Creative Pultrusions Inc; www.creativepultrusions.com Northstar Vinyl Products LLC; www.northstarvinyl.com