Please note that archived articles and press releases can be accessed via the links at the foot of this page.

Notes to Editors

Umeco exhibits its composite body panel and interior systems at InnoTrans 2012 - 31 August 2012

Umeco Structural materials will be presenting its rail transport exterior body panel system and interior flame-retarded prepreg systems on stand number 110 in the Interiors hall (5.1) at the InnoTrans Rail Exhibition in Berlin between 18 and 21 September 2012.

Umeco, a leader in the development of low cost, lightweight composite materials for mass transit systems, will be exhibiting a rail demonstrator panel which can reduce manufacturing times by as much 50% when compared to traditional composite materials. This is a sandwich construction manufactured using our innovative BPS240 format 1 body panel system. This system also offers excellent class ‘A’ compatible stable surfaces and can, in many instances, be painted straight from the mould without any reworking.

Using Umeco’s ZPREG® rapid deposition technology, which comprises a stable, high temperature structural fabric and integrated surface film, BPS240 format 1 offers excellent surface quality, even from vacuum only cures.

Umeco is also exhibiting a range of parts made using its MTM®82S-C glass/phenolic prepreg, which was used successfully by Ipeco Composites to make standbacks for Bombardier Transportation’s Class 379 Electrostar EMU Passenger Trains. National Express, the train operator, is benefiting from reduced in-service operation and maintenance costs brought about through a significant weight saving and the robust nature of prepreg composite parts.  At only 6.4kg per unit, the standbacks provide a 40% reduction over a typical 10.5kg wet lay-up structure.

Umeco’s representatives will be available to discuss all of our exhibits, as well as your immediate and future requirements.

Our activities are truly global and focused on delivering advanced composites innovation and a range of services, from structural and process materials to tooling and distribution solutions to our customers.

To discover what Umeco brings to the industry, please visit us on stand 110 in the Interiors hall (5.1) at the InnoTrans Rail Exhibition in Berlin between 18 and 21 September 2012.

Upper image: Umeco BPS240 format 1 rail demonstrator panel ©Umeco

Lower image: Standback manufactured using Umeco MTM82S glass/epoxy prepregs ©Umeco

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Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

In July 2012, Umeco was acquired by Cytec. This merger brings value to our customers and the markets we serve by leveraging Cytec’s technology leadership with Umeco’s highly-responsive supply chain and application development capabilities.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Richard Horn – Business Development Manager
E-mail: richardhorn@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

For further information on Umeco’s acquisition by Cytec, please contact:

Umeco

Nigel Blatherwick – Strategic Marketing Director
E-mail: nblatherwick@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco exhibits high performance prepregs, process materials and tooling at China Composites -
23 August 2012

Umeco will be exhibiting on stand number 1101 in Hall 1 at China Composites, which takes place between 5 and 7 September 2012.

Our activities are truly global and focused on delivering advanced composites innovation and a range of services, from structural and process materials to tooling and distribution solutions to our customers.

We will be exhibiting a number of items on stand 1101, including:

• A staggered sandwich panel demonstrating how our Structural & Process materials’ products work harmoniously in the production of large Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) structures.
• A carbon/epoxy composite mould tool, manufactured for Aircelle (SAFRAN Group), demonstrating the design and manufacturing capability of our tooling business unit.
• A number of smaller, hand-held composite exhibits, including a section of a planar turbine blade, a section of a vertical axis wind turbine blade, a range of motorcycle parts and prosthetic limb items, all manufactured from our wide, flexible range of autoclave and OoA prepregs.
• A selection of ancillary process material products, including vacuum bagging consumables, infusion materials and reusable vacuum systems, all demonstrating that we provide a comprehensive service to the composites industry by offering complementary products for all aspects of the composites manufacturing process.
  

Umeco’s representatives will be available to discuss all of the above exhibits, as well as your immediate and future requirements.

To discover what Umeco brings to the industry, please visit us on stand 1101 in Hall in the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre, China between 5 to 7 September 2012.

Upper image: Staggered sandwich panel © Umeco

Lower image: Carbon/epoxy composite mould tool © Umeco

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Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jonstowell@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco
Process materials

Jonathan Jaggar - Commercial Director
E-mail: jonathanjaggar@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1274 550 532

Umeco
Tooling

Didier Gal – General Manager
E-mail: didiergal@umeco.com

Telephone: +33 (0)5 61 37 89 88

For further information on Umeco’s acquisition by Cytec, please contact:

Umeco

Nigel Blatherwick – Strategic Marketing Director
E-mail: nblatherwick@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 76620

Umeco’s composite materials put a ‘spring’ in the step of the athletes - 23 August 2012

Ottobock HealthCare uses Umeco’s composite materials to produce prosthetic limbs (blades) for athletes around the world.

Ottobock selected Umeco’s VTM®264 unidirectional carbon reinforced epoxy resin prepregs to manufacture the blades that athletes such as Heinrich Popow and Kelly Cartwright are using.

Kelly Cartwright and Heinrich Popow, successful 100 and 200m sprinters and long-jumpers, have experienced the benefits of Ottobock’s design and composites manufacturing expertise at previous national and international sporting events, and hope to win more medals in the future.

VTM®264 is a toughened, 65 to 120°C curing, epoxy resin prepreg specifically developed for oven vacuum bag processing. It is an intermediate viscosity and tack prepreg suitable for full impregnation of light and medium weight unidirectional and woven reinforcements. Woven prepreg is being used for the upper section and unidirectional prepreg is being used to manufacture the blade section.

Umeco has long been supplying materials to the medical and sports industries, and its products are used across a wide range of sporting disciplines. Umeco develops custom composite materials that help athletes in their performances.

Umeco wishes athletes every success as they strive to achieve medals in their respective events.

Images: © by Ottobock

Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Richard Horn – Sports & Leisure Market Sector Manager
E-mail: richardhorn@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco’s competition grade prepregs used for high performance bicycles - 16 July 2012

German automotive, motorsport and competition cycling components manufacturer AX-lightness GmbH is using Umeco’s autoclave and press curable MTM®49-3 prepregs to produce structures for competition bicycles being used at national and international events.

AX-lightness, the only developer and manufacturer of cycling structures that is also a key supplier into the Formula One sector, is the proud sponsor of Team Ghost Factory Racing, an all-ladies mountain bike team which competes at national and international level. Three Team members, Lisi Osl, Katrin Leumann und Alexandra Engen, will be riding high-tech’ bikes with wheels manufactured using Umeco’s MTM®49-3 woven carbon fibre reinforced epoxy prepregs. AX-lightness also uses a combination of Umeco’s unidirectional and fabric reinforced MTM®49-3 prepregs to manufacture cycle components for an Australian triathlon athlete. AX-lightness chose to autoclave cure its structures to accommodate their intricate design features.

Umeco’s MTM®49-3 series prepregs are 80 to 160°C curing, toughened epoxy matrices developed specifically for the manufacture of components requiring good impact resistance. These prepregs also exhibit excellent ambient and hot temperature mechanical performance after only moderate cure cycles, making them ideal for sports & leisure and motorsport applications.

Umeco’s MTA®240 adhesive film and MTF246 surface improvement film are fully compatible with MTM®49-3.
AX-lighness’ success is rooted in its innovative, lightweight and highly functional products, and unique processing methods. Their weight-saving carbon fibre products are used by international racing teams and have been ‘on the podium’ at the Tour de France every year since 2001, and it is highly likely that we will see them on the podium at forthcoming international events.

Daniel Brambeer, Regional Sales Account Manager - Umeco Structural materials, said: “AX-lightness is a very proficient customer. Their technical knowledge, paired with an innovative approach to all composites applications, combine to make any project a challenge as they strive to achieve maximum performance out of Umeco’s prepregs. We work together to achieve the optimum solution for individual applications, and we are pleased that those who use AX-lightness products achieve success at national and international events.”

Images: ©AX-lightness GmbH

Upper image : Lisi Osl

Lower image (from the top - clockwise): Mona Eiberweiser, Johanna Techt, Lisi Osl, Katrin Leumann and Anja Gradl.

Further information about AX-lightness can be found on the company website at http://ax-lightness.de/en/

Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jonstowell@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Daniel Brambeer – Regional Sales Account Manager
E-mail: danielbrambeer@umeco.com
Telephone: +49 (0)33204 394 57
Mobile: +49 (0)173 388 7770

Umeco’s materials used in oceanic exploration, taking our prepreg ‘where no prepreg has gone before’ - 19 June 2012

Prepregs produced by Umeco Structural materials have been used by Australian composites parts manufacturer LSM Advanced Composites Pty Ltd. (LSM) on the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, a record-breaking submersible which completed a record-breaking solo dive to the deepest place on Earth - the Mariana Trench - on the 26th March 2012. This DEEPSEA CHALLENGE expedition is part of a joint scientific project from explorer and filmmaker James Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research and exploration.

Built and designed in Sydney by research and design company Acheron Project Pty Ltd. and the design technicians at Design + Industry respectively, the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER was purpose-built to reach the Pacific Ocean’s deepest point, after roughly two hours of descent from the surface.

LSM was approached by the design and build team to manufacture the carbon fibre internal lining of the Pilot Sphere, the pilot’s home in the submersible. This ‘home’, which measures 43 inches in diameter, is filled with electronics and life-support equipment. It is so small that the pilot’s legs are tightly bent and he can barely move his arms. In comparison, the overall length of the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER is similar to that of a stretched limousine.

Umeco’s prepregs, sourced to a tight delivery schedule through Umeco’s Australian agent Lavender CE Pty Ltd., were chosen because of the company’s ability to supply specialised prepregs, and to tight lead-times – regardless of geographical location. Customised, FAA-approved civil aircraft interiors pregregs were chosen because of their low fire/smoke/toxicity and low heat release characteristics, a requirement which formed part of the designer’s safety specification.

Lavender supplied more than just prepreg. They assisted LSM in their tooling design and developed the flat patterns of the component plies for CNC cutting using their in-house 3D laminate software. This is one of Lavender’s key services to their customers.

This impressive craft was piloted by Cameron in his voyage down to the Mariana Trench, in the western Pacific Ocean – near the Philippines. The voyage, the first of its kind in over 50 years, and ensuing scientific sample analysis will give mankind a better understanding of the least explored environment on Earth. Following this successful venture into the darkest depths of the ocean – at 6.8 miles, Umeco can state categorically that its material has been “where no prepreg has gone before.” Star Trek enthusiasts may recollect a similar phrase!

LSM stated: “Meeting the stringent delivery schedule was facilitated with valuable assistance from Umeco Structural materials and their agent, Lavender CE. We valued Umeco’s and Lavender’s knowledge of materials, both of which were particularly helpful with customising and supplying the specialised carbon fibre prepregs needed for this job. This was required to meet strict specifications for Mr. Cameron’s safety within the Pilot Sphere.”

For a picture of the project, please contact directly:

Stephanie Montgomery
Communications
National Geographic Society
E-mail: smontgom@ngs.org

Upper image: Courtesy of National Geographic

Lower image: Photo by Mark Thiessen/National Geographic
Crews prepare DEEPSEA CHALLENGER for its first test in the ocean at Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, Australia. In the coming weeks the submersible will travel to the bottom of the Mariana Trench as the centerpiece of DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, a joint scientific project by explorer and filmmaker James Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research.

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Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jonstowell@umeco.com

or

Bernard Twist – Export Sales Manager
E-mail: bernardtwist@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco exhibits high performance prepregs and adhesives at Farnborough 2012

Umeco Structural materials, a leading provider of high performance prepregs and adhesives to the aerospace, space and military industries, will be exhibiting examples of Airbus-qualified prepregs on stand H1/B14 at the Farnborough show, which takes place between 9 and 13 July 2012.

Umeco leads the way in Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) prepreg processing technology for primary and secondary aircraft structures, and has its MTM®44-1, MTM®45-1, MTM®46 epoxy prepregs in use at major airframers, including Airbus.

Visitors to the Umeco stand will see an aerospace sandwich panel manufactured using a combination of the company’s MTM®44-1 OoA carbon fabric prepreg and MTF246 sandable surface improvement film. This combination enables the customer to produce paint-ready parts with minimal reworking and curing costs.

Also on display will be an integrally-stiffened monolithic wing skin demonstrator section manufactured using Umeco’s OoA MTM®44-1 carbon unidirectional prepreg. This material was chosen for its high toughness, low density and ability to produce low void content parts using vacuum bag moulding.

Umeco’s activities are global and focused on delivering advanced composites innovation and a range of services, from structural and process materials to tooling and distribution solutions to its customers.

Xavier Gambert, Umeco Aerospace Market Sector Manager, said: “We have a very wide range of prepregs qualified at major OEMs, and not only for civil aircraft structures. For example, in space applications, we have low out-gassing cyanate esters and epoxies qualified at ESA. For aircraft interiors, we supply phenolics and epoxy prepregs."

Image copyright: © Airbus S.A.S. 2010 - Computer Rendering by Fixion – GWLNSD

To find out more about Umeco, please visit us on stand H1/B14 at Farnborough between the 9 and 13 July 2012.

– Ends –

Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials - USA

Xavier Gambert – Aerospace Market Sector Manager
E-mail: xaviergambert@umeco.com
Telephone: +33 (0) 670 546 080

Umeco leads £1.5m partnership to develop capability for lower cost, lightweight composite vehicle structures - 12 June 2012

A consortium, led by Umeco and partnered by Aston Martin Lagonda, Delta Motorsport Ltd., ABB Robotics and Pentangle Engineering Services Ltd., has been established to examine the potential for using high-performance composites in mainstream automotive applications.

Named ‘ACOMPLICE’ (Affordable COMPosites for LIghtweight Car StructurEs), the partnership will address the growing pressure on the mainstream automotive sector to manufacture lighter-weight; fuel-efficient vehicles which meet reduce CO2 emission targets. Aluminium and high-strength, steel-based alloys have been employed in response to this, but the physical limitations of these materials have, to a large extent, already been reached, so other options are being pursued.

With a total budget of £1.5million - part-funded by the Technology Strategy Boards’ Collaborative Research and Development programme, ACOMPLICE proposes to demonstrate the developed technologies through the rapid manufacture of selected structural automotive parts.

Over the next two years, ACOMPLICE aims to significantly reduce the cost of composite body-in-white vehicle structures for the mainstream automotive sector. It is envisaged that the objective can be achieved by the development of pre-impregnated broad application materials suitable for robotic lamination and fast cure technologies.

Umeco’s role in ACOMPLICE is to develop fast cure, highly-efficient prepregs, enabling the rapid robotic manipulation and placement of individual plies. Novel materials formatting and moulding techniques will be developed alongside these technologies in order to optimise component output rates. Umeco’s DForm® product will also be used in combination with novel, rapid perform technology in order to facilitate the lamination of complex shaped geometries via automated processes.

DForm® is Umeco’s deformable composite system, a time and cost-saving prepreg technology that combines the conformability of a short fibre moulding compound with the directional characteristics of a high performance, long fibre composite.

Elaine Arnold, Project Manager – Collaborative Research and Technology at Umeco said: “The automotive industry is being forced to seek new technologies in order to comply with the ever tightening, legislative push towards reducing CO2 emissions. The outcome of the ACOMPLICE project should be able to make a significant contribution towards achieving this goal, and offer interesting solutions for this industry and others, where lightweighting is fundamental.”

Images: © Umeco 2012

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Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

About the Technology Strategy Board

This project is co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board's Collaborative Research and Development programme, following an open competition. The Technology Strategy Board is an executive body established by the Government to drive innovation. It promotes and invests in research, development and the exploitation of science, technology and new ideas for the benefit of business - increasing sustainable economic growth in the UK and improving quality of life.

www.innovateuk.org

For further information about the ACOMPLICE project, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Elaine Arnold – Project Manager – Collaborative R&T
E-mail: projects@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco exhibits and promotes new identity at JEC Asia 2012 - 11 June 2012

Umeco will be exhibiting on stand B14 (Level 4) at the JEC Asia show, which takes place at the SUNTEC International Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City, Singapore 039593 between the 26 and 28 June 2012.
Our businesses, previously known as Advanced Composites Group, GRPMS, JD Lincoln and Richmond Aerovac, have been rebranded under one name, Umeco. JEC Asia is yet another opportunity for the company to convey that message to the industry, as well as showcase exciting new products and technologies.

We will be exhibiting a number of key projects, including our award-winning (JEC 2011 – Equipment Category) Carbovar technology, an innovation in composite tooling which dramatically enhances tooling durability through the adhesion of a nano-crystalline Invar (Nannovate™ NV) surface coating.

Carbovar tool

Our team will be available to discuss potential projects and provide more information on the company’s expertise.
Nigel Blatherwick, Strategic Marketing Director - Umeco, said: “2012 is a milestone for Umeco, uniting all its businesses under one global brand. At JEC Asia, we continue to convey our message and unveil the group’s new identity to the composites industry and to our customers. It is also an ideal venue to showcase our latest product developments, and our Carbovar advanced tooling technology will be present in the JEC Innovations area. We look forward to yet another successful event.”

Images © Umeco 2012

To find out more about Umeco, please visit us on stand B14 at JEC Asia, Singapore between the 26 and 28 June 2012

Note to editors
Umeco is a name synonymous with innovation and service. As an international provider of advanced composite and process materials, we work primarily with organisations and individuals across aerospace, defence, wind energy, recreation, automotive and marine.

For further information, please contact:

Umeco
Structural materials

Bernard Twist – Export Sales Manager
E-mail: bernardtwist@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco Asia

Hong Fang – General Manager
E-mail: hongfang@umeco.com
Telephone: +86 1381 7835 105

Umeco
Tooling

Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jonstowell@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200

Umeco
Distribution

Brian Harpur – Commercial Director
E-mail: brianharpur@umeco.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1329 225200

Archived Press Releases

Additional general and market specific press releases are located in their respective archive locations. Please follow one of the following links to view this material.

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