Member News

Thermoplastic Composites 2017 is a joint annual event organised by Composites UK and the British Plastics Federation. The UK Composites Strategy predicts an opportunity for growth in the composites sector from £2.3bn to £12bn per annum by 2030 but the UK has to gear-up in order to exploit this potential. One of the immediate areas for development is in affordable composites for a variety of applications and thermoplastic composites will play a significant part.

NCC members Hexcel, have announced that they will be launching a new Government-backed £7.4 million research and development project, MAXIM, and expanding their manufacturing facility in Leicester.

The four-year Multi AXial Infused Materials (MAXIM) project, backed by the UK Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and match-funded by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, will be responsible for developing progressive, cost-effective materials and manufacturing solutions for large aerospace and automotive composite structures.

JEC World (Paris) is Europe’s largest exhibition dedicated to the composites industry. In March 2018 the NCC intend to host the UK Pavilion in partnership with Catapult and the Department for International Trade. There are opportunities for our UK members to join us on the stand and promote their services from one of the areas branded pods (see the photo below).   

TenCate Advanced Composites, a leading supplier of composite materials for high performance aerospace and industrial applications, and Airborne announce the signing of a long-term supply agreement for advanced thermoset composite materials.

The PulPress method allows manufacturers to produce complex molded parts in high volumes

Savings of up to 60 percent over previous lightweight construction methods

Initial components are now on their way to mass production

Hexcel is to have its innovative CFRP technology introduced in the BMW 7 Series where it is used to save weight and reinforce the metal shell of the B-pillar.

Hexcel supplies BMW with preforms made of unidirectional carbon prepreg set in various orientations and combined with adhesive. The prepreg is made from Hexcel's HexPly M77 resin system that cures in 1.5 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius.

AIC Group announced today (17th August) that it is refurbishing a 3m x 10m autoclave for a global North American aerospace company. AIC will refit the autoclave with various features, including its Autoclave Management and Control System (AMCS).

The aerospace company bought the autoclave for its South American jet building facility, which employs 1500 people. The autoclave needs to be up and running by late September, which ruled out buying a new autoclave. AIC will deliver it in the first week of August.