Archived General News - 2009

Editors - please refer to the Notes to Editors for background information on Umeco plc and its operating divisions.

Changes in ACG’s Representation in India

ACG Exhibits at Compotec 2009

ACG Exhibits at JEC Asia 2009

Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, Visits ACG

Advanced Composites Group Exhibits at the 2009 Paris Air Show

ACG Secures 3-Year Supply Agreement with Southern Spars

ACG Attains ISO / TS 16949 Automotive Market Accreditation Standard

Advanced Composites Group Exhibits at JEC 2009

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Technical Report - New Tooling Developments (March 2009)

Changes in ACG’s Representation in India - 11th November 2009

Following a thorough review of its arrangements for overseas representation and product distribution, ACG has taken the decision to terminate its agreement with S R International and with immediate effect to appoint the Bangalore-based company Mark-Tech to represent its full range of prepreg and associated materials throughout the Indian market, with the exception of the Indian space industry.

Mark-Tech has represented ACG’s range of phenolic resin impregnated materials in India for several years and this announcement extends Mark-Tech’s activities to now include all products manufactured at ACG’s two prepreg manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom.

ACG would ask all of its Indian customers to note the details of this announcement and in future to address all enquiries and/or requests for information or support to:

Suresh Bhat, Managing Director
Mark-Tech
#21/2, Dr. DVG Road,
Bangalore - 560004

Tel: +91 (0)80 26 67 58 87
Fax: +91 (0)80 26 61 03 46
E-mail: suresh@mark-tech.com
www.mark-tech.com

ACG wishes Suresh Bhat and Mark-Tech every success for the future.

ACG Exhibits at COMPOTEC 2009 - 13th October 2009

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG) and Richmond Aerovac, both part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, represented by ACG Italia and Aerovac Italia SRL respectively, will be exhibiting in Pavilion C at COMPOTEC 2009, which is being held at the CarraraFiere Exhibition Centre, Marina di Carrara, Italy between the 21st and 23rd October 2009.

ACG will demonstrate the Group’s capability across numerous market sectors, specifically Aerospace, Automotive, Marine, Motorsport, Defence, Alternate Energy, by exhibiting a range of technologically advanced product samples. ACG can be found in Pavilion C - Aisle 24, Lot 677.

Richmond Aerovac, which will be demonstrating a range of bagging consumables and reusable vacuum bagging systems, can be found on Lot 676.

The theme of the ACG stand will focus on the key markets that it serves, including:

• Marine: where ACG leads the way with its VTM®260 and MTM®57 Series prepreg systems, which are proven at the highest level of yacht racing.
• Motorsport: where the Group’s LTM®, MTM® and HTM® prepreg systems are proven at the highest level of Formula One racing.
• Sports & Leisure: where ACG materials can give the edge for improved performance in activities such as cycling, sailing, kayaks, racquet sports and fishing.
• Automotive: where vehicles from prototypes to super cars and proven, TS 16949 qualified materials are applied effectively across the automotive industry.
• Aerospace: where the Group’s MTM®44-1 and MTM®45-1 Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) structural prepreg resin systems have been developed and applied for primary and secondary structures on aircraft.

For further information please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Jon Stowell – Head of Marketing and Business Development
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766204
Web site: www.acg.co.uk

ACG Exhibits at JEC Asia 2009 - 7th October 2009

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), GRPMS, JD Lincoln and Richmond Aerovac, all part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, will be exhibiting on the Umeco Composites stand (D18 in Hall 6) at the JEC Asia 2009 show in Singapore from the 14th -16th October 2009.

ACG will exhibit a range of technologies and applications, the first of which will be composite mould tooling made from ACG Low Temperature Moulding (LTM®) tooling prepreg. The display features a CNC-machined master model manufactured from ACG TB720 syntactic tooling block, a carbon fibre reinforced mould tool made from ACG LTM®217 tooling prepreg and a finished component made from an ACG carbon fibre reinforced prepreg. This 3-piece display will provide a clear insight into the methods used for making mould tools for composite part production.

As part of the JEC Asia Innovations Showcase, sponsored by Umeco Composites (Official Partner), ACG will exhibit two panels manufactured from its carbon fibre-reinforced automotive Body Panel System (BPS240), which is used extensively by automotive manufacturers across the globe. One panel will demonstrate the surface finish quality of a BPS240 panel taken from the mould and the other, which will be in full painted and clear-coated livery, will demonstrate the final surface finish characteristics of this highly effective automotive body panel technology.

For further information please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Jon Stowell – Head of Marketing and Business Development – jstowell@acg.co.uk
Bernard Twist – Export Sales Manager – btwist@acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766204

Advanced Composites Group (ACG) - manufacturer of advanced composites materials and components. ACG specialises in the manufacture of high performance composite materials for a diverse range of industries such as motorsport, aerospace, marine, automotive, construction, wind energy and leisure sports. The main focus of the Group's business, which operates through four divisions, is the manufacture of prepregs for components and tooling. ACG has manufacturing operations in Heanor and Manchester in the UK, Tulsa in the USA and Cape Town in South Africa. The Group is managed from its head office in Heanor and employs around 650 worldwide.

GRPMS - with operations in the UK and Scandinavia, is the leading independent European distributor of polyester resin and glass fibre. GRPMS has built its reputation in the industry over the past 30 years, and has attracted the attention and recognition of leading manufacturers worldwide, wishing to establish a marketing and distribution channel in the UK.

J D Lincoln Inc - speciality materials and technology company that manufactures high performance adhesives and composite materials for aerospace, marine, medical, sporting, automotive and other extreme environment applications. JD Lincoln's products are technologically advanced including those designed specifically for aircraft interior applications. They are complementary to the other activities of Umeco Composites.

Richmond Aerovac - Aerovac Systems, with its subsidiaries across Europe, and Richmond Aircraft Products of the USA, are world-leading suppliers of vacuum bagging materials to the composite industry. Together, they supply a wide range of materials and technical support to a growing number of international customers.

They are part of the Process Materials group within Umeco Composites, which has recently acquired IPM, a leading manufacturer of vacuum bagging films for the composites industry and other markets. The acquisition of IPM provides Aerovac and Richmond with a secure supply of key process materials, with the opportunity to innovate and respond to the developing needs of their worldwide customers.

Following recent restructuring, Aerovac and Richmond now jointly market their range of products and services under the Richmond Aerovac brand name, reflecting their ability to meet the needs of global customers, regardless of where they develop their activities.

Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China,Visits ACG - June 2009

Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, recently welcomed Her Excellency (HE), Madame Fu Ying, the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, to its Derbyshire, UK facility.

HE Madam Fu Ying was accompanied by: Madam Jiang Fan, Minister-Counsellor for Trade; Mr Guo Zhong, First Secretary of the trade section Chinese Embassy; Sir Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI); Matthew Houlsby, personal secretary to Sir Andrew Cahn; Dr Bryan Jackson, Chairman, East Midlands Development Agency (emda); Peter Hogarth, International Trade Director, UKTI East Midlands; and Ms Claire Urry, Executive Director, China Britain Business Council.

During her visit on Friday 19th June 2009, HE Madam Fu Ying and her accompanying dignitaries met with some of the Directors and staff at ACG’s Technology Centre and adjacent composite materials manufacturing facility.

ACG was extremely honoured by Ambassador Fu's visit, which was part of a tour of companies across the East Midlands. ACG was identified by emda as a strategically important East Midlands company that has established trading links within China, and which continues to offer novel technology that is of interest in supporting the Republic’s growth in various industrial markets.

ACG was pleased to be able to introduce HE Madam Fu Ying to staff involved in a range of high profile technology projects.

In an interview with the Derby Evening Telegraph, Madam Fu Ying is reported to have said, "There is a perception in China that there is not a lot of manufacturing left in the UK, but this trip has helped dispel those myths and has been extremely useful.” Madam Fu Ying continued, “What the UK can offer China is that innovation and creativity that companies like Advanced Composites Group show. There are a lot of opportunities in China for British companies. The downturn has affected the whole world and countries working together is the way forward."
Madam Fu Ying’s visit was filmed by Central China TV and will be shown on national Chinese news to a potential audience of 1.3 billion. The filming included an interview, in Chinese, with Dr. Shuaijin Carreyette, one of ACG’s senior development chemists.

Ambassador Fu, who started her diplomatic career in 1978 as Attaché of the Chinese Embassy in Romania, has been the Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the UK since April 2007. Prior to that, Ambassador Fu was Chinese Ambassador to Australia; Director-General, Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador to the Philippines and Minister Counsellor, Embassy in Indonesia.

Image Caption: Ebby Shahidi, ACG Group Technical Director greets Her Excellency (HE) Madame Fu Ying.

Advanced Composites Group Exhibits at the 2009 Paris Air Show - June 2009

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, will be exhibiting on Pattonair's Stand E36 in Hall 5 at the Paris Air Show - Le Bourget, Paris, France, between the15th and 21st June 2009. Pattonair is Umeco plc's global distribution and supply chain management business.

Visitors are encouraged to review ACG’s aerospace pedigree by visiting the Group’s web site.

ACG will feature its industry-leading Out-of-Autoclave (OOA) technology for aerospace structures at the Show. The Group will display an integrally stiffened panel and a one-shot honeycomb panel, both manufactured using its Airbus qualified MTM®44-1 OOA material.

ACG will also be promoting two other OOA aerospace structural materials, namely MTM®45-1 and MTM®46, both of which have the largest available Public ‘B’ and ‘A’ basis databases generated via FAA accepted methodology at both lamina and laminate level.

ACG also manufactures a wide range of aircraft interior prepreg materials qualified to Airbus specifications. The Group’s prepreg range includes epoxy, phenolic, and bismaleimide (BMI) resin systems supplied in a number of different formats and fibre reinforcements, such as carbon, E, R and S glass.

For aircraft interior applications, the Group’s materials exhibit excellent fire performance characteristics that enable components meet mandatory regulations such as the Federal Aviation Authority’s FAR25.853 and Airbus ABD0031 directives.

From its prepreg manufacturing facilities in the UK and the USA, the Group services all markets by delivering bespoke products to short lead times, a service which is supported by a global network of dedicated sales and support agencies.

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Jon Stowell – Head of Marketing and Business Development. E-mail: jstowell@acg.co.uk
Xavier Gambert - Aerospace Sector Manager. E-mail: xgambert@acg.co.uk

ACG Secures 3-Year Supply Agreement with Southern Spars - 10th March 2009

ACG, part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, is proud to announce the signing of a 3-year supply agreement with Southern Spars, the world renowned manufacturer of award-winning carbon fibre spars.

With manufacturing facilities in New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, Southern Spars is the world leader in carbon spar design and engineering. Employing more than 300 staff worldwide, in an operation that spans the globe, Southern Spars has notched up an outstanding record of success in grand prix yacht racing, America’s Cup campaigns, Round the World races, Fastnet races, Sydney-Hobart races, Ton Cups, Olympic campaigns and World Championships. ACG is pleased to have been selected as Southern Spars’ supplier and enter into an agreement that represents a significant achievement for ACG in the competitive global marine industry.

ACG’s success in supplying prepregs into Formula One racing, the America’s Cup, and other prestigious Round the World racing campaigns, were significant factors in Southern Spars’ decision to select ACG as its preferred supplier. David Glen, Southern’s Group General Manager, noted that, “ACG’s commitment to the manufacture and supply of high quality prepregs, developed specifically for optimum mechanical performance and ease of processing, was a highly attractive proposition for Southern Spars.”

ACG’s celebrated range of structural resin systems and customer specific prepreg formatting, allied to the Group’s continued leading edge developments, will ensure Southern Spars maintain their position as the world’s principal spar manufacturer. ACG‘s close working relationship with leading carbon fibre manufacturers will ensure that the exacting standards Southern Spars demands for its structural materials are met in full and, working together, these companies will forge relationships that will bring about the development of new and innovative rigs for the future.

Bernard Twist, ACG’s Export Sales Manager, said, “It was clear from the outset that there was a very good fit between the capabilities of ACG, as a global prepreg supplier, and the objectives of Southern Spars, the world’s leading designer and supplier of carbon spars.”

Initial deliveries of prepregs have already been made and both ACG and Southern Spars now anticipate a busy period of close co-operation as manufacture of the first rigs made with ACG’s MTM® prepregs gets under way.

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ACG Attains ISO / TS 16949 Automotive Market Accreditation Standard - 4th March 2009

Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, a leading manufacturer of high quality, customised advanced composite carbon fibre materials to the road car, luxury sports car, aerospace and motorsport markets, has attained Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance approval for ISO / TS 16949.

ACG is the first carbon composite material supplier to qualify for TS 16949 and support the automotive industry’s drive to adopt lightweight, environmentally friendly technology.

This achievement paves the way to widening the Group’s existing scope of supply of advanced composites materials into the global automotive industry, underlining an existing strategy to introduce cost-effective solutions that deliver benefits to a wider audience.

Qualifying for TS 16949 has always been a prerequisite to ACG’s goal of supplying its materials into rapidly growing global automotive businesses and it is, therefore, with great pleasure that the Group can now publicly acknowledge that it has been rewarded for its continuous improvement activities at its Heanor, Derbyshire, UK facility.

This achievement follows considerable team effort and a growing enthusiasm for the benefits accrued in the use of the prescribed tools and techniques encompassed in the standard. Credit goes to all employees actively engaged on the improvements and the process modifications required to achieve certification.

The award enhances and underlines the Group’s commitment to delivering best practice support to the varied market sectors served. While ACG’s global operations are already accredited to ISO9001, the Group’s Heanor, Tulsa, and Manchester facilities are complemented by aerospace best practice accreditation to AS9100. The Group’s efforts to attain TS 16949 accreditation will continue with full proliferation across all sites.

The Group considers attainment of this standard as an opportunity to bring about major improvements within its composites market supply chain, as well as taking the company one step closer to reaching its goal in business excellence and becoming a world-class composites solutions provider, a vision that is etched into the Group’s global mission statement.

Advanced Composites Group Exhibits at JEC 2009 - 4th March 2009

Stand No. T50 in Hall 1 at JEC 2009 will bring together the total product offering of Umeco Composites Structural and Process Materials, including Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), J.D. Lincoln, GRP Material Supplies and Aerovac Richmond.

ACG, part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, will exhibit a range of technologies and applications.

The first will be ACG’s DForm™ Deformable Composite System (DCS) for tooling. Following extensive market testing, new custom-built processing equipment has now been installed at ACG’s Heanor manufacturing facility to further enhance the product and to accelerate productivity rates to satisfy anticipated market demand. This equipment will also facilitate further development of the concept for structural applications.

ACG will also exhibit its Out-Of-Autoclave (OOA) aerospace prepreg technology. Approved by Airbus in late 2008, this market leading technology is finding noteworthy acceptance around the globe. To demonstrate the application of this technology, ACG will display a wing box for the Dassault Falcon, manufactured as part of the ALCAS multi-partner programme.

To demonstrate its expertise in the ballistics arena, ACG will also exhibit a spall liner manufactured at Permali Gloucester Limited using a hot press moulding technique with ACG’s MTM82 Phenolic resin/S2-Glass® prepreg. The moulded shape provides improved interior coverage, thus increasing the protected area while reducing overall component weight. The materials and process are now used in full-scale production, and parts have been supplied for fitment to an in-service fleet of vehicles.

The centre-piece of the stand will be the Banshee drone, manufactured by Meggitt Composites, featuring prepreg from ACG throughout its construction.

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