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News from 2007

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VISTAGY and MSC.Software Partner to Optimize Product Development Process for Advanced Composites

Strategic Partnership Helps Manufacturers in the Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Marine and Wind Energy Industries Benefit from the Promise of Composite Materials

WALTHAM, Mass., (USA), October 11, 2007 — VISTAGY, Inc., a leading global provider of specialized engineering software and the creator of FiberSIM® software for developing products made of advanced composite materials, today announced a strategic partnership agreement with MSC.Software, (NASDAQ: MSCS), the leading global provider of enterprise simulation solutions, including simulation software and services.

Under this agreement, the organizations have aligned to deliver best-in-class composites product development technology that will streamline and improve their customers’ complete, end-to-end composite product development process for aerospace, automotive, defense, marine and wind turbine manufacturing. By providing customers with a complete solution that links the design, analysis, manufacturing and quality planning processes, customers will be able to take advantage of advanced capabilities to efficiently optimize the entire development process as well as part performance. More...

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MATERIAL opens a new sales and engineering center in Australia

September 13, 2007

To extend its international network of sales and service points, MATERIAL has signed a cooperation agreement with ETAMAX ENGINEERING to become MATERIAL's new engineering center in Australia.

For more information on ETAMAX ENGINEERING see http://www.etamax.com.au

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Umeco completes acquisition of US aircraft composites maker J. D. Lincoln

3 September 2007

UK composites and GRP supplies specialist Umeco has completed the acquisition of J D Lincoln, the US-based producer of composite aircraft interiors. The deal is valued at just under $60m, with a further $15m depending on the new acquisition’s performance in its first year of Umeco ownership. Privately owned JD Lincoln has two sites in California where it formulates and makes a range of prepreg materials mainly used by aerospace Tier Twos for commercial aircraft interiors. The new business compliments Umeco’s existing composite activities for the industry which are primarily airframe focused.

In calendar 2006, Lincoln generated a pre tax profit of $0.2m after making one-off payments to the vendors of $6.0m. Umeco believes the acquisition will be earnings enhancing in the first year. Clive Snowdon, ceo of the £334m turnover Umeco group commented: “The completion of Lincoln represents a significant investment in our composites activities. With its expanding scope of new applications and qualifications, the Lincoln acquisition enhances our strong position in the civil aerospace market.”

Umeco acquired the Advanced Composites Group in Derbyshire in 2004, providing a major boost to its activities in the sector.

Acquisition of composites company Phoenixx TPC (USA) by TenCate

27 July 2007

TenCate’s Aerospace and Armour Composites group is in the final stages of acquiring the composite company Phoenixx TPC Inc. The expectation that an agreement will be reached is justified. The acquisition is subject to government approval in de United States. TenCate is a leading global supplier of high-grade specialist materials. Its activities are the development and production of protective and safety fabrics, composites, geosynthetics and synthetic turf. TenCate is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (www.tencate.com).

TenCate is active in aerospace and armour composites. The company is a supplier of materials to Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Cirrus and others and is a leading technological innovator in the field of thermoplastic composites (TenCate CETEX®).

Loek de Vries (CEO TenCate) states: “This acquisition fits well into our present product / market/ technology position of the composites activities of TenCate. Phoenixx unidirectional (UD) technology will strengthen worldwide the TenCate CETEX® thermoplastic composites product line. For our aerospace business especially it represents an important factor for enhancing TenCate’s growth in this industry.” More...

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Sintex Industries to acquire US based Wausaukee Composites Inc

June 1, 2007, MUMBAI - Sintex Industries Ltd. plans to acquire Wisconsin-based Wausaukee Composites Inc. for $20.5 million in cash, hoping to boost its presence in the United States for auto and electrical accessories. Data with Sintex showed Waukausee posted a revenue of $23.2 million in 2006, with gross margins of 24 percent. Sintex reported a net profit of 1.3 billion rupees for the year to March 2007, on net sales of 11.2 billion rupees.

Plastic products maker Sintex said the U.S. composite maker would complement its strengths in sheet moulding compounds. "Waukausee has market reach in the U.S. while we have cost competitiveness in India," Sunil Kanojia, senior president, told Reuters. "It will also bring in technology". Sintex would also leverage its low cost manufacturing skills to produce some of Waukausee's products in India.

"Acquisitions, both in India and overseas, of profitable businesses and strong brands, will continue to be one of our key strategies in strengthening our competitive position," Managing Director Amit Patel said in a statement.

Ex-Boeing Senior Manager Edward G. Carson Named Chief Operating Officer of HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc.

LOS ANGELES, March 29 - HITCO CARBON COMPOSITES, INC. (HITCO), a subsidiary of Germany-based SGL GROUP, The Carbon Company, announced today that Ex-Boeing senior manager Edward G. Carson will assume the duties of Chief Operating Officer with operational oversight of HITCO's growing Structures Division. Mr. Carson will also assume a seat on the Board of Directors of HITCO. This reorganization supports the aggressive new growth strategy set forth by HITCO, its Board of Directors, and the SGL GROUP, The Carbon Company. The SGL Group is a worldwide industry leader in the development, application and marketing of its broad material base utilizing carbon technologies.

Mr. Carson joined HITCO in 2004 after a 32-year career at The Boeing Company where he served as Senior Business Manager. He participated on programs such as, the Joint Strike Fighter, FAA Ground Systems, the Japanese 767 Tanker Program, the Minuteman III Program, AWACS Program, Space Defense Systems, Tactical Missile Systems, and other significant programs. His administrative experience is heightened by his years in military service. A retired Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, he served in Personnel Management/ Administration, Transportation, and Infantry. His last military assignment was as G1 (Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel) at Headquarters, U.S. Army, Japan.

Mr. Carson earned his M.A. in Economics from Western Washington University. He graduated with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. He is also a graduate of the prestigious Executive Program, University of Virginia as well as, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Mr. Lawrence Clarkson, former Senior Vice President of The Boeing Company and Chairman of HITCO's Board of Directors, welcomed Mr. Carson's advancement to the position of COO. He observed that, "Ed Carson is the right choice to further cement ties with our customer base and aggressively pursue the growth of our business while maintaining our high standards and excellent record for high quality products."

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Latecoere targets aircraft composites, profit down

PARIS, March 7 - Aircraft parts maker Latecoere said on Wednesday it aimed to become a major player in composite materials as it reported a drop in profits, adding fuel to reports it may wade into the Airbus restructuring row. Latecoere is among companies tipped by industry analysts to link up with at least one of the two French plants put up for full or partial sale by Airbus last week as part of a plan to axe 10,000 jobs and save costs at the troubled planemaker. Airbus has said it wants a partner for its Meaulte plant in northern France where it can ill afford to shoulder the full cost of investment in composite lightweight materials to be used in the next generation of aircraft design. Unions are trying to block the transfer.

A partnership with Airbus at a composites factory would give Latecoere a role in the "new Airbus" outlined by Airbus chief Louis Gallois last week, but may expose it to mounting union protests over the planned job cuts and factory sales.

Latecoere said its net profit fell 6.3 percent in 2006, weighed by the cost of research into such carbon-based materials as well as delays to the Airbus A380 superjumbo which plunged EADS subsidiary Airbus into its worst ever crisis. Latecoere was also hampered by delays to Dassault's latest Falcon 7X business jet, the company said. Net profits fell to 19.2 million euros from 20.5 million. Operating profit fell 8 percent to 34.7 million euros from 37.7 million in 2005, a figure which had included exceptional items of 3.5 million euros. The company generated 2006 sales of 432.7 million euros, up 22 percent on the back of higher deliveries of Airbus jets and other manufacturers' models. The operating margin fell to 8 percent from 10.6 percent. The company proposed a dividend of 0.75 euros a share.

Latecoere said in a statement it had spent two million euros on researching composites in 2006, on top of programme-related research and development costs of 84 million euros. The Toulouse-based firm said it aimed to be a significant partner on Airbus's next model, the A350, which is expected to make far greater use of composites than previous models. The plane, due to enter service in 2013, is designed to compete with Boeing's (BA.N: Quote, Profile , Research) 787 Dreamliner which is due to enter service next year with extensive use of light, composite materials in its body and wings to help airlines save fuel.

Latecoere said its order book was worth 1.5 billion euros, up 13 percent, at the end of 2006. It predicted further 10 percent growth in 2007. About two-thirds of Latecoere revenues come from structural components such as fuselage sections and aircraft doors. Another 29 percent comes from cabling and electronics.

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SGL Carbon further expands its position in carbon fibers and composites with joint ventures and capital expenditure

• Joint venture with Lenzing AG to ensure raw material supply in the long term
• Successful market launch of a new high-performance carbon fiber developed in conjunction with Mitsubishi Rayon
• Construction, startup and planning of three further carbon fiber production lines
• Commissioning of a modern carbon fiber prepreg plant in Meitingen
• Acquisition of majority share in joint venture with F.A. Kümpers GmbH for processing carbon fibers

Wiesbaden, March 5, 2007 - Steadily increasing prices for energy and raw materials as well as growing demand for increasingly scarce resources require ever greater use of energy-saving, high-performance materials. Carbon fibers are indispensable here. They make it possible to manufacture materials which are both considerably lighter and more robust, and feature exceptional properties.

One important example is the new generation of airplanes such as the Airbus A380, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. As a result of the heavy stress-factor, the wind energy industry also needs carbon fiber materials for its new blades with spans of up to 60 meters. Carbon fibers are also used for sports equipment such as golf clubs, hockey sticks and tennis racquets as well as kayaks and bicycles. Racing yachts competing for the America's Cup are now manufactured entirely from carbon, too. Carbon fibers are also becoming more popular for normal yachts as a material with which to produce heavy-stressed parts such as masts. The automotive industry also increasingly focus on this innovative material, initially in the premium vehicles and super sports cars from the major manufacturers. In addition, Carbon fibers are already used in special parts of upper mid-range vehicles.

As early as the end of the 1990s, SGL Carbon began to serve this trend with its development division SGL Technologies (SGL T) in appropriate R&D programs and pilot plants. SGL Carbon is now beginning to see the fruits of this development in the Business Unit Carbon Fibers and Composites (CFC), which has emerged out of the former SGL T. The newly created business unit, which bundles the entire added value chain from carbon fiber to composite material is now being steadily expanded with acquisitions, joint ventures and capital expenditure for new production facilities. CFC is one of the two Business Units combined in SGL Carbon's "Advanced Materials" Business Area and is an essential driver for future profitable growth. The second Business Unit in Advanced Materials, Graphite Materials and Systems (GMS), manufactures products from specialty graphite for the solar, lithium-ion battery and nuclear power industries, graphite foils for air-conditioning and heat management as well as graphite products for the construction of plants in the chemical and environment industries.

CFC's strategy aims at the supply of carbon fibers and relevant semi-finished products for customers in industrial applications such as the wind, automotive and sports industries. In recent months, the following steps were taken in this respect:

As a result of the agreement on a joint venture with Lenzing AG concluded early March 2007, SGL Carbon has now secured long-term supply of the raw materials it requires for production of carbon fibers. In this joint venture, a special polyacrylonitrile fiber precursor, the respective raw material for carbon fibers, is to be manufactured. Therefore, the Company will become independent of the purchase of the precursor. The joint venture is subject to final approval of the german antitrust authorities.

In addition, SGL Carbon has now successfully launched on the market a high-quality multi-filament carbon fiber as part of its strategic alliance with the Japanese Mitsubishi Rayon Corp. (MRC). Compared to the low-filament fibers common on the market, production of these carbon fibers is particularly cost-effective while maintaining the high standard of quality. Long-term purchase agreements have already been concluded with a major customer from the wind energy industry.

In order to satisfy the increasing demand from customers worldwide, SGL Carbon has started and implemented various capital expenditures to increase its carbon fiber capacity. Already in 2006, work began on construction of an additional carbon fiber production line in the plant in Inverness/Scotland. This will start production in August 2007. A further line for Inverness is already being planned and will be ready in 2008. Moreover, a third line is planned for 2008 as part of another joint venture with Lenzing AG in Germany. In the mid-term planning over the next five years, SGL Carbon will spend a total budget of €80 million for this capital expenditure measures. This will lead to carbon fiber capacity increases from 2,000 tons at present to 6,000 tons.

In December 2006, SGL Carbon commissioned one of the most modern plants for production of carbon fiber prepreg in Meitingen. Beside multi-axial fabrics, prepeg is an important carbon fiber-based fabric product, which is used in a number of different industries. For example, with this product the Company supplies also one of the leading manufacturers of wind energy plants worldwide.
In January 2007, SGL Carbon acquired a majority interest in F.A. Kümpers GmbH. As a result of this joint venture, the Company has acquired innovative technologies for processing its carbon fibers in multi-axial fabrics. These allow direct access to the large market potentials for carbon fibers, particularly in the wind energy and automotive industries. The Company is thus planning to become one of the leading manufacturer for carbon fibers and carbon fiber composites in both industries. SGL Carbon is the only European manufacturer in the highly concentrated global carbon fiber market and plans to further expand its position with carbon fibers and composites on the basis of acquisitions, joint ventures and capital expenditure.

The Company will provide more information on the Company's repositioning at its year-end press conference on March 8, 2007.

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Owens Corning and Saint-Gobain Create 'OCV Reinforcements'

TOLEDO, Ohio, and PARIS - Feb. 20 - Owens Corning and Saint-Gobain representatives jointly announced today that they have signed a joint-venture agreement to merge Owens Corning's Reinforcements Business and Saint-Gobain's Reinforcements and Composites Business (a part of the entity known as Vetrotex) into a new company that will be named "OCV Reinforcements" and that will serve customers with improved technology, an expanded product range and a strengthened presence in both developed and emerging markets.

On July 27, 2006, Owens Corning and Saint-Gobain jointly announced that they were in discussions to merge their respective reinforcements and composites businesses, thereby creating a global company in reinforcements and composite fabrics products, with worldwide revenues of approximately $1.8 billion (euro 1.5 billion) and 10,000 employees.

The agreement signed on Feb. 20, 2007 contemplates that the joint venture will be owned 60 percent by Owens Corning and 40 percent by Saint-Gobain. After a minimum of four years, Saint-Gobain will have the option to sell its 40 percent stake to Owens Corning, and Owens Corning will have the option to buy Saint-Gobain's stake in the joint venture.

The Owens Corning Saint-Gobain joint venture will present significant opportunities for synergies. These are expected to come primarily from scale benefits in purchasing and procurement; operational and technological plant improvements; improved distribution costs; reduced administrative costs; and asset management optimization.

The transaction, which has been approved by the Board of Directors of both parent companies, is expected to close in mid-2007 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory and antitrust approvals.

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ESI Releases PAM-QUIKFORM for CATIA V5

PARIS, France - Feb. 16, 2007 - ESI Group is pleased to announce that PAM-QUIKFORM for CATIA V5, developed under the CAA V5 Gold Software Partnership Agreement signed with Dassault Systèmes, a world leader in 3-D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, is now available. PAM-QUIKFORM is currently implemented in CATIA V5 Composites Design, Dassault Systèmes’ composite design module. This software for CATIA V5 enables decision-making early in the design process by eliminating bad design choices that would later lead to manufacturing problems.

“This new product from ESI Group will allow users to leverage CATIA V5 Composites Design, which increases productivity by performing fiber simulations that are directly built upon the laminate definition in CATIA,” says Frederic Vacher, Manager of Partnership Business Development at Dassault Systèmes. “This additional CAA V5 product complementing the V5PLM composite portfolio will strongly benefit our PLM customers from the aerospace industry.”

The software is a simulation tool capable of predicting the deformation of the reinforcement of composite parts during manufacturing. PAM-QUIKFORM is based on geometrical methods and can predict, in a matter of seconds, if a selected material can be used to form a part without potential problems, like wrinkling. The flat pattern of the laminate is computed simultaneously and can be used for nesting and cutting machines.

PAM-QUIKFORM features a unique capability that enables the simulation of unidirectional composite deformation during the draping process. The algorithms capture the specific deformation mechanisms occurring in unidirectional draping, like intraply sliding or fiber-spreading.

The benefits from integrating PAM-QUIKFORM in CATIA V5 Composites Design are important and numerous. The simulations can be directly performed based upon the laminate definition built in CATIA V5 Composites Design, dramatically increasing productivity. All the existing CATIA V5 Composites Design options are available, like flattening and 2-D/3-D transfer, and they are exportable to digital manufacturing machines like Automatic Laser Pointer or nesting and cutting programs available in CAA V5. Generally speaking, PAM-QUIKFORM customers will benefit from the powerful CATIA V5 3D-PLM collaborative engineering environment.

PAM-QUIKFORM for CATIA V5 integration follows the resin transfer molding and infusion simulation in CAA V5. The next steps include the enhancements of PAM-QUIKFORM for CATIA V5 capabilities, like the simulation of the draping of a non-aligned ply along a seed line. Automatic tape laying (ATL) and automatic fiber placement (AFP) will also be considered.

“The integration of PAM-QUIKFORM for CATIA V5 is an example of the physics-based simulation brought by ESI Group that can be embedded in CATIA V5 Composites Design in order to offer a complete solution that covers the design and the virtual manufacturing of composite parts. This kind of step should accelerate the current effort of aeronautics toward a simulation-based design,” says Patrick de Luca, Composites Center of Excellence Manager at ESI Group.

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Cytec Selects Site for Carbon Fiber Expansion Project

Greenville, SC - Feb. 15 - Cytec Industries Inc. has completed the site selection for a carbon fiber expansion project announced last year; with Greenville, S.C., chosen as the location of the company's proposed new facility. Employing capital best practices, the project is in the assessment and engineering definition phase. Pending final approval, construction is expected to begin in 2008 with plant start-up scheduled for early 2010. The expansion would double Cytec's carbon fiber manufacturing capacity and provide additional capability to meet the demand for next-generation carbon fibers.

Cytec's capital investment in the expansion, projected at approximately $150 million, is in addition to a modernization and recommissioning effort completed last year at the company's existing carbon fiber manufacturing site in Greenville, which increased Cytec's annual carbon fiber production capacity by 33 percent and added 60 new jobs. Cytec expects to add approximately 225 additional skilled and professional jobs when the expansion project is fully operational. Today, Cytec employs nearly 290 at its carbon fiber plants in Greenville and Rock Hill, South Carolina.

"We're committed to meeting the increasing needs of our customers for carbon fiber-based materials," said Cytec Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer James P. Cronin, who led the site selection team. "We expect to benefit from this strategic investment by focusing a large part of our additional carbon fiber capacity on Cytec Engineered Materials' advanced composites product line, which is experiencing significant growth as aerospace composites use escalates."

"Today's announcement is another positive sign that our efforts to improve the state's business climate are paying dividends," said Gov. Mark Sanford. "Cytec is an innovative world leader and this expansion enhances our state's ability to compete in the global economy for new high-tech, high-wage jobs. As well, given Cytec's involvement in the aerospace industry, this announcement certainly has potential in terms of future job creation, investment and growth opportunities for many years to come."

When the planned new facility goes online in 2010 it will manufacture high volumes of Cytec carbon fibers such as THORNEL(R) T300, T650 and T40/800, which are used by a variety of commercial aerospace and military customers, as well as new fibers currently under development.


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HIDDEN GEMS: NEW COMPOSITES ARE STIFFER THAN DIAMOND

MADISON, WI - Feb. 14 - Using a unique combination of barium titanate and tin, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have made the first known material that's stiffer than diamond. The group published its results in the Feb. 2 issue of Science.

Aside from its value as a gemstone, diamond has the highest thermal conductivity and is the stiffest, hardest material around. Yet despite its benefits, diamond is too expensive to consider in such structural applications as bridges, buildings, airplanes or golf clubs. While diamond achieves its rock-solid stability via dense, directional, extremely tight atomic bonds, the UW-Madison researchers created their stiff composite from ordinary materials held together in an extraordinary way, says Roderic Lakes, a professor of engineering physics. "We're using a material now that's chosen for having the ability to change volume during phase transformation," he says. "The material we chose-barium titanate-goes from one solid to another solid."

Barium titanate is a well researched crystalline material previously used in such applications as microphones or cell phone speakers. Embed bits of it in a tin matrix, and the phase transformation, or shift in the arrangement of atoms, is held back, creating stored energy. "Imagine water getting into cracks in the road and freezing," says Lakes. "It can't expand because it's held in place." The blocked phase transformation creates negative stiffness, or instability, within the barium titanate, while the tin has positive stiffness, or stability. "We've finally showed that in the lab, you can make a composite that's stiffer than either constituent, which nobody thought was possible before, because in all of the previous composites both constituents are in a minimum energy state," he says. "There's no stored energy, and both stiffness values are positive."

In laboratory experiments, Lakes and his collaborators showed that if they embed the barium titanate within the tin, the resulting composite material achieves stiffness approaching 10 times that of diamond. "You'd think that if you'd add positive and negative, you'd get zero," says Lakes. "Actually, that's exactly how you get the extreme stiffness, because you're adding compliances." For example, he says, steel is very stiff; rubber is very compliant. A positive compliance is the inverse of a stiffness and a negative compliance is the inverse of a stiffness. Add positive compliance and negative compliance and the sum is close to zero-which corresponds to very high stiffness.

Like the phase transformation of water to ice at 0 degrees Celsius, the barium titanate phase transformation also is governed by temperature, so the current composite exhibits extreme stiffness within a temperature range of less than 10 degrees. "The temperature at which this material works is like a hot day in Libya," says Lakes. "So it's like 65 degrees Celsius, and a hot day in New York is 40 Celsius. It's a higher temperature than is convenient. We think we can tune that, but that's the future."

Other contributors to the research include former UW-Madison PhD student Timothy Jaglinski, now a research associate with the Washington State University Institute for Shock Physics; former master's student Dennis Kochmann, now of Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany; and Materials Science and Engineering Associate Professor Donald Stone.

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ZCL Composites Inc. Announces Closing of $40 Million Offering of Subscription Receipts

EDMONTON, Feb. 13 - ZCL Composites Inc. has announced that it has closed its previously announced "bought deal" private placement offering of subscription receipts. As a result of strong investor demand, the "bought deal" was increased from the originally announced C$35,000,000 to C$40,000,000. A total of 4,000,000 subscription receipts were sold at a price of C$10.00 per subscription receipt, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$40 million. The gross proceeds have been deposited with ZCL's escrow agent, pending closing of the previously announced Xerxes acquisition. ZCL will use the net proceeds of the offering to fund a portion of the purchase price of the Xerxes acquisition. The underwriting syndicate was led by Peters & Co. Limited and also included CIBC World Markets Inc., Paradigm Capital Inc., Raymond James Ltd., National Bank Financial Inc. and Orion Securities Inc. Each subscription receipt entitles the holder to acquire one common share of ZCL, without the payment of any additional consideration or the need for any further action on the part of the holder, upon closing of the Xerxes acquisition. If the Xerxes acquisition has not closed, or will not close, prior to February 28, 2007, ZCL is obligated to repurchase the subscription receipts from the holders thereof at the original purchase price plus a pro rata share of any earned interest.

ZCL Composites Inc. trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ZCL" and is Canada's largest manufacturer of fiberglass underground storage tanks.

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Quatro Composites Launches Structural Optimization for Composites Parts

Orange City, IA, February 13 -- Quatro Composites introduced a new proprietary methodology designed to optimize the structural performance (weight, strength, stiffness, cost) of carbon fiber components. This advanced product development technology is being employed in the New Quatro Technical Development Center in Poway, CA.

Structural optimization combines state-of-the-art design capabilities with conventional finite element analysis (FEA). Structural performance is the design driver in the concept stage rather than later in the development process. This method uses mathematical techniques to produce an optimized shape and material distribution for a given loading condition and for a variety of material models, including composite structures. This approach improves design performance and minimizes cost and material waste.

“The future is bright for our business,” said Doug Roberts, Quatro’s V.P. of Sales & Marketing. “The large scale airframe manufacturers have launched a metal-to-composite conversion initiative like the world has never seen. This unique tool has gained Quatro significant notoriety with the airframers. We are actively contributing to this global initiative by delivering structural composite hardware with failure prediction and 50% weight savings.”

The New Quatro Technical Development Center in Poway employs nine degreed engineers that utilize the optimization technology in the design and development of carbon composite aerospace structures. Quatro currently specializes in a variety of markets including aerospace, medical, military & defense, sports and recreation, automotive, and wind energy.

Quatro Composites, a division of Tec Industries L.L.C, is an Iowa-based advanced composite manufacturer specializing in carbon fiber applications. Quatro manufactures and engineers products for the aerospace, medical, military & defense, sports and recreation, automotive and wind energy markets. The business operates in two locations, Orange City, Iowa, (Headquarters, Manufacturing & Distribution) and Poway, California (Manufacturing & Technical Development Center).

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Composites Consultants surpasses 1000 page views per day

January 2, 2007- Composites Consultants had an average of 1087 page views per day during the month of December 2006. "This has been our highest traffic since the beginning of the site in 2003", says Michael L. Skinner, Editor and Publisher of the web site. Skinner says, "Traffic has been growing by 10 to 15% a month, which is very gratifying. Most of our visitors come looking for specific information about composites or a product or service involving composites. The web site looks like it is satisfying that need."

News from 2006

Zoltek's Q4 loss widens as sales jump 60%

December 15, 2006 - Zoltek Cos. Inc. reported that its fourth-quarter loss widened to $22.9 million on litigation charges, compared to a $11.1 million loss in last year's quarter. For the quarter ended Sept. 30, Zoltek said its net sales jumped 60 percent to $23.8 million from $14.9 million in the fourth quarter last year.

In the fourth quarter, Zoltek said it accrued $23.1 million in contingent litigation charges arising from a lawsuit that the company is contesting. Late last month, a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis awarded $36 million to Structural Polymer Group Ltd. in a breach of contract suit against Zoltek. Zoltek said at the time it will challenge the verdict. The company said Thursday it will delay filing its annual report for fiscal year 2006, due to preparations for an appeal bond related to the suit.

Zoltek's fiscal year 2006 loss grew to $65.8 million from a loss of $40.4 million last year. The company said its net sales jumped nearly 67 percent to $92.4 million from $55.4 million in fiscal 2005. Zoltek expects efficiency improvements made to date in fiscal 2007 will result in net sales of more than $30 million for fiscal 2007 first quarter ending Dec. 31.

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FIBERFORGE SELECTED AS ONE OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S TECHNOLOGY PIONEERS FOR 2007

Glenwood Springs, Colorado: 4 December 2006 – The World Economic Forum today announced 47 Technology Pioneers for 2007. Fiberforge has been selected as one of these Technology Pioneers. The Technology Pioneers were nominated by the world’s leading venture capital and technology companies. The final selection from 225 nominees was made by a panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum. Technology Pioneers 2007 are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland from 24-28 January 2007.

Fiberforge is a technology company commercializing a breakthrough manufacturing system that enables the affordable production of lightweight advanced-composite structures in high volumes. This proprietary system—protected with patents and trade secrets—produces parts with high fiber alignment, high fiber fraction, and long fiber length at high speed with low scrap. Fiberforge’s technology and its tailored blanks are protected by US patents #6,607,626 and 6,939,423. More information can be obtained from www.fiberforge.com.

Fiberforge’s President & CEO, Dr. Jon Fox-Rubin says of the announcement “We are pleased to be recognized as a leader in bringing advanced materials, such as carbon fiber composites with 5 times the strength-to-weight ratio of metals, to broader markets including medical, automotive, consumer, defense, industrial, and aerospace. By lowering the processing cost of these materials, Fiberforge is helping leveraging the next industrial revolution on its path to sustainability with lighter weight and more fuel efficient products that are fully recyclable.”

Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and health, and information technology. This year’s class of companies has been selected not only because of the cutting-edge work undertaken by these organizations, but also because their work has potential long-term impact on business and society.

The companies’ products include microscopic pill cameras, lightweight aircraft seats, high performance skateboards, bio sensors that localize landmines, implantable medical devices for the treatment of brain tumours, mobile television service, blog search engines, open source webrowsers, video headsets, thin-film diamond coatings, solar air-conditioner equipment, paper batteries for music-playing greeting cards, and even an automatic and compacting trash bin powered by solar energy.

Over half (27) of the Technology Pioneers 2007 are US-based companies, with 13 located in California. The United Kingdom boasts six Technology Pioneers 2007; the Netherlands, India, Israel and Singapore boast two each; Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland have one each.

“The competition to become a Technology Pioneer has been more intense than ever. It is evident that technology and innovation is playing a key role in the shifting power equation at a global level. Driving this shift is the tremendous amount of innovation taking place outside of traditionally hubs. The wide geographic spread of this year’s Technology Pioneers is a testament to this trend. We are pleased to welcome these exciting companies to our Community of Technology Pioneers, and look forward to engaging these industry leaders of the future into the community of the World Economic Forum”, said Peter Torreele, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven. Previous Technology Pioneers have included Autonomy, Cambridge Silicon Radio, Encore Software, Google, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Napster.

Go to www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2007 for the entire list of Technology Pioneers and interviews with the CEOs of the selected companies.

The selection criteria include:

1. Innovation. The company’s technology must be truly innovative. A new version or repackaging of an already well-accepted technological solution does not qualify as an innovation. The innovation should be recent – not more than two years old. The company should invest significantly in R&D.
2. Potential Impact. This company’s technology must have the potential to have a substantial long-term impact on business and society in the future.
3. Growth and Sustainability. The company should have all the signs of being a long-term market leader and should have well-formulated plans for future development and growth.
4. Proof of Concept. The company must have a product on the market or have proven practical applications of the technology. Companies in “stealth” mode and companies with untested ideas or models will not qualify.
5. Leadership. The company must have visionary leadership that plays a critical role in driving the company towards reaching its goals.
6. Status. The company must not currently be a Member of the World Economic Forum. This criterion applies to the parent company – thus wholly-owned subsidiaries of large firms are not eligible.

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Global Pultrusion Conference — Baltimore, MD, USA — 7-8 June 2007

“COMPOSITE PROFILES - SAVE ENERGY” - Coinciding with SAMPE 2007- Click here for the Pre-announcement & Call for Papers (in pdf format 1.5 MB)

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Composites eNews Editor Steve Loud Dies

La Jolla, California, USA, July 26, 2006 — Composites industry chronicler and advanced materials advocate Steve Loud, 65, of Solana Beach, Calif., died July 21, in Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla. The cause of his death was the acute and incurable form of lung disease known as usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP), which doctors diagnosed in early July, according to his wife, Susan.

Steve was born Stewart Loud in Detroit, Mich., Sept. 13, 1940. After he graduated from the University of Michigan with a business major, he spent more than 40 years in the polymer matrix composites industry, including 17 years in a variety of management and marketing positions with Owens Corning of Toledo, Ohio.

He and Susan lived in Solana Beach, Calif., for 24 years. In 1993, they established a business based on his knowledge of the industry, its issues and its players. Composites Worldwide Inc. and its Composites News International division published newsletters including the print Advanced Materials & Composites News and the online Composites eNews. Also, Steve provided consulting services and dispensed industry intelligence through seminars and other forums.

The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering of Covina, Calif., recognized Steve as a SAMPE fellow in 2002. It is no exaggeration to say he was widely respected and admired throughout the industry.

No services are planned. Messages of condolence may be sent to: condolences@compositesnews.com

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Owens Corning & Saint-Gobain Announce Intent to Merge Reinforcements Businesses

TOLEDO, Ohio and PARIS, July 27 -- Owens Corning and Saint-Gobain jointly announced today that they are in discussions to merge Owens Corning's Reinforcements Business and Saint-Gobain's Reinforcement and Composites Businesses (a part of the entity known as Vetrotex) into a new company, to be called Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements. The partnership of these two businesses would establish a global company in reinforcements and composite fabrics products, with worldwide revenues of approximately $1.8 billion (EUR1.5 billion) and 10,000 employees. The new company would have operations across Europe, North and South America, and Asia, including the following key emerging markets: China, India, Russia, Mexico and Brazil.

Saint-Gobain's Textile Solutions business, serving mainly construction markets, will remain part of Saint-Gobain's High Performance Materials Sector. Owens Corning's Veil Technologies and Fabwel businesses will remain part of the Owens Corning Composite Solutions Business.

A Customer Focused Enterprise

Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements would bring together two pioneers in the reinforcements and composite fabrics industry, each with long histories of product innovation and customer focus.

Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements would provide outstanding service to its customers as a result of improved geographic scale, an expanded product base and combined technological expertise. The new company would better serve both regional and global customer needs by taking advantage of new world-class technologies and innovative products, and improved logistics, productivity and supply efficiency. The new company and its customers would also benefit from access to greater financial and human resources.

The new company would have a strengthened presence in both developed and emerging markets. This broad geographic presence would lead to more security of supply and reduced shipping time for current and future customers. Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements would participate more effectively in today's increasingly competitive marketplace.

"This is an exciting opportunity for Owens Corning, our customers and our employees," said Dave Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of Owens Corning. "It demonstrates our commitment to the composites business and our customers on every continent. We plan to combine the best of both companies, grow with our customers, and deliver strong operating results."

The Saint-Gobain Group President, Jean-Louis Beffa said: "the combined company is an excellent project. It would enable us to better serve our customers and ensure a promising future for our Reinforcement and Composites business and its employees."

Structure and Financial Impact

While the parties have not yet reached a definitive agreement, it is anticipated that the transaction would be structured as a joint venture, with Owens Corning owning a 60 percent equity interest and Saint-Gobain owning the remaining 40 percent. After a minimum of four years, the joint venture provisions would give an option to Saint-Gobain to sell its 40 percent stake to Owens Corning, and Owens Corning to buy the same.

On a pro forma basis, the new company would have approximately $1.8 billion (EUR1.5 billion) in annual revenues. The Owens Corning-Saint-Gobain joint venture would present significant opportunities for synergies. These are expected to come primarily from scale benefits in purchasing and procurement; operational and technological plant improvements; improved distribution costs; reduced administrative costs; and asset management optimization.

The transaction is expected to close by early 2007 and is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive transaction documents, Board of Directors approval by the parent companies, and regulatory and antitrust approvals.

Leadership and Operations

Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements would be headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, and would maintain leadership offices in key locations around the world. The Board of Directors for the new company would be comprised of three representatives from Owens Corning and two from Saint-Gobain. The Chief Executive Officer of Owens Corning-Vetrotex Reinforcements would be Chuck Dana, currently President of Owens Corning's Composite Solutions Business. The new organization would be managed by an executive management team comprised of key leaders from Owens Corning and Vetrotex.

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning is a world leader in building materials systems and composite solutions. A Fortune 500 company for more than 50 years, Owens Corning people redefine what is possible each day to deliver high-quality products and services ranging from insulation, roofing, siding and manufactured stone veneer, to glass composite materials used in transportation, electronic, telecommunications and other high-performance applications. Since the company's founding in 1938, Owens Corning has become a market-leading innovator of glass fiber technology with sales of $6.3 billion in 2005 and 20,000 employees in 26 countries. Additional information is available at www.owenscorning.com.

About Saint-Gobain

Saint-Gobain Group specializes in the design, production and distribution of functional materials for the construction, industrial and consumer markets. The Group is organized into five business sectors: Flat Glass, Packaging, Construction Products, Building Materials Distribution, and High-Performance Materials.

Established in more than 50 countries, Saint-Gobain is the market leader in each of its core businesses. In 2005, it achieved more than EUR35 billion sales with around 200,000 employees.

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DXL Ski and Snowboard Helmet wins IDEA Galleries 2006 Gold Award

Pulsium Engineering and fuseproject design winning helmet.

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Zoltek Reports Continued Strong Growth in First Quarter

Feb. 9, 2006

Zoltek Companies, Inc. today reported continued strong growth in the first quarter of its 2006 fiscal year, combined with improved operating results. For the quarter ended December 31, 2005, Zoltek's net sales increased 36.6% to $16.7 million from $12.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2005. Zoltek reported an operating loss from continuing operations of $880,000, including approximately $460,000 in Sarbanes-Oxley compliance charges, compared with a $1.4 million operating loss in the comparable period in fiscal year 2005.

"We are pleased to report that the increased sales and improved financial performance are largely due to the performance of the Abilene plant after we made the necessary management changes that we previously reported," Zsolt Rumy, Zoltek's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said. "Our sales are still constrained by our carbon fibers capacity utilization, which will continue to improve during subsequent quarters. We are also adding substantial new capacity during the remainder of this fiscal year and beyond.

"We are especially pleased to report that in the quarter ending December 31, 2005 the Carbon Fiber Business Unit's operating profit was $413,000 compared with a $1.6 million loss in the comparable period in fiscal year 2005," added Rumy. "And perhaps our most significant achievement is that in the month of December, Zoltek's operating profit was approximately $400,000 on $6.2 million sales. We believe this is representative of our expectations for improving our financial performance during the remainder of fiscal 2006."

Rumy suggested that shareholders should continue to focus on the Company's operating income (loss) line rather than its net income (loss) line, which is more representative of the Company's operating performance. Beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2005, Zoltek adopted an accounting method that treats much of the Company's debt as derivatives. As a result, the Company's reported net results have been, and for the foreseeable future will continue to be, subject to wide swings related to the Company's stock price, which have a much greater effect than the impact of results from operations on net income (loss). Rumy noted, for example, that the outsized change in reported net results from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005 to the first quarter of fiscal 2006 -- in going from a net loss of $11.1 million to net income of $6.3 million -- "did not reflect underlying business fundamentals." However, Rumy said, the change from an operating loss in the quarter for the Carbon Fibers Business Unit or for the entire Company in the month of December to an operating profit "is real and is important."

More Information...

News from 2005

WITI (Women in Technology International) Inducts Hall of Fame Members

Nov. 14, 2005— WITI (Women in Technology International), the nation's leading professional organization for tech-savvy women, is proud to announce the selection of six new inductees to its annual WITI Hall of Fame. Considered the most prestigious award honoring women in science and technology, this year's inductees come from diverse backgrounds and serve as leaders for a variety of organizations and were chosen for their innovative work in their respective industries.

The 2005 inductees are:

• Barbara Bauer, vice president software engineering and development, Sun Microsystems, is known for spearheading several advanced projects that have redefined technology roadmaps, while also volunteering to serve as president for Girl's Count, a non-profit Colorado-based coalition formed to promote mathematical, science and technology education among girl students.
• Sonja Bernhardt, chief executive officer, Thoughtware Australia, a champion of IT within her home country and is the innovator behind results achieving women in science and technology groups across Australia which lead wide-scale programs that create professional and academic development opportunities, thus helping thousands of school students and hundreds of professionals within Australia's IT industry.
• Sandra E. Burke, Ph.D, director of Cardiovascular Systems Research at Abbott who is being honored for her research into drug-coated intravascular stents for the treatment of restenosis (the re-narrowing of arteries) -- a cardiovascular device that promises a significant improvement for surgical procedures to heart patients. She is also actively involved in the company's networking groups Women Leaders in Action and Black Business Network.
• Melendy Lovett, president, Texas Instruments Educational & Productivity Solutions, the first woman in that company's history to be named business President, and founder of the Women of Texas Instruments Fund, an organization that champions math, science and technology education opportunities for young women.
• Amparo Moraleda Martinez, IBM general manager, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Israel and Turkey, who has been voted "The Most Valued Executive Woman" in Spain and among the top IT business leaders in EMEA.
• Neerja Raman, director, Imaging Systems Lab, HP Labs, HP, where she leads her team in creating the strategic vision and technology for the company's innovative imaging and printing products and services.

"As Hall of Fame inductees, these women are the role models and sources of inspiration for the next generation of women interested in pursuing careers in science and technology," said Carolyn Leighton, CEO, chairwoman and founder of WITI. "All Hall of Fame winners are selected by an independent panel of judges for their contributions in these fields, as well as their commitment to support and mentor other women."

This year's Hall of Fame also underscore the "international" in WITI. The extraordinary line-up of winners for the 10th Anniversary celebration includes women from Spain and Australia who will join an illustrious group of former winners including Chieko Asakawa, IBM Research, who has developed technologies for the blind and visually impaired; Stephanie Kwolek, who developed the technology behind Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests and the ENIAC programming team, the groundbreaking, six woman team appointed by the U.S. Army during World War II to program the first all-electronic digital computer.

WITI, a global organization dedicated to empowering women through technology, founded the Hall of Fame through its Women in Technology Foundation, a non-profit organization that annually co-hosts the event as a fundraiser, not just to recognize these innovative women, but to encourage young girls and women to become technology literate and pursue careers in these fields. For more information, visit www.witi.com/center/witimuseum/halloffame.

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Transformational Space Corp. (t/Space) and Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites successfully drop-test dummy boosters over the Mojave desert.

RESTON, VA (June 14, 2005) -- Three weeks of flight tests over the Mojave desert have demonstrated a breakthrough in how to safely launch future passenger-carrying rockets using a carrier aircraft.

Transformational Space Corp. (t/Space) and Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites drop-tested dummy boosters from an aircraft using a technique that caused them to rotate towards vertical without requiring wings. This allows an aft-crossing trajectory in which the rocket crosses behind the aircraft, greatly enhancing safety. Previous air-launched rockets such as the X-15, Pegasus and SpaceShipOne crossed in front of the carrier aircraft using wings to turn themselves from horizontal flight to the vertical position needed to achieve orbit. In addition to greatly enhancing safety, eliminating the weight of wings increase the payload the rocket can take to orbit. The innovation developed by t/Space is a special mechanism that holds on to the nose of the booster for about a half-second after the center of the rocket is released. This slight tug on the nose starts the booster rotating as it drops. A small parachute on the rocket's nozzle ensures the rotation happens slowly. The dummy booster dropped today was the third and final in the t/Space program, with previous drops on May 24 and June 7. All test articles dropped were inert -- two steel tanks welded together with a Fiberglas nose and nozzle. They were 23% of the size of the actual rockets to be developed for sending a four-person capsule into orbit. Since they had no engines, each eventually crashed onto the dry Cuddeback Lake, about 35 miles northeast of Mojave, CA. The wreckage was collected and removed.

t/Space is one of eight companies funded by NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate to develop concepts for the agency's Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that will take over non-cargo duties from the Space Shuttle. NASA agreed to let t/Space use some of its $3 million second-phase study money to build and test hardware in addition to conducting analytical studies. The successful drop test program shows that small companies using rapid prototyping can deliver new hardware very rapidly.

"We went from brainstorm to booster drop in just 135 days," said David Gump, president of t/Space. "Program manager Marti Sarigul-Klijn proved that his computer simulations were dead-on correct each time the aircraft dropped the dummy booster."

Bob Morgan managed the Scaled Composites side of the test program that demonstrated the new air launch method, called Trapeze-Lanyard Air Drop (t/LAD) launch. This approach greatly improves simplicity, safety, cost, and reliability of launching personnel into low Earth orbit.

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SP and Ashland Sign Distribution Agreement

May 27, 2005

A distribution agreement has been announced between composites supplier SP and Ashland Distribution. As the SP Group continues to gain sales momentum in the US, this is a significant step forward for the company who will now be able to access an even broader spread of customers in the region.

The agreement, which is effective immediately, grants Ashland distribution rights across North America for the entire SP range of products. This includes the company’s flagship structural foam Corecell™ as well as heavyweight structural prepregs, formulated epoxy resin and structural design services.

It has already been a successful year for SP’s North American operation. Thanks to the completion of an ambitious expansion programme at the Magog site, the company has tripled Corecell™ production. As a result Don Belock, Ashland Distribution Director of Source Management (Composites), is looking forward to being able to offer innovative products in a customer orientated manner with flexible delivery capability.

"Ashland and SP North America (formerly ATC Chemicals Inc.) have enjoyed a long affiliation in Canada and we are delighted this relationship has now been extended", remarked Jean-Pierre Mouligne, SP North America’s Sales Manager.

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JEC COMPOSITES SHOW 2005: AN UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS

Paris, April 12, 2005

The 2005 presentation of the JEC Composites Show experienced a 12% increase in the number of visitors. This year, 25,600 visitors attended the show, compared to 22,500 in 2004. One out of two visitors was a user and came from abroad.

The exhibition surface was increased by 20% with a total surface area of 35,500 m2 compared to 29,000 in 2004. The Group JEC created new facilities such as larger alleys, several business platforms, two cybercafes allowing better comfort, easy connections and numerous meetings.

More than 900 exhibitor companies were accommodated with 101 newcomers recruited by the JEC Group on all continents.

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Reichhold Announces Price Increase for Unsaturated Polyester Resins Sold in US and Canada; $ 0.05 per Pound Effective April 22

March 24, 2005

Reichhold announced a price increase today of $ 0.05 per pound on all unsaturated polyester resins sold in the United States and Canada, effective for orders shipped on or after April 22. This is in addition to the increase which took effect March 21.

"Suppliers who depend on petroleum-based raw materials are continuing to see monthly cost increases," said Bill Schramm, North American business director for Reichhold's composites business. "As a starting point, the price of crude oil has reached record levels ranging from $ 52 - $ 55 per barrel or more. Crude oil is currently trading at prices 45% - 50% higher than a year ago.

"In turn, the price of crude is continuing to drive up the cost of raw materials such as styrene, glycols and maleic anhydride," Schramm continued. "Rising costs on all fronts, including transportation, make it imperative that Reichhold recoup a portion of the costs we have absorbed through higher raw material prices."

"Reichhold continues to optimize our products in order to provide our customers with the best performance, quality and system costs in the composites industry," Schramm said. "We thank our customers for their understanding of this situation and will continue to do everything we can to meet their needs, both today and in the future."

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Scaled Composites expanding operations

March 11, 2005

The Mojave-based aerospace company that designed and built SpaceShipOne, the private manned spacecraft that won the $10 million Ansari X-Prize last year, is expanding its operations.

Scaled Composites, based at Mojave Airport, has announced plans to buy a 65,000-square-foot building there.

The company will use the additional space to build a larger ship intended to deliver tourists to space, said Kevin Mickey, a vice president at Scaled Composites.

SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned rocket to fly into space, carried only a pilot on its three trips last year. The ship is capable of seating three. The company is now finalizing designs on a larger vehicle that can seat up to nine people, Mickey said.

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Satellite Launch

Feb. 28, 2005

Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) rocket motors and composites technology supported the successful launch of a Japanese H-IIA vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. The launch vehicle placed into orbit the Multi-functional Transport Satellite-1 Replacement (MTSAT-1R). The satellite will help ensure flight safety over the Asia/Pacific region, including Japan - U.S. air routes, and improve weather forecasting.

ATK developed and produced the two solid strap-on boosters flown on this configuration of the H-IIA. The booster is an adaptation of ATK's CASTOR(R) IVA-XL, which flew on the H-IIA for the first time in 2002. The boosters ignite approximately 46 seconds into the flight and burn for one minute. ATK also supplied the composite materials and technology used to manufacture cases for the two SRB-A rocket motors used on the launch vehicle.

ATK is a $2.4 billion advanced weapon and space systems company employing approximately 14,000 people in 23 states.

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New £12 million Materials Center in Filton, UK

Tuesday 15 February 2005 - Filton, UK

The first phase of a new £12 million hi-tech research centre that will lead the way for greater use of 'composite materials' was today opened by British Industry Minister Jacqui Smith.

The new composite structures development centre based at Airbus UK Filton, is the first of several regional centres to open and will concentrate on composites for the aerospace and marine sectors.

Over the next five years the centre will undertake more than £100 million worth of research and development into composites and will employ around 100 engineers.

Jacqui Smith said:

"Composite materials are vital to industry because they have the ability to produce lightweight and stronger materials that have environmental benefits for UK manufacturing across the whole of industry. That is why I am delighted that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and South West Development Agency (SWRDA) have contributed to this fantastic new centre.

"Partnership with industry is critical to keep UK manufacturing at the forefront of technological development and show the rest of the world that we can and will be competitive in the 21st century.

"We have some of the best manufacturers in the world and the aerospace industry is one of the most successful sectors in the UK economy. It currently employs well over 100,000 people and has a turnover of almost £20 billion."

Based at Airbus UK, the centre will also see collaborative work with other industry sectors such as automotive, marine and healthcare and will act as the 'hub' of a regional alliance of companies, universities and colleges who will offer a world-class capability in the field of composite technology.

The demand and use of composites is predicted to grow rapidly in the coming years and is expected to replace metal across a wide variety of industries.

The composite centre in Filton will form part of the National Composites Network which is a new and unique £30m Knowledge Transfer Network jointly funded by government and industry that will embrace the entire composites processing and using industry sectors in the UK.

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Hexcel Announces Carbon Fiber Expansion Program

Feb. 10, 2005 - Stamford, Conn.

Hexcel Corporation (NYSE/PCX: HXL) today announced that it will expand its carbon fiber production capacity through the addition of both a new carbon fiber line and a new precursor line. The expansion will be completed within three years, increasing Hexcel's carbon fiber production capacity by about 40%. In the near term, Hexcel is increasing the output of its existing carbon operations through incremental capacity improvements.

Commenting on the expansion investment, Mr. David E. Berges, Hexcel's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President said, "We are excited by the accelerating demand for carbon fiber composites. Market growth and the increasing penetration of these materials, particularly in commercial aerospace and wind turbine markets, bodes well for Hexcel's prospects. As a world leader in advanced structural materials, Hexcel is committed to supporting this growth through product development and capacity expansion. The expansion will cost about $80 million with most of the cost incurred in 2006 and 2007."

Hexcel Corporation is a leading advanced structural materials company. It develops, manufactures and markets lightweight, high-performance reinforcement products, composite materials and composite structures for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, electronics, and industrial applications.

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Zoltek Reports First Quarter Results

Feb. 9, 2005 - St. Louis, Missouri

Zoltek Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZOLT) today reported significantly increased revenues and improved results from continuing operations for the quarter ended December 31, 2004.

For the quarter, Zoltek reported net sales from continuing operations of $13.5 million, up 65% or $5.4 million, from $8.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. Sales of the carbon fiber business unit increased 170%, or $7.1 million, from $2.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. For the quarter, Zoltek reported an operating loss from continuing operations of $1.5 million, compared to the loss of $2.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004, even as operating expenses were negatively impacted by the costs of starting up the carbon fiber production lines at the Abilene, Texas facility and expanding precursor capacity at the Hungary facility. Zoltek reported a net loss for the quarter of $3.4 million, compared to a net loss of $3.7 million in the prior fiscal year's first quarter. The current quarter loss reflected a $400,000 loss from discontinued operations and a non-cash expense of $900,000 from the amortization of warrants and beneficial conversion feature of debt issued in refinancing transactions, whereas the corresponding charge in the first quarter of fiscal 2004 was $63,000.

"Based on our backlog of orders from customers in wind energy and other fields, we expect carbon fiber sales to continue to increase throughout 2005 and into 2006 as we bring on the capacity increases," said Zsolt Rumy, Zoltek's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our challenge now is to increase production to meet demand and to return the company to profitable operations by year end. Given the growth in the order book, we now have significant opportunities to achieve economies of scale and to make further gains in efficiency and throughput."

Zoltek announced today the completion of a $20 million financing package, the proceeds of which will be used to fund capital expenditures for the previously announced carbon fiber and precursor expansion projects and working capital to support anticipated growth. In addition, $6 million of the proceeds will be used to repay high-cost mortgage debt. The holders of previously issued convertible debt are converting approximately $10 million principal amount of debt into shares of Zoltek common stock. The result of the financing transaction will be to significantly improve the Company's liquidity, without significantly increasing the interest expense.

Zoltek Companies, Inc. will host a conference call to review first quarter 2005 results and answer questions on Wednesday, February 16, 2005, at 10:00 am CT. The conference dial-in number is (913) 981-5539. The confirmation code is 7674130. Individuals who wish to participate should dial in five minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Zoltek's annual meeting, open to all interested parties, will be held at the Sheraton Westport Chalet on February 22, 2005 at 10:00 am CT. The 2004 annual report - providing an in-depth update on Zoltek's prospects and progress - is also available upon request.

SGL Carbon and Mitsubishi Rayon agree on co-operation in Carbon fiber

Wiesbaden, January 31, 2005

SGL Carbon and Mitsubishi Rayon Corp. of Tokyo Japan (MRC) have agreed on a strategic co-operation in carbon fiber. Having recently signed respective long-term contracts, SGL will receive certain technologies, special raw material and support from MRC. This will assist SGL to produce a highly improved Carbon fiber in its plant in Inverness/Scotland.

The unique performance potential of this new carbon fiber has already been proven in pilot plants at SGL and MRC. It combines the performance and high quality of regular small-tow carbon fiber with the efficient production capacities SGL has developed in its plant in Inverness. The new fiber will allow SGL to develop and capitalize on new applications including automotive, wind energy, infrastructure and concrete reinforcement applications, from 2006 onwards.

As part of the strategic alliance in technical and raw material areas MRC will receive in return up to 750 tons of this new carbon fiber from SGL under a long term supply agreement starting from Q1 2006 following further own investments of MRC. Both sides are viewing the co-operation on the development and production of the new carbon fiber as a first step together, and have expectations to further build the partnership. The strategic co-operation strengthens SGL Carbon’s global competitive position in the carbon fiber market especially for high quality products, in terms of technology, raw material and capacity utilization. Furthermore SGL Technologies’ own downstream business in prepreg- composite- and carbon/ceramic-materials (e.g. brake discs) will benefit from the new carbon fiber quality.

SGL’s Carbon Fibre business includes a 100 % owned modern facility of approx. 5000 tons capacity for oxidized and carbon fiber in Inverness, Scotland as well as a 50 % participation in Carbon Fiber Technology LLC (CFT), a Joint venture with Aldila Inc. San Diego/California with further 1000 tons carbon fiber capacity in Evanston, Wyoming, USA. Both plants were built up in recent years, and include state of the art large capacity production lines. In total SGL’s Carbon Fiber business has a turnover of approx. €m 35 million at present and is expected to grow in double digits over the next several years.

The agreement and cooperation with Mitsubishi, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon fibers and especially of the carbon fiber raw material Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), represents a major stretegic step change in SGL’s worldwide carbon fiber business.

Ameron Reports Record Sales in 2004

Pasadena, Calif.- Jan. 27, 2005

Ameron International Corporation (NYSE:AMN) reported record sales from consolidated operations in the fiscal year ended November 30, 2004 of $605.9 million, compared to $600.5 million in 2003. In addition to record sales from consolidated operations, Ameron's primary joint ventures had sales of almost $280 million in 2004, compared to approximately $228 million in 2003.

"In spite of difficult market pressures, we are pleased with the performance of the Company's businesses and future prospects," commented James S. Marlen, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Core operations improved in the second half of the year, and normalized results were comparable in both the third and fourth quarters of 2004 and 2003, especially after taking into consideration increased LIFO reserves of $7.3 million in the last six months of 2004. A second-half operating improvement offset a portion of the shortfall of the first half of 2004, which was caused partly by labor disputes at the Water Transmission and Infrastructure Products Groups and the lack of income from ventures in Saudi Arabia. Both the Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group and TAMCO, Ameron's 50%-owned steel mini-mill, achieved record results in 2004."

Earnings in the fourth quarter of 2004 totaled $2.13 per share, compared to $1.47 per share in the same period in 2003. Fourth-quarter 2004 results included a pretax gain of $13.1 million on the sale of excess property previously used principally by the Company's Water Transmission Group and corporate-wide engineering services division, offset by a $5.3 million pretax increase in LIFO reserves due to sharply higher steel prices and inventory levels required for anticipated projects in 2005. Fourth-quarter sales increased from $166.9 million in 2003 to $170.3 million in 2004.

The Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group had an outstanding year in 2004 with higher sales and segment income than in 2003. Sales rose on the strength of Asian operations which serve the marine and offshore new construction markets, located in Korea, China and Japan. Sales into U.S. and European markets declined due to continued weakness in the industrial markets. Sales of oilfield piping were flat in 2004. Fourth-quarter 2004 sales declined while segment income increased, compared to the same period in 2003. A fourth-quarter increase of sales by Asian operations was more than offset by a decline of sales by U.S. and European operations. Profits increased in the fourth quarter despite lower sales due to an improved mix of higher-margin products. The Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group is expected to continue to perform well. The previously-announced plant expansion in Malaysia is proceeding on schedule. The new state-of-the-art production facility is forecasted to begin producing fiberglass pipe by the end of 2005.

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The Future of Thermoplastic Composites in Europe

A new, publicly-available study into the future of thermoplastic composites in Europe has just been published by the Coronet consortium – a European Commission funded network of 18 research and industrial partners spanning 9 European countries.

The aim of the study was to benchmark Europe’s current thermoplastic composites activities, forecast changes in thermoplastic composites activities and identify gaps in European research infrastructure against future requirements. The 3 complimentary reports are

• Competitive Benchmarking
• Foresight Activity
• Identification of Future Research Needs

This series of reports was written in 2004 by NetComposites as part of their role in the Coronet network, and have recently been made publicly available.

Huygens Probe Sends Pictures of Titan First Color View of Titan's Surface - January 15, 2005 This image was returned yesterday, January 14, 2005, by the European Space Agency's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. This is the colored view, following processing to add reflection spectra data, and gives a better indication of the actual color of the surface. The two rock-like objects just below the middle of the image are thought to be pebble-sized rocks or ice blocks. The surface is darker than originally expected, consisting of a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice. There is also evidence of erosion at the base of these objects, indicating possible fluvial activity. The image was taken with the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer, one of two NASA instruments on the probe. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. More information at this NASA JPL site.

Photo Credit: ESA/NASA/Univ. of Arizona

Fiberforge and Johnson Controls (JCI) develop the Genus Concept Seat

Glenwood Springs, Colorado - January 14, 2005 Fiberforge, Inc. announces its recent work with Johnson Controls (JCI) to develop the Genus Concept Seat, unveiled this week at the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS, also known as the Detroit Auto Show). The Genus Concept Seat design reflects the vision of the future evolution in automotive seating and offers leading-edge features and technologies like those developed by Fiberforge. Fiberforge supported JCI from a design for manufacturability (DFM) standpoint - making sure that the design of the Genus Seat could be made with the Fiberforge process. Fiberforge's patented composite manufacturing process combines automation, precision, speed, and scrap reduction to convert raw materials into low cost tailored blanks for composite thermoforming applications like those used for the structure of the Genus Seat Concept. Advanced composites were clearly an enabling technology for the Genus Seat, making its structure lighter, thinner, exposed, and cantilevered—all four are features that Automotive OEM seating customers are asking for. Fiberforge produced several prototype parts from tooling supplied by JCI to demonstrate the forming feasibility and weight reduction. These parts were produced in-house in Fiberforge’s 1-m x 1-m pilot cell. More information in this press release (.pdf format 1.5MB) from Fiberforge or this press release from JCI.

News from 2004

Zoltek Reports Strong Carbon Fiber Growth in 2004

St. Louis, Wednesday December 29, 7:02 pm ET

Zoltek Companies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZOLT) today reported a significant increase in revenues and improved results of continuing operations for fiscal 2004, accompanied by a sharply improved outlook in its core carbon fiber business.

For fiscal 2004, ended September 30, Zoltek reported net sales of $45.3 million, up 15%, or $5.9 million, from $39.4 million in fiscal 2003. Strategic carbon fiber sales increased 40%, or $5.2 million, from $13.2 million in fiscal 2003. Zoltek reported an operating loss from continuing operations of $5.5 million, a decrease from the loss of $9.4 million in fiscal 2004.

Despite significant improvement in the core carbon fiber business in fiscal 2004, Zoltek's net loss for the fiscal year increased 7%, or $1.1 million, due primarily to two factors. First, the increase in the loss of discontinued operations of $5.8 million for fiscal 2004 compared to a loss of $3.6 million in fiscal 2003 related to exiting non-core, underperforming businesses - the nylon fiber and acrylic textile divisions of its Hungarian subsidiary. Second, the company reported a non-cash expense of approximately $1.8 million to reflect the amortization of warrants issued as part of a refinancing package.

More at Yahoo Finance...

Related article "Drilling Down on Zoltek Companies" at Schaeffer's Investment Research

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Ashland to Buy Vinyl Ester Resin Business Thursday November 4, 1:10 pm ET Ashland Agrees to Buy Vinyl Ester Resin Business From Dow Chemical for $92M in Cash DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) -- Ashland Inc.'s composite polymers group on Thursday said it agreed to buy the Derakane epoxy vinyl ester resin business from Dow Chemical Co. for about $92 million in cash. The deal is expected to close in late 2004 or early 2005 and is conditional upon regulatory reviews. The transaction includes all technology assets associated with the Derakane business, but does not include any physical assets. Annual sales of Derakane resins, which are used in fiber-enforced plastic composites, total about $70 million. The composite polymers group is part of the company's Ashland Specialty Chemical unit. In afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Ashland shares rose 44 cents to $57.51, while Dow shares rose 58 cents to $46.47.

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	Quantum Ships First Fuel Cell Vehicle to U.S. Army
October 25, 2004 - Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., (Nasdaq: QTWW) and the U.S. Army TARDEC's NAC (Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center's National Automotive Center) unveiled a high performance, fuel cell off-road vehicle at the annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army in Washington, DC. The "Quantum AMV™" (Alternative Mobility Vehicle), nicknamed the "Aggressor," is a fuel cell vehicle designed and manufactured by Quantum at its California operations for the U.S. Army under contract with the NAC. This vehicle provides significant advantages to U.S. troops for high mobility in stealth operations. Features of the Quantum Aggressor include: Stealth mode: virtually silent operating mode with reduced thermal signature High-performance: far superior acceleration compared to similar diesel or gasoline-powered all-terrain vehicles Export power: on-board electric power generation to support communications, surveillance, targeting, and other electronic equipment The Quantum Aggressor runs on compressed hydrogen utilizing Quantum's proprietary Type IV impact resistant carbon fiber storage tanks. A 10 kW fuel cell is coupled with an energy storage module in a parallel hybrid configuration, which provides power on demand to a high-torque electric motor driving the rear-wheels. Preliminary tests have shown that the acceleration of the Quantum Aggressor is far superior to an unmodified gasoline internal combustion engine-powered all-terrain vehicle, reaching 40 miles per hour twice as fast. Ungoverned, the Quantum Aggressor is capable of reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour. Quantum's electronic control system imposes torque and speed limits on the drivetrain to enhance traction and safety. More ...

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	Gaoth Tec Signs Agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Cyclics to Cooperate in Development of Thermoplastic Composite Wind Turbine Blades
Galway, Ireland, October 12, 2004 - Gaoth Tec Teo has signed Cooperation Agreements with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Nagasaki, Japan) and with Cyclics Corporation (USA) to develop thermoplastic composite wind turbine blades for large scale wind power installations around the world. The blades will be made using Cyclics' CBT® resin and a variety of reinforcing additives. The use of CBT resin will allow improved manufacturing efficiencies and improved workplace safety through the elimination of hazardous epoxy resin components. Using a CBT resin system will provides the opportunity for the world's first recyclable wind power blade. The ability to re-use the 19 tonnes (42,000 pounds) of wind blade materials per average wind turbine at the end of its useful life is unprecedented in the industry. This development further improves the environmental benefits and sustainability of wind power as a viable energy option. Specific terms of the agreements were not disclosed. The initial phase of the project will be the development of a series of 12.6 metre (41 foot) wind turbine blades, made from a CBT resin composite, to be designed and manufactured at Gaoth Tec's manufacturing facility in Galway, Ireland for testing at a Mitsubishi facility in Nagasaki, Japan. The project is partly funded by a grant of €374,000 from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), and is co-financed by private investment raised with the assistance of Ernst and Young's Galway office. Gaoth Tec Teo ("Gaoth" is Irish for "wind") is a sister company of Irish Composites and Composites Testing Laboratory, also located in the Galway area of Ireland. All three companies receive support from the Irish government agency Údarás Na Gaeltachta.

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AWEA Calls for Wind Conference Abstracts
The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is now accepting abstracts for WINDPOWER 2005 Conference and Exhibition to be held in Denver, Colorado on May 15 - 18, 2005. Presenting a paper at WINDPOWER is a unique opportunity to be recognized as an important member of the wind energy community. WINDPOWER is the largest wind energy conference and exhibition in North America and draws over 3,600 industry leaders from across the country and abroad. The deadline for abstract submissions is October 11, 2004.

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July 24, 2004 — China has reported a favorable trade balance of over 59 million US dollars in fiberglass during the first half of this year, according to the latest custom report. It is the nation's first trade surplus in the material in more than a decade. China has become the second largest fiberglass producer worldwide with output rising by seven percent annually to reach the current level of 500,000 tons. More than 46 percent of the country's fiber glass was shipped to the United States, South Korea and Hong Kong.

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	First issue of the CWC Newsletter published (in pdf format).
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	SpaceShipOne Rocket Plane Climbs Above Earth's Atmosphere in First Private Space Flight MOJAVE, Calif. June 21, 2004 — The first privately funded manned rocket to touch the reaches of space took off from a Californian desert and flew into history. To the cheers and whoops of thousands who had trekked to the barren outpost for the dawn launch, SpaceShipOne completed a voyage expected to revolutionise the future of space travel. Its chief designer, aerospace engineer Burt Rutan, proselytizes that the successful voyage will initiate several beginnings: a new private space program, an affordable space tourism industry, even a new space age, where investment and attention will flow to risk-taking entrepreneurs. "Clearly there is an enormous hunger to fly in space and not just dream about it," Rutan said in a pre-flight press conference.
Michael Melvill, 62, who piloted SpaceShipOne on its journey of a little over an hour, reached sub-orbital space at 62 miles - high enough for the pilot to earn astronaut wings - before safely landing the stubby vessel, a winged rocket with multiple portholes and stars on its nose cone. But he only just made it, crossing the "frontier" of space by just 400ft. SpaceShipOne was designed by Rutan and his research team at the California-based aerospace company, Scaled Composites. Billionaire Paul Allen provided financing.

 

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