Archived Marine Sector News - 2010

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

ACG VTM® Prepregs used by Hakes Marine for Grand Prix Racing Yacht Oystercatcher XXVIII

ACG Exhibits with Umeco Composites Partners at METS 2010

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Recertification of ACG’s VTM260 Series Prepregs

ACG’s High Modulus Prepregs Provide Improved Performance for F18 Class Catamarans

Other News	2011	2009	2008	2007	Older
Marine

ACG VTM® Prepregs used by Hakes Marine for Grand Prix Racing Yacht Oystercatcher XXVIII - 8th November 2010

Prepreg materials from ACG, part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) - a Division of Umeco plc, have been used by Hakes Marine Limited to build the new 54ft grand prix racing yacht Oystercatcher XXVIII designed by Tom Humphreys of Humphreys Yacht Design.

Launched in Wellington, New Zealand in mid-October, Oystercatcher XXVIII represents the second Humphreys-designed racing yacht for owner Richard Matthews.

The hull and deck of Oystercatcher XXVIII were constructed from ACG’s Lloyd’s Register of Shipping approved VTM®260 Series carbon prepregs direct from female moulds, a technique adopted by world-class designers and builders of ocean-going craft. This technique offers optimum surface finish and minimal material usage, thus delivering the race-winning performance demanded by yachts in this class. The hull utilises a foam-core to provide the requisite toughness for offshore racing while the deck and internal structures employ Nomex honeycomb cores to reduce the overall weight. Central to the design is a hydraulically operated lifting keel, which effectively reduces the draft from 3.65 to 2.5m.

The rig, supplied by Southern Spars, has been manufactured using ACG’s MTM®57 Series ultra-high modulus carbon fibre prepregs.

Oystercatcher XXVIII is heading off to compete in a gruelling race program encompassing Cowes Week, the Key West Race Week, Rolex Fastnet, the RORC Caribbean 600 and Ocean Races.

First launched in 2001, ACG’s VTM260 Series prepregs found immediate success in the America’s Cup. These prepregs have also come to the forefront in the gruelling Volvo Ocean Race, scoring two victories to date.

VTM260 Series prepreg, the first and only prepreg system to have received Lloyd’s Resister approval, is now widely accepted in the marine industry and is the prepreg of choice at the highest levels in yacht racing. ACG’s VTM260 Series offers low pressure, low temperature (from 65°C) processing options. Lloyd’s Resister approval was recently extended to include ACG’s new variant, VTM267, which has been optimised for resin film infusion, a process favoured for the heavier fabric reinforcements typically used in series production. Combined with a complementary range of surfacing and adhesive films, mouldable cores, 30-day workshop out life and polyester gel coat bonding capability, ACG’s VTM260 Series is proving to be an exceptionally versatile marine prepreg system.

Image: Credit Denette Wilkinson

- Ends -

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director – E-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
Dr. John Nixon - Technical Marketing Manager – E-mail: jnixon @ acg.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1773 766200
E-mail: sales @ acg.co.uk

Websites of other Umeco plc companies serving the marine sector:
• Richmond Aerovac: www.aerovac.com and www.richmondaircraft.com
• GRPMS: www.grpms.co.uk and www.tools4grp.com

Additional Notes to Editors

GRPMS - the recipient of Sunseeker International’s 2010 Supplier of the Year Award, specialises in the distribution of GRP materials to the reinforced plastics market. GRPMS sets the standard in its field by putting customers in touch with a wide range of quality products. GRPMS is committed to providing premium quality products and an efficient service, delivering the right products at the right price, on time . . . every time. This extensive product range can now be accessed through the GRPMS web shop at www.tools4grp.com.

Richmond Aerovac - has subsidiaries located in Europe and the US, is a world-leading supplier of vacuum bagging consumables and associated products to the composite industry. Richmond Aerovac has a unique understanding of the dynamic requirements of the industry, supplying vacuum bagging products principally for the defence, aerospace, wind energy, marine, motorsport and industrial sectors.

ACG Exhibits with Umeco Composites Partners at METS 2010 - 1st November 2010

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) - a Division of Umeco plc, will be exhibiting on Stand No: 11.632 at the METS 2010 marine show, which takes place in the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, The Netherlands between the 16th and 18th November.

Representatives from GRPMS, ACG’s UCSM sister company, and Richmond Aerovac, part of Umeco Composites Process Materials (UCPM), will also be present on the stand to promote the full package of structural and process options Umeco Composites offers to the marine industry.

ACG is a world leading manufacturer and supplier of carbon and glass reinforced prepreg materials into the marine industry. With over 30 years’ experience at the forefront of composites technology, and with manufacturing facilities in Europe and the United States, the Group offers an unparalleled custom resin formulation and prepreg formatting capability supported by its Technology Centre and Applied Technology teams.

GRPMS, the recipient of Sunseeker International’s 2010 Supplier of the Year Award, specialises in the distribution of GRP materials to the reinforced plastics market. GRPMS sets the standard in its field by putting customers in touch with a wide range of quality products. GRPMS is committed to providing premium quality products and an efficient service, delivering the right products at the right price, on time . . . every time. This extensive product range can now be accessed through the GRPMS web shop at www.tools4grp.com.

Richmond Aerovac, which has subsidiaries located in Europe and the US, is a world-leading supplier of vacuum bagging consumables and associated products to the composite industry. Richmond Aerovac has a unique understanding of the dynamic requirements of the industry supplying vacuum bagging products principally for the defence, aerospace, wind energy, marine, motorsport and industrial sectors.

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Dr. Jon Stowell - Sales and Marketing Director– E-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
Dr. John Nixon - Technical Marketing Manager – E-mail: jnixon @ acg.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1773 766200

Websites:
• Richmond Aerovac: www.aerovac.com
• Richmond Aircraft Products: www.richmondaircraft.com

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Recertification of ACG’s VTM260 Series Prepregs - 3rd June 2010

Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG), part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM), a Division of Umeco plc, recently achieved recertification of its VTM®260 Series prepregs from Lloyd’s Register of Shipping.

ACG’s VTM260 Series, the first and only prepreg system to have received Lloyd’s Resister approval, has been widely accepted in the marine industry and is now the product of choice at the highest levels in yacht racing. VTM260 Series offers an array of low pressure, low temperature (from 65°C) processing options and the approval has been extended to include a new variant, VTM267, which has been optimised for resin film infusion, a process favoured for heavier fabric reinforcements typically used in series production. Combined with a complementary range of surfacing and adhesive films, mouldable cores, 30-day workshop out life and polyester gel coat bonding capability, ACG’s VTM260 Series is proving to be an exceptionally versatile marine prepreg system.

First launched in 2001, VTM260 Series prepregs found immediate success in the America’s Cup and ACG can now count many more successful builds and cup victories. These prepregs have also come to the forefront in the gruelling Volvo Ocean Race, scoring two victories to date.

ACG’s VTM260 Series prepregs have also gained favour in the equally glamorous world of powerboat construction. Here, the aesthetic qualities of carbon fibre are often as desirable as its lightweight structural possibilities and, from patrol boats to racing dinghies, VTM260 Series prepregs are leading the way in performance marine composite construction.

The performance benefits that composite materials offer have long been recognised in the general marine market, where they have displaced traditional materials such as wood and aluminium. As owner expectations rise and the environmental and health and safety pressures build-up against general wet lay-up processing, the marine industry must adopt more advanced construction methods and materials. Low temperature prepregs, such as VTM267, which can be offered in rapid layup formats, are ideal for the construction of large format and series boats, where they offer a simplified and ‘low risk’ route to reduced cost and reproducible high performance.

ACG now considers Lloyd’s Approval as key to the even wider acceptance and growth of prepreg technology in the marine industry.

Image: Princess V70, courtesy of Princess International Yachts plc.

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Dr. John Nixon – Technical Marketing Manager
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
E-mail: hnicholson-cole @ acg.co.uk / jnixon @ acg.co.uk

ACG’s High Modulus Prepregs Provide Improved Performance for F18 Class Catamarans - 25th May 2010

Prepregs manufactured using a combination of medium temperature moulding epoxy resin and high modulus carbon fibre reinforcement from Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM), a Division of Umeco plc, are being used by Colchester-UK based Reverie Limited to produce a new range of autoclaved sports catamaran foils for the popular world F18 class, focusing initially on Hobie’s New ‘Wildcat’ and Nacra’s popular ‘Infusion’.

Simon Farren, MD of ReVerie comments: “Reverie’s foils are significantly stiffer and lighter than the OEM boards as they are made using high modulus fabrics and, importantly, from autoclaved prepregs rather than traditional foam cored, wet-laminated carbon/glass products. He continues: “Using the autoclaved process allows us to use a clever internal vacuum bagging technique to create hollow longitudinal carbon stringers within the narrow chord section of the foil. This prevents the skins buckling and vastly increases the bending resistance of the foil.”

ReVerie uses ACG’s MTM®28 epoxy resin system with a high modulus, unidirectional fabric near the surface at the maximum chord width section to gain optimum stiffness.

Top sailing teams select Reverie foils because of the weight saving and higher stiffness achieved. This increased stiffness results in enhanced hydrodynamic grip, which improves the transfer of combined sail and rig generated power thereby increasing speed.”

ACG MTM®28 prepreg is based on 120°C (248°F) curing toughened, epoxy matrix resin that has been developed for the manufacture of components requiring high damage tolerance. MTM®28 provides good adhesive properties and will bond to a honeycomb core without the need for an additional adhesive film. While ReVerie autoclaved its foils, MTM28 can also be processed via oven/vacuum bag or press moulding.

Main image copyright and courtesy of Ingrid Abery Photography. Foil images copyright and courtesy of Reverie Ltd.

For further information, please contact:

Advanced Composites Group
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Reverie Limited: www.reverie.ltd.uk

Go to Top

Other News	2011	2009	2008	2007	Older
Marine