Archived General News - 2010

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

ACG Announces Sale of South African Subsidiary

ACG Demonstrates the Application of its Technologically Advanced Prepregs at JEC 2010

ACG’s Prepregs Investigated as a Storage Battery for Future Cars

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ACG Announces Sale of South African Subsidiary

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), part of Umeco Composite Structural Materials (UCSM) - a Division of Umeco plc, has agreed terms for the divestment of the business and assets of its South African based subsidiary, Advanced Composites Group SA (Pty) Limited (ACGSA) to AAT Composites (Pty) Limited.

The consideration payable for the business and assets is ZAR5.4 million (£0.5 million), subject to adjustment for working capital balances at completion.

ACG acquired ACGSA in June 2006, its principal business being the supply of composite parts supplied to McLaren Automotive for the McLaren Mercedes SLR super car. The programme has now come to an end and so the strategic rationale for retaining the business has diminished.

Completion of the divestment is expected to occur on or before 30 June 2010 and is subject to various conditions precedent being satisfied.

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766204
E-mail: jstowell@acg.co.uk

ACG’s Demonstrates the Application of its Technologically Advanced Prepregs at JEC 2010 - 15th March 2010

ACG will be co-exhibiting with Umeco’s structural and process materials companies, J.D. Lincoln, GRPMS, and Richmond Aerovac, on Stand No. T50 in Hall 1 at JEC 2010 between the 13th and 15th April. ACG will exhibit: Norton Motorcycle’s Limited Edition Commando 961SE motorbike and Zockra’s Rapide recumbent bicycle.

The Limited Edition Norton Commando 961SE motorbike, one of only two hundred to be made at the Donington Park Race Circuit near Derby – UK, signifies the return to British soil of Norton, a quintessentially classic British motorcycle brand name. The 961SE uses ACG’s lightweight carbon fibre prepreg materials for structural and cosmetic parts supplied by motorcycle parts designer and manufacturer, and respected ACG client, Blackstone Tek (BST) in South Africa. BST, already ACG material savvy, selected the Group’s medium temperature moulding prepreg materials, specifically MTM®58B and MTM®57, for the structurally critical, autoclave processed wheels. A number of cosmetic parts, particularly the front and rear huggers, chain guard and number plate holder, have been press moulded using ACG’s MTM57.

The Rapide, a recumbent bicycle intended for racing, long distance rides and ultra cycling, has been supplied by French bicycle manufacturer Zockra. The monocoque frame, front fork, semi-integrated headset/seat, handlebars, and some optional parts, are hand made using ACG’s variable temperature moulding Out-of-Autoclave (OoA), vacuum only processing VTM®264 carbon prepreg and Zockra’s low cost tooling. Zockra’s aim of minimal weight has been achieved for all components; the frame alone is exceptionally light and a complete bike can weigh less than 7.5 kg. Zockra selected ACG’s prepregs because of their incredible weight/stiffness ratio and the neutralizing effect that these characteristics have on the bending and torsion issues encountered in recumbent bike frames.

Images: Zockra bicycle © Stéphane Regnard and Norton Commando 961SE motorbike ©Norton Motorcycle (UK) Ltd.

For further information please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jstowell@acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

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ACG’s Prepregs Investigated as a Storage Battery for Future Cars - 16th February 2010

Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), part of the Composites Division of Umeco plc, is engaged in a €3.4 million project with scientists to develop a new composite material which could revolutionise car design and manufacturing.

Announced at the beginning of February 2010 by the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London, the project is aimed at developing cars which will be powered by their own bodywork. Researchers from Imperial College London and their European partners, including Volvo Car Corporation and ACG, are developing a prototype material which will be lightweight and strong enough to be used for car body parts and also discharge sufficient electrical energy to power a car. With assistance from ACG, they are also planning to investigate the most effective method for manufacturing the composite material at an industrial level.

Ultimately, they expect that this material could be used in hybrid petrol/electric vehicles to make them lighter, more compact and more energy efficient, enabling drivers to travel for longer distances before needing to recharge their cars.

For the first stage of the project, the scientists are planning to further develop ACG’s composite materials so that they can store more energy. The team will improve the material’s mechanical properties by growing carbon nanotubes on the surface of the carbon fibres. This should increase the surface area of the material, and also improve its capacity to store more energy.

The project co-ordinator, Dr Emile Greenhalgh, from the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London, says: “We are really excited about the potential of this new technology. We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof, its bonnet or even the door, thanks to our new composite material. Even the Sat Nav could be powered by its own casing. The future applications for this material don’t stop there – you might have a mobile phone that is as thin as a credit card because it no longer needs a bulky battery, or a laptop that can draw energy from its casing so it can run for a longer time without recharging. We’re at the first stage of this project and there is a long way to go, but we think our composite material shows real promise.”

The 3-year European Union funded project includes researchers from the Departments of Chemistry, Aeronautics and Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology at Imperial College London. In addition to ACG, European academic and industrial partners include Swerea SICOMP, INASCO Hella, Chalmers, Nanocyl, Volvo Car Corporation, Bundesanstalt Fur Materialforschung undprufung, ETC Battery and Fuel Cells Sweden.

Advanced Composites Group
Quentin Fontana – R&D Project Leader
E mail: qfontana @ acg.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1773 766200

Notes to Editors

About Imperial College London - Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality.

Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve health in the UK and globally, tackle climate change and develop clean and sustainable sources of energy.

Web site: www.imperial.ac.uk

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Other News	2009	2008	2007	Older
General