Latest News
Umeco Showcases its Structural and Process Materials at Seatec/Compotec 2012
Advanced Composites Group (ACG) Ltd. and Richmond Aerovac will be co-exhibiting under the Umeco banner on Pavilion E Aisle 36 Lot Z at Seatec/Compotec 2012, which is being held at the CarraraFiere Exhibition Centre, Marina di Carrara, Italy from the 7th to the 9th February 2012.
Representatives from ACG will highlight the Group’s structural materials solutions across key market sectors, and will demonstrate the latest component and tooling prepreg materials developments:
Richmond Aerovac’s representatives will be on hand to discuss the Group’s process material solutions, including a wide range of unique products and innovative services:
Personnel from both companies will be available to demonstrate a range of tooling and structural prepreg solutions, and to discuss your specific requirements.
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
Website: www.acg.co.uk
Richmond Aerovac (Italy)
Ferruccio Bareggi – Director/Direttore Generale
Telephone: +39 (0) 689 2987
Website: www.aerovac.com
5th December 2011
Advanced Composites Group’s Prepregs Used On GTA Motor’s ‘Spano’ Super Sports Car
Tooling, automotive body panel system and high visual quality prepregs manufactured by Advanced Composites Group, a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) – a division of Umeco plc., are being used by Spanish car manufactured GTA Motor to create their exclusive ‘Spano’ super sports car.
Designed for GTA Motor’s owner Domingo Ochoa by their engineering director Sento Pallardó, the GTA Spano boasts advanced material technology, innovative aesthetics, superior aerodynamics, futuristic solutions and established application techniques. ACG’s cost-effective Out-of-Autoclave (OoA) materials and expertise have played a significant role in making Domingo Ochoa’s dream a reality, enabling them to compete with international prestigious brands both in terms of image and performance.
GTA decided to use material with a proven track record of successful application to manufacture the 99 units of their Spano super sports car. ACG’s OoA LTM®217 prepreg and compatible LTF318B surfacing film have been selected for the tooling, BPS240 body panel system for the bodywork, and a combination of ACG’s LTM®24ST and LTM®26EL high visual quality cosmetic prepregs for the interior and exterior cosmetic trim panels. For high impact resistance in certain areas of the car, GTA Motor is using ACG’s VTM®264 resin system on a hybrid aramid/carbon reinforcement.
BPS240 is ACG’ two-ply, partially impregnated, oven/vacuum bag processing, epoxy prepreg system specifically designed for the manufacture of body-in-white panels with excellent surface quality from vacuum-only processing at cure temperatures between 85 to 150°C. The first ply utilises ACG’s ZPREG® partial impregnation technology, which consists of a structural fabric coupled to a surface scrim and a high performance resin system. The second ply combines low-density syntactic core material and structural fabric to create significant panel rigidity, and all delivered in a rapid layup format. BPS240 is designed to be ready for painting with minimal preparation. In many instances, paint can be applied directly to a degreased panel taken straight from the mould tool. Moreover, excellent environmental performance can be expected from panels painted in Hi-Bake & Lo-Bake paint systems.
ACG’s LTM®217 tooling prepreg offers GTA Motor the best solution for the manufacture of affordable, high temperature capable composite tooling. ACG’s LTF318B surfacing film, used in conjunction with LTM®217 tooling prepreg, employs ZPREG selective impregnation technology to achieve a high quality surface finish on composite mould tools manufactured via low pressure, vacuum bag processing.
For cosmetic applications requiring a UV stable, superior visual quality surface finish, GTA Motor selected ACG’s OoA LTM®24ST, a controlled rheology resin matrix which is used for the surfacing ply of components moulded from LTM®26EL prepreg. LTM®24ST surface ply is partially impregnated to give asymmetric tack, and promotes a flaw-free, smooth surface and a low void content laminate under oven/vacuum bag moulding conditions, providing the exquisite, ultraviolet stable finish required for a car of this class. GTA Motor cured their cosmetic trim components via oven/vacuum bag processing, but LTM®26EL can also be processed in an autoclave or by press moulding.
Hugo Sosa, Designer and Head of Composites at GTA, said: “We selected ACG over other composite materials manufacturers for their excellent reputation in the motorsport sector, the wide range of materials (resins and reinforcement) available to us, and the fact that these could be fully tailored for a specific application. ACG also provided outstanding technical customer support at the start of our Spano program.” Please see the GTA website (www.gtamotor.com) for more information about the Spano super sports car.
Carlos J. Simarro, ACG Sales Manager for Spain and Portugal, said: GTA’s Spano is an amazing supercar; it is a unique combination of advanced technology and an incredible sporting spirit which is very difficult to match. The automotive market is just one of the sectors where we have experienced considerable success, and ACG is proud to apply its own tooling and components technology to help GTA Motor achieve its dream.
GTA Motor (www.gtamotor.com)
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jstowell@acg.co.uk
Carlos Simarro – ACG Sales Manager for Spain and Portugal
E-mail: csimarro@acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
25th November 2011
Umeco Presented its Composites Expertise at the Official Opening of the National Composites Centre
Umeco plc (‘Umeco’) exhibited at the official opening of the National Composites Centre (NCC) on the Bristol & Bath Science Park near Bristol, UK on the 24th November in the presence of Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.
Umeco, a leading composites solutions provider, was one of the NCC initial members earlier this year and has a place on the NCC board with principal manufacturing and engineering companies Airbus, GKN, Rolls-Royce, Vestas and Agusta Westland.
Umeco presented a number of exhibits to showcase the company’s expertise in the composites industry and its involvement in sectors such as automotive, aerospace and renewable energy. These included a Delta Motorsport E-4 Coupé electric car, a Ginetta F400 sportscar, the root section of a tidal turbine blade and a wing section. These exhibits demonstrated Umeco’s products, technology and expertise in areas such as Out-of Autoclave processing and body panel systems both crucial for the aerospace and automotive industries.
The 350 guests present at the opening were given a tour of the NCC’s fantastic facilities, and had the opportunity to look at the centres’ state-of-the-art machinery. It was a successful day which promises an exciting future for the NCC.
Jon Mabbitt, Managing Director of Umeco Composites Structural Materials said: “Yesterday’s opening was a resounding success and demonstrated the UK’s commitment to use the composites manufacturing industry as a key player in the UK’s economic growth. Research and Technology is a key strategic focus for Umeco. We strongly believe that our membership of the NCC will enable us to develop a close working relationship with world-leading manufacturers and UK academics to develop new technologies and bring them to market more expediently.”
Peter Chivers, Chief Executive of the NCC said: “The NCC is a powerful national asset to maximise the potential of the industry. It has something for all businesses involved in composites manufacture, across all industry sectors. I am delighted to have UMECO as one of our Tier 1 members and value their insightful and multi-sectoral contribution. I’m looking forward to working with them in the future.”
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For further information, please contact:
Umeco
Jon Mabbitt - Managing Director Umeco Composites Structural Materials
E-mail: jmabbitt@acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
9th November 2011
ACG’s Expertise and Advanced Prepregs used for Tooling and Body Panel Applications on an Exciting Automotive Project
Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG) – part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials – a division of Umeco plc, is engaged in an exciting automotive project, part funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB), with collaborating partners UK-based Revolve Technologies Ltd. and IE-LEV Ltd. to develop and manufacture tooling and parts for a lightweight, range-extended electric-hybrid commercial fleet demonstrator vehicle.
This is possibly the first application of a lightweight composite intensive body in the light commercial vehicle sector. Reducing the weight of the vehicle is fundamental to optimising the performance and range capability of the electric drive train whilst maintaining a competitive payload.
Advanced Composites Engineering (ACE), ACG’s engineering division, has worked closely with the project team to develop the tooling and, using the company’s BPS240 body panel system, is now manufacturing the body panels for the demonstrator vehicles.
ACG’s BPS240 is a two-ply, partially impregnated epoxy prepreg system designed for the manufacture of Body-In-White (BIW) panels with excellent surface quality from vacuum-only processing at cure temperatures between 85 to 150°C. BPS240 is designed to be ready for painting without abrading or reworking. In many instances, paint can be applied directly to a degreased panel. However, in this application, the demonstrator vehicle panels will not be painted, but will use a vinyl wrap system already widely applied to commercial vehicles.
The aim of this collaborative project is to prove that the technologies used are suitable for application and use in a vehicle in this sector of the mass market. ACG was called upon to apply its expertise in composites manufacturing to minimise the weight of the body components, thus minimising the fuel used and carbon dioxide emissions. The concept will offer a whole new capability in the delivery van sector and present fleet operators with a cost-effective solution to the problem of achieving low carbon dioxide emissions without increasing running costs.
The project is currently in its ‘technology demonstrator’ phase with IE-LEV Ltd as the lead partner and Revolve Technologies as the main collaborating partner. IE-LEV has formed a subsidiary company ‘Emerald Automotive’ to take the project forward into its production phase. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Emerald Automotive will manufacture the vans, code-named t-001, for sale to large fleet operators in the USA and Europe.
Overall, and with the application of ACG’s prepregs, the t-001 will offer fleet operators an 80% reduction in emissions compared with conventional vehicles in the same class. Extensive research with fleet customers over the past three years has optimised the vehicle design and it is planned that, with a 463 mile range, the t-001 will give the first 66 miles at zero emission in EV (electric vehicle) mode. The t-001 will significantly reduce fuel costs and give fleet operators a lower lifetime cost per mile.
Bob Mustard, Technical Specialist from the IE-LEV Team, said: “ACG is a key development partner in our demonstrator vehicle programme. The engineering and commercial support has been critical to assist us in delivering proof of concept and in developing a viable route to production for a composite intensive body.”
Liam Moloney, ACE Engineering Manager, said: “We were delighted by the prospect of working with Revolve Technologies Ltd and IE-LEV Ltd., and to have the opportunity to assist in the development of their t-001 demonstrator vehicles. The project has progressed very well; ACE's manufacturing flexibility coupled with ACG's versatile BPS240 body panel prepregs have delivered everything that the customer required. BPS240 is already widely used in the automotive industry and has shown its ability in this distinctive demonstrator application, where low component weight and high panel stiffness were key requirements. ACG has the automation and materials technology that would assist Emerald Automotive in entering the high volumes manufacturing phase that they are anticipating. Additionally, our engineering facility has been fully involved in the design and the manufacture of the tooling, followed by production of the major external body panels required for this project. We wish Emerald Automotive every success as they move forward into the production phase.”
Note: 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.
For more information, please visit:
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.:
Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
8th November 2011
ACG’s Prepregs Deliver Performance Benefits to Holland Composites’ A-Class Advanced Racing Catamarans
Customised MTM®57 carbon prepreg materials from Advanced Composites Group Ltd (ACG), a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) – a division of Umeco plc, are being used by Holland Composites to manufacture the lightweight, ultra-thin laminate hulls and a variety of structural parts on its A-Class Advanced Racing Catamarans.
ACG MTM®57 Series resins are toughened, 80 to 120°C curing, epoxy matrices offering flexible processing and a wide range of handling characteristics. MTM®57 Series resins can be supplied on a variety of reinforcements and are available in ACG’s standard prepreg and ZPREG® partially impregnated formats.
ACG’s out-of-autoclave processable MTM®57 carbon prepregs and Holland Composites’ unique structural assembly techniques have combined to produce a boat that has an ultra-lightweight, honeycomb cored hull which is stiffer, stronger and more durable than previous builds. The curved carbon prepreg daggerboards and beams on these competition catamarans offer improved stiffness and reduced drag, both leading to a significant improvement in overall performance.
Pieter-Jan Dwarhuis, founder of Holland Composites, a Round Texel Race winner on two occasions, an experienced A-Class sailor, and an established composites manufacturer, said: “We needed to satisfy the demands of our highly competitive customers, and had already identified ACG as a prime candidate for materials because of the company’s international reputation in the marine industry, and outstanding ability to offer tailored solutions that satisfy its clients’ needs.”
Continuing, Pieter-Jan Dwarhuis said: “ACG was extremely flexible in its approach to providing customised prepregs to suit our particular requirements. We worked in partnership to tailor MTM®57 carbon unidirectional and fabric prepregs in application specific resin weights to provide the optimum level of performance for the parts on our A-Class Advanced Racing Catamarans.”
PieterJan Dwarhuis of Holland Composites approached ACG with this interesting marine volume production project. He was looking for a higher level of accuracy on resin content and fibre weight tolerances for the ultra-lightweight honeycomb hulls.
Tom Bernstein from ACG said: “It is always a pleasure to work with knowledgeable customers, especially those who push boat design and production methods to the next level; the Holland Composites Team excels at thinking beyond the scope of current marine prepreg application techniques and assembly.”
The DNA, the new Dutch A-Class by Advanced Racing Catamarans made his debut at Easter 2011 during the Vele di Pasqua. These catamarans, which are enormously popular with amateur sailors, have attracted professional sailors from other classes, such as the America's Cup and the F18. Various America’s Cup teams use DNA catamarans for training purposes and several syndicates have actually bought their own DNA's. Recent successes include a first and a third position in the Worlds 2011, a first position in the New Zealand Nationals 2011 and a first position in the Australian Nationals 2011.
To find out more about ACG’s marine prepregs and how we could work together, come and meet our team on Stand 11.632 at METS (Marine Equipment Trade Show) in Amsterdam between the 15th and 17th November.
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.:
John Howard – Marine Market Sector Manager
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
E
mail: jhoward @ acg.co.uk
Tom Bernstein – Technical Sales - Netherlands - Northern Germany - Scandinavia - Poland
Mobile: (+49) (0) 451 58532595
E-mail: tbernstein @ acg.co.uk
7th November 2011
Umeco Showcases its Integrated Marine Composite Solutions at METS 2011 Through Advanced Composites Group, GRPMS and Richmond Aerovac
Advanced Composites Group, GRPMS and Richmond Aerovac will be co-exhibiting under the Umeco banner on Stand No: 11.632 at the METS 2011 marine show, which takes place in the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, The Netherlands between the 15th and 17th November.
Umeco offers integrated composite solutions and technology ranging from high-end prepreg applications for race yachts and mast/spars, through to resin infused high-performance production structures, to wet lay-up materials and consumables.
The Group focuses on delivering a world-class service for its customers. With over 30 years’ experience at the forefront of composites technology, and manufacturing facilities in Europe and the United States, Umeco offers an unparalleled custom composites capability supported by its UK-based Composites Technology Centre.
Umeco operates as two business streams:
• Structural Materials - Advanced Composites Group (ACG), GRPMS and JD Lincoln provide a range of complementary products, services, design expertise and tooling solutions to the composites industry.
• Process Materials - Richmond Aerovac, IPM and Med-Lab serve global industries by supplying a range of vacuum processing materials and protective films, consumable short shelf-life hazardous aviation goods, and electronic equipment for testing fuels and heavy oils.
ACG’s Lloyds Register approved prepregs are used by some of the world’s foremost designers of racing and cruising sailboats. ACG’s VTM®260 Series structural prepregs and compatible VTA®260 film adhesive and VTF261 surfacing film have a history of success spanning multiple America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Races victories and, more recently, in the Audi MedCup TP52 class. This success story demonstrates ACG’s expertise and commitment to the race boat market. ACG also manufactures a full range of ACG tooling materials, including prepregs, tooling block and film adhesives needed to manufacture the large structures produced by yacht and boat builders.
GRPMS, a specialist in the distribution of composite materials, sets the standard in its field by supplying customers with a wide range of quality products. The business is committed to providing premium quality products and a world-class service to its customers. GRPMS is proud to be sponsors of the 40m Sunseeker luxury yacht, reinforcing their commitment to the marine industry.
Richmond Aerovac supplies vacuum bagging consumables, ancillaries and innovative products for resin infusion, to the composite industry. With over 30 years’ experience, Richmond Aerovac has a unique understanding of the dynamic requirements of the marine industry, and our newly appointed process engineer for the marine industry, Nic Prentice, is widely recognised as an expert in resin infusion techniques. Nic has improved infusion techniques within the marine context and, with the use of Richmond Aerovac process consumables, has manufactured large and complex structures that were previously thought of as being impossible with resin infusion.
Representatives from ACG, GRPMS and Richmond Aerovac will be present on the stand to promote the complete range of products and services that Umeco offers to the marine industry and Umeco will showcase some of its recent product applications.
For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.:
Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
E
-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
John Howard – Marine Market Sector Manager
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
E
mail: jhoward @ acg.co.uk
Advanced Composites Group Inc.:
Ed Mahoney – National Sales Manager
Telephone: +1 918 252 3922
E-mail: emahoney @ acg-us.com
Website: www.acg-us.com
Aerovac Systems Ltd.:
Nic Prentice – Process Engineer (Marine)
Telephone: +44 (0)1274 550532
E
-mail: nicholasprentice @ aerovac.com
Website: www.aerovac.com
Aerovac Systems France:
Didier Gal – General Manager
Telephone: +33 561 378987
E
-mail: d.gal @ aerovac.fr
Website: www.aerovac.com
GRPMS:
Tony Bibby – Managing Director
Telephone: +44 (0)1329 225201
E-mail: tony.bibby @ grpms.com
Website: www.grpms.com / www.tools4grp.com.
Additional Notes to Editors
GRPMS 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.
3rd November 2011
Advanced Composites Group Demonstrates its Composites Expertise at the 2011 Rail Interiors Expo
ACG, a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) – a division of Umeco plc, will be exhibiting on Stand 9245 in Hall 9 at the Railway Interiors Expo 2011 in the Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany from the 15th to 17th November.
ACG will focus on the application of its advanced composites technologies across mass transit applications, but particularly its MTM®82S-C phenolic resin prepreg system.
MTM82S-C prepreg technology facilitates the manufacture of thin, lightweight sections that provide outstanding mechanical performance and significant weight savings for railway interior applications.
Typical applications for MTM82S-C include wall panels, window frames, partitions, connecting archways, floors, ceilings, standbacks, luggage racks, seats and doors. ACG will exhibit a full-size MTM82S-C prepreg standback, one of 960 units currently installed on commuter trains in the United Kingdom. In addition, sandwich panels made from foam core and MTM82S-C laminate skins will be on display in the form of a lightweight seat and a lightweight ceiling panel.
MTM82S-C prepregs are available on a wide range of carbon and glass fibre reinforcements, making them suitable for both monolithic and sandwich structures.
MTM82S-C prepregs have been extensively tested and proven to offer outstanding fire, smoke and toxicity performance properties, meeting the requirements of BS 6853 Cat 1a, French Standard NFF16-101 rating M1/F1, and German DIN5510 ratings S4, SR2 and ST2.
From its prepreg manufacturing facilities in the UK, Germany, and the USA, UCSM services the rail interiors market by delivering custom formatted products manufactured to short lead times and delivered through a global network of dedicated sales and support agencies.
ACG’s representatives will be on hand to discuss and demonstrate, through the use of exhibits, the application of the company’s prepregs.
Advanced Composites Group
Richard Horn – Rail Transport Market Sector Manager
E-mail: rhorn @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
25th October 2011
ACG Exhibits with Umeco Composites’ Partners at the UK Composites Engineering Show 2011
ACG, a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) - a division of Umeco plc, will be co-exhibiting with its Umeco Composites partners on Stand No: 522 at the Composites Engineering Show, which takes place in the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK on the 9th and 10th of November.
Representatives from ACG will be present on the stand to promote the complete range of products and services that the group offers to the aerospace, automotive and general market sectors, and showcase some of our customers’ recent projects.
ACG is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of carbon and glass reinforced prepregs into the marine industry. With over 30 years’ experience at the forefront of composites technology, and manufacturing facilities in Europe and the United States, the Group offers an unparalleled custom resin formulation and prepreg formatting capability supported by its Applied Technology team and the Umeco Composites Technology Centre.
ACG will be co-exhibiting with GRPMS (a UCSM company) and Richmond Aerovac (a member of Umeco Composites Process Materials [UCPM]).
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 76620
Trevor Gilbert – UK Sales Manager
E-mail: tgilbert @ acg.co.uk
Associate Company Websites:
Richmond Aerovac: www.aerovac.com
GRPMS: www.grpms.com and www.tools4grp.com
Additional Notes to Editors
GRPMS (part of Umeco Composites Structural Materials [UCSM]) - 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 (part of Umeco Composites Process Materials [UCPM]) - 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.
21st October 2011
ACG Congratulates Quantum Racing Team on their 2011 Audi MedCup TP52 World Title WinACG, a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials – a division of Umeco plc, congratulates Quantum Racing Team for lifting their third Audi MedCup TP52 world title in four consecutive challenges. This victory comes just a few weeks after their outstanding triumph in the 2011 Audi MedCup TP52 Circuit Series, which ended on the 17th September.
ACG extends its congratulations to Longitud Cero, the yard which used ACG’s VTM®260 series prepregs to build this world-class yacht. Longitud can also be regarded as ‘world champions’ in their own right, having contributed – through considerable knowledge and craftsmanship – to Quantum’s back-to-back victories.
Skippered by America’s Cup winning helm Ed Baird (USA), Quantum Racing Team took a second and first on the final day of racing. Ed Baird and the crew of Quantum Racing lift their third world title since winning in 2008 in Lanzarote and last year in Valencia
John Howard, ACG Marine Market Sector Manager, said: “It is with great pleasure that we learn of Quantum Racing Team’s second success in a matter of weeks. We are proud to have supplied VTM®264 prepregs and VTA260 adhesive films to Longitud Cero.”
ACG’s VTM260 Series prepregs have a history of success spanning multiple America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Races victories; Quantum Racing Team’s successes in the TP52 class further cements ACG’s reputation as a manufacturer of world beating materials in the race boat market.
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd
John Howard - Marine Market Sector Manager
E-mail: jhoward @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
11th October 2011
Scanning Deep Space . . . ALMA Commissions 20th ALMA Radio-Telescope Antenna Dish Manufactured Using ACG’s Materials
MTM®57 Series prepregs and ZPREG® product formats from ACG, a member of Umeco Composites Structural Materials – a division of Umeco plc, are being used to build the collector dishes for ALMA’s antennas. ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, is one of the largest ever ground-based astronomy projects.
Nine years after initial construction commenced and only seven years since ACG started collaborative development and testing, the array is now recording unbelievable events that mankind has never seen before. The most recent photographic observation from outer space came from the European Southern Observatory, one of several organisations that operate the facility. Images released by ALMA, taken using just 12 antennas in the total array, shows a collision of two galaxies know as the ‘Antenna Galaxies’.
Since receiving the initial materials supply contract for the manufacture of the first 25 collector dishes almost 5 years ago, ACG is delighted that it still actively engaged in this awe-inspiring project as the materials supplier for 50 dishes. ACG is now looking forward to viewing further astounding images that the array will present to mankind in years to come.
For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 76620
10th October 2011
ACG Inc and JD Lincoln Exhibit at SAMPE Tech 2011
Advanced Composites Group Inc. (ACG) and JD Lincoln, members of Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM) - a division of Umeco plc, will be exhibiting on Stand No: 204 at SAMPE Tech 2011, which takes place in the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas, USA between the 18th and 20th of October.
ACG and JD Lincoln manufacture epoxy, cyanate ester, bismaleimide and phenolic prepregs for use in the automotive, aerospace, marine, alternative energy, motorsport, defence, rail transport, space, construction, sports & leisure, and construction market sectors. With over 30 years’ experience at the forefront of composites technology, and manufacturing facilities in the United States and Europe, the Group offers an unparalleled custom resin formulation and prepreg formatting capability supported by its Applied Technology team and the Umeco Composites Technology Centre.
Visitors to the stand will have the opportunity to see an award winning, innovative tooling solution jointly developed by ACG and Integran Technologies Inc. ACG and Integran won the JEC 2011 Composite Innovation Award - Equipment Category for Carbovar - Nanovate -NV surface composite tooling. The innovation combines the hardness, durability and damage tolerance of the nanometal coating with the lightweight, low thermal mass of a carbon fibre composite mould tool to deliver a durable and cost-effective solution. The Nanovate surface is an ultra-hard, nanocrystalline nickel/iron alloy coating that has a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matching the CTE of the composite mould tool. The ultra-hard surface increases the longevity of the mould, becoming comparable to that of a conventional metallic mould tool. Composite tooling saves the energy required for the heat-up and cool-down phases, and the energy required to lift, rotate and manoeuvre them within the working environment, and during the lay-up process (faster material deposition rates).
Representatives from ACG and JD Lincoln will be present on the stand to promote the complete range of products and services that the group offers.
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For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group
Ed Mahoney – Vice President - Sales
Telephone: +1 918 252 3922
E-mail: emahoney @ acg-us.com
Website: www.acg-us.com
J.D. Lincoln
Clint Refsnyder - Vice President - Sales & Marketing
Telephone: +1 949 650 8106
E-mail: c.refsnyder@jdlincoln.com
Website: www.jdlincoln.com
Additional Notes to Editors
JD Lincoln is a 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. Offices are located in Costa Mesa, CA and Adelanto, CA where we produced materials for over 350 customers worldwide.
6th October 2011
Umeco Composites to demonstrate its composites expertise at ‘Innovate 11’
Umeco Composites, a division of Umeco plc, will be demonstrating its composites manufacturing expertise alongside other innovative businesses on the National Composites Centre (NCC) stand in the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) zone at Innovate 11. This event is being held in the Business Design Centre in Islington, London on Tuesday 11th October 2011.
Innovate 11, an event organised by the Technology Strategy Board, is the leading, one-day, networking, conference and exhibition event for businesses to meet other businesses, government and academia with the aim of making innovation happen - creating opportunity and growth for the future.
Jon Mabbitt, Managing Director Umeco Composites Structural Materials (UCSM), one of the operating divisions of Umeco plc, said: “We are delighted to be part of this event. It presents Umeco companies with the opportunity to network and demonstrate our ongoing investment in research and development of new and innovative materials to a receptive and progressive audience of businesses operating in Umeco Composites core markets. Close contact with academia, other businesses and Government forms part of the foundation of Umeco’s business strategy, and has led to significant growth in our portfolio of innovative products. We are looking forward to engaging with like-minded professionals from all market sectors.”
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For further information, please contact:
Umeco Composites Structural Materials
Jon Mabbitt - Managing Director - Umeco Composites Structural Materials
E-mail: jmabbitt @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200
5th October 2011
Advanced Composites Group demonstrates its technologically advanced prepregs on the Umeco Composites stand at JEC Asia 2011
ACG will be exhibiting on the Umeco Composites Stand No.D18 in Pavilion 6 at the JEC Asia 2011 exhibition in Singapore between the 18th and 20th October.
ACG will exhibit a range of technologies and applications, the first of which will be a 3-piece composite mould tool suite featuring a CNC-machined master model manufactured from ACG’s TB750 syntactic tooling block, a carbon fibre reinforced mould tool manufactured using ACG’s low temperature moulding LTM®217 tooling prepreg, and a finished component made using ACG’s carbon fibre reinforced prepregs. This display will provide a clear insight into the methods used for making mould tools for composite part production.
Displaying its expertise in the formulation of customised, high strength, special visual quality (SVQ) component materials, ACG will exhibit a range of motorcycle components produced by motorcycle parts manufacturer Blackstone Tek (BST) of South Africa. BST, already well versed in the application of ACG’s materials, selected the Group’s MTM®57 medium temperature moulding carbon prepregs for these autoclave processed SVQ structural parts.
ACG’s MTM®57 Series resins are toughened, 80 to 120°C curing epoxy matrices offering flexible processing and a range of handling characteristics. These resins can be supplied on a range of reinforcements and are available in standard prepreg and ACG ZPREG® partially impregnated formats. MTM®57 resins exhibit excellent toughness and, after a suitable cure, can be used at temperatures up to 90°C.
ACG’s team will be on hand to talk you through the Group’s products and services, and discuss your requirements.
ACG will be co-exhibiting with JD Lincoln and GRPMS (UCSM companies) and Richmond Aerovac and IPM, both members of Umeco Composites Process Materials (UCPM).
For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd.
Dr. Jon Stowell – Sales and Marketing Director
E-mail: jstowell @ acg.co.uk
Bernard Twist – Export Sales Manager
E-mail: btwist @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 76620
27th September 2011
Umeco Composites Corporate Open Day was a Resounding Success
Umeco Composites, an operating division of Umeco plc, had a successful, informative and truly educational Corporate Open Day in Heanor, Derbyshire on Friday 23rd September.
The purpose of the Corporate Open Day was to showcase the use of ACG’s prepreg materials in customers’ end products to local dignitaries, school children and customers, while also using the opportunity to promote engineering as a study subject and profession to a diverse audience.
All visitors were given the opportunity to tour Umeco Composites’ Technology Centre and R&D facilities, and the composites manufacturing facility of Advanced Composites Group Ltd. (ACG) - part of Umeco Composites. Everyone experienced at first hand how the Group develops and manufactures advanced composite materials. The tours ended with everyone having full access to a wide range of outstanding exhibits provided by some of Umeco’s valued customers, and gave visitors a true insight into how the Group’s materials are used by its clients to produce their world-class products.
Children from local primary and secondary schools took an active part in the day by testing and demonstrating their skills by driving the BLOODHOUND SSC car simulator, and then revealing their competitive nature by building and racing a self-propelled model of the BLOODHOUND SSC (SuperSonic) car.
Exhibits included a full-scale model of the BLOODHOUND SSC, a Noble Automotive M600 sports car, Delta Motorsports’ all-electric vehicle, a Norton Commando 961 motorcycle, Force Protection’s Foxhound protected patrol vehicle, as well as a wide range of other applications from a number of high profile, valued customers. Also, Sean Rose, one of the UK’s leading, medal-winning Paralympians, presented some equipment to demonstrate the application of composites in competitive and recreational sports, and he also talked openly about his highly competitive nature and participation in sporting events at national and international level.
Visitors thoroughly enjoyed the event and found it a very informative and enlightening experience. Umeco Composites believes that it achieved its aim of promoting its engineering expertise at a local and national level, thereby mirroring the aim of the BLOODHOUND SSC project.
Jon Mabbitt, Managing Director of Umeco Composites Structural Materials, said: “This was probably the biggest Open Day the Group has held, and we believe that the success of the event reflects the direction that the business is taking. We were delighted to have had so many of our partners present, and thank them for adding value by displaying the application of our composite materials. It was a very exciting day for us and our respected clients.”
Phil Sherwood, Composites Technology Manager at ARRK Europe Ltd, commented: “We were very pleased to have been asked to exhibit at Umeco Composites’ Open Day, and have the opportunity to show, as an end user of ACG’s prepregs, what can be accomplished with the right approach and skill set. Composites have a great future; we are very pleased to be associated with ACG.”
- Ends -
For further information, please contact:
Advanced Composites Group Ltd
Steve Milner - Communications Officer
E-mail: smilner @ acg.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 766200