Cheryl Richards of PPG Industries says The composites industry is behind the curve in developing the data needed to demonstrate product benefits.

The composites industry is behind the curve in developing the data needed to demonstrate product benefits to the emerging environmentally conscious market said Cheryl Richards, business development manager of PPG Industries, Inc. in her convention session titled It Takes Big Shoes to Make a Small Footprint.

She said there is a new and growing market of people who want green products but consumers must be convinced with evidence that environmental costs do not outweigh the benefits.  Regulators and lawmakers must be convinced too and that will take data.

To present the case that composite products have a net positive impact on the environment, the entire life cycle of many products must be examined from resource extraction through manufacturing and use and even to demolition and recycling. “We have to break down each component and put numbers on those,” she said. The competition such as the wood, steel and concrete industries has already done this work and the composites industry needs to catch up to stay in the game. “Right now, we are poorly represented [in the green markets],” she said.

She called on business owners and operators to read the white paper developed by the Green Composites Committee to learn how they can get involved in the research program.  Outside consultants will be hired to gather and examine the data to give scientific legitimacy to the study.

An industry wide effort will be needed to stay in the game and prove that composites can “meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.”

In China especially, the impact of the recession has been muted and a latent demand for housing and infrastructure has created double-digit growth in construction and an increased demand for all types of consumer goods.  While a lack of awareness of the availability and advantages of composite products is a challenge in that market, massive increases in demand will force more acceptance, Timmins said.  Specific products that are seeing increased demand include cooling towers, bathtubs, pools, FRP panels, bridge decks, grating, doors, windows, grating and rebar.

Other potential markets include Brazil, Russia and India that all have a built-up need for housing and energy efficient materials.   A rise in urbanization and more government housing create more demand in these areas.  Sadly, natural disasters such as floods and earthquake have created a need for prefabricated construction in undeveloped areas, but more happily, international showcase events such as the Olympics and expos create an urgent need for construction and cost efficiency.

Forecasters see a future of robust growth in international markets of 7 percent by 2015, Timmins said, while domestic recovery in North America will be gradual.  Demand for construction will remain low while raw material prices will increase but there will be less ability to pass those costs on to the financially-pinched consumer.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the BioPreferred program to establish new markets for bio-based products. Ron Buckhalt, program manager for BioPreferred, says that even as the industry is turning to greener ingredients, oil dependence is still a detriment. “Soybeans are being used more, but they’re a food, and when the oil prices go up, so do food prices,” he said.

One of the major initiatives Buckhalt discussed was the voluntary labeling program. The effort would also culminate in a system where green-eligible products would be stamped with an approved USDA label, much like the Energy Star system for electronics. What determines eligibility isn’t precisely known at this point, but Buckhalt said that whatever the level is should be an industry standard. “Companies don’t have the capability to go too high, but we could be looking at 30 percent,” he says.

The program is currently set up into five categories: acoustical panels, interior panels, plastic lumber panels, structural interior panels, and structural wall panels. But this is where the USDA is reaching out directly to the composites industry to help structure this area in such a way that benefits composites. “We need input from you as to how to categorize these,” Buckhalt said.

The program currently comprises 4,500 products from 1,000 companies in markets such as construction, food service, transportation, and facility operations/maintenance. Manufacturers currently involved include Agriboard, which manufactures structural panels from straw, and BioFoam Tech, which produces green surfboards.

Habib Dahger from the University of Maine spoke to a swelling audience on the last day of COMPOSITES 2010 on the window of opportunity available to composites manufacturers within the wind energy market.

Within the U.S. the largest concentration of people is within the northeast corridor, roughly the size of a misshapen Texas. Approximately 55 million people live, work and burn through high energy bills, all while untapped potential lies nearby.

However, the U.S. now has a goal: generate 20 percent of the nation’s electricity from wind energy by the year 2030. This includes not only land turbines but offshore ones as well. Currently the U.S. has several proposed offshore projects, mostly within the Northeast, but zero installed. Whereas the U.K. alone is pushing forward, contractors and all, on a $12 billion offshore project. Dahger estimates that within the U.S., $200 billion will be spent on offshore wind with blades alone accounting for 10 percent of the cost—which is a huge opportunity for the composites industry. “Offshore wind turbines offer a great deal of opportunity because they require different things compared to land turbines,” he says. But Dagher also pointed out some obstacles that impede progress. “Offshore turbines need to be longer and more durable within salt water to limit maintenance costs. After all, who wants to go 15 miles offshore and fix a broken turbine that’s 300 feet in the air?”

Dahger emphasized that the offshore market is slowly evolving. It’s new and has room for vast improvements within product use, installation capabilities and maintenance. “That gives composite manufacturers the opportunity to develop new resins and coating systems as well as develop solutions on how to anchor turbines that will be installed in transitional and deeper waters (over 200 feet),” he says. “Do you ask a boat builder to go 15 miles offshore and build a boat? No! But right now, that’s what offshore turbine installers have to do.” If the composites industry can find a more durable solution and an easier way to install these turbines, it’s not just a window of growth opportunity for the market: it’s a wide open door.

The presentation began with the definition of color itself: a combination of light, object, and observer. To demonstrate this (particularly the latter characteristic), Howard pointed two lasers at the wall, one red and one blue. The blue one appeared to be further away, and Howard used this example to show how the mind plays a role in color. “Choosing the right color is part of the design of any composite part,” he said.

But light also plays a big part in the process. “The light source is the number one source of color variance,” says Howard. For example, daylight results in even levels of color, tungsten lamps feature decreased levels of blue, and fluorescent bulbs result in random spikes across the spectrum. How composites interact with the light depends on the geometric attributes of the product itself, which include surface smoothness. Because of this, Howard notes that composite products will not be able to look like another material. “Only metals look like metals,” he says.

Color matching is another important factor. “There are only a finite amount of available pigments, so they’re blended to reach the desired color and keep it under control,” says Howard. He went on to discuss some specific pigments and how they act as chemicals in color composition. Phthalocyanines and azos tend to accelerate the rate of cure in composites. Carbon blacks feature 100s of grades, and thus can accelerate or inhibit the cure depending on the grade. Ultramarines feature metal complexes, whose ions may react with composite components. Inorganic whites such as titanium dioxide and zinc sulfide are commonly used in composites, but not in outdoor applications because their intensity fades under those conditions.

Howard also detailed some appearance issues that pop up. A lack of pigment opacity can be resolved by using higher pigment dispersion concentrations. UV stability can be addressed by optimizing the full composite system to meet stability requirements, and also using additives to improve outdoor weathering performance. Glass fibers near the molded surface can result in color variation and degradation, and can be compensated for by using additional pigment dispersion. Regions of dry glass impact the structural properties of the composite. “Whatever appearance issue you have, realize it’s application-specific and must be addressed independently,” says Howard.

The story underscored the point of Rudersdorf’s presentation: Be prepared for OSHA visits before representatives arrive at your facility.

Rudersdorf, who serves Composites One as director of health, safety and environment, explained to attendees that OSHA penalties are based on four factors: gravity of the violation, size of the business, good faith of the employer and the employer’s history of previous violations. “The best move is to have documented organized training programs,” he said. “If your program has a ‘wow’ factor and your housekeeping methods look impressive, it’s much more effective.” Rudersdorf also recommended that attendees develop a hazard communication program that workers understand.

He was part of an expert panel that spoke about new developments in environmental and worker safety regulation and enforcement. The gist: Composites firms aren’t just looking to diversity their operations and grow revenue with new products; they seek to avoid trouble from regulators.

Marcus Bingham, vice president of Clarion Bathware, spoke about ways to incorporate safety incentives to help make safety an ongoing thought among workers. “The goal here is awareness—that’s the secret to reducing accidents.” He gave attendees tips and ideas on crafting memorable, fun employee-recognition programs.

Other panelists included Bill Holtzclaw, president of Holtec LLC; Jeff Austad, vice president of specialty unit sales and distribution for Magnum Venus Plastech; Dennis Fink, technical service manager for Syrgis Performance Initiators Inc.; Jack Benton, CEO of Benton & Associates; and Lowell Miles, founder and owner of Miles Fiberglass & Composites Inc.

The session began with a spirited discussion of environmental trends. Though the awareness is only now increasing, Ken Lipovsky, cast polymer application specialist for Reichhold, noted the industry has used a similar mindset in past production. “For years, we’ve used recycled cola bottles and x-ray films for our resins, and they’ve been used in a variety of applications,” he said.

The panel discussed the differences in implementing the greener resins into manufacturing. “Larger molecules are used in the green resins, so they’re more resilient,” said Lipovsky. Tom Pelt, director of technical projects for Bradley Corporation, said color concerns must be addressed. “If you’re not careful, exotherming can cause stress cracking, and that can affect the color consistency,” he said.

When asked how the “green” nature of a product is determined, HK Research Corporation’s President Richard Higgins said there must be a component that’s a renewable resource. “Things such as soybean oil and fatty acids would be in there. The key is renewal sources,” he said. Additionally, it was clarified that a green resin isn’t LEED requirement; that’s determined by the end product itself.

More general manufacturing-related issues were also brought up. The panel discussed scrap elimination and why it occurs. Factors included excessive use of outdated or improper resins. “Most resins have a 90-day shelf life, and it’s possible that the drum of resin may have neared that lifespan when you receive it,” said Lipovsky. Pelt added that there may be problems with an equipment operator. “It may be painstaking to document those procedures, but it’s worth it to fix the problem. Plus, it becomes a training tool for new employees,” he said.

Finally, the discussion turned to mold issues related to curing. Jack Simmons, vice president of sales with ACS International, said that improper usage of resin (whether incorporating too much or letting it migrate too long) was a primary cause of curing problems. Higgins added that the combination of heavy gel coats and slow resins (leading to a short period when the gel is stronger than the matrix) was also a factor.

Masserman noted that obstacles such as lower credit access and higher foreign competition had resulted in a declining trend for exports, even before the recession. And the U.S. already lags behind its competitors in the area. Only one percent of companies export their products, and 58 percent of those companies export to only one other country.

Focusing on these efforts to elevate exports will help in economic recovery, Masserman said. The NEI hopes to accomplish this by focusing on three main areas: education, improved access to credit, and enforcement of international trade laws.

The effort will particularly help small businesses who don’t have the resources to make the contacts they need. After a company makes an inquiry, the Commerce will help them out by searching for the right overseas business partner to meet their need. “It’s sort of like a matchmaking service for exports,” said Masserman. He added that 5,600 companies were helped last year, 85 percent of them small-to-medium-sized businesses.

The ultimate goal will be to double the amount of exports in five years. Masserman discussed how participating company Air Tractor in Olney, Texas grew its foreign sales from 10-45 percent, and stressed that any company could achieve a similar growth. “Look abroad, because the opportunities are there,” he said.

Composites professionals are finding those answers in droves, as COMPOSITES provides a spark of revitalization to an industry that has taken its licks from the struggling economy. Aisles were packed soon after the show opened at 10 a.m.—attendance is up from last year—and many vendors said they were pleased at the number of decision makers who discussed specific applications and new markets.

Two of those decision makers—Svetlana Melkova, Ph.D., vice president of Tristar Coatings Ltd., and Drew Turner, the firm’s account manager—came to COMPOSITES hoping to gain insight into entering the wind turbine market. Their Brampton, Ontario-based firm formulates and manufactures specialty coatings for the aerospace, industrial and commercial markets. “We expected the show to be full of energy, and it’s been great for us so far,” Turner said. “We believe wind is an emerging market that can bring new growth to our business, so we’re eager to learn more about it from exhibitors here.”

Like hundreds of other attendees, Melkova and Turner embody this year’s show theme, “Discover the Future of Composites Today.” COMPOSITES 2010 isn’t an event that merely stimulates the eye with decorative demonstrations and product samples. It impacts bottom lines, as vendors help attendees solve specific business issues. Many booths feature subject matter experts available to talk one-on-one about new opportunities.

“This is the place to be if you’re a composites company and you need to discover important trends and technologies in the industry,” said Jeffrey L. Cash, corporate director of sales and marketing at North Kingsville, Ohio-based Premix, a formulator and manufacturer of thermoset compounds that also makes thermoset molded parts. He said he was impressed with the show’s injection molding solutions, sealants and other products.

“We’ve already found several new leads,” said Wally Gutzmer, a salesperson with AKSA, which produces carbon fiber under the brand name AKSACA. “The business potential of this show is outstanding.” He said top-quality trade shows generate business, not just buzz, and that he’s encouraged about new revenue opportunities COMPOSITES can generate for his firm.

One reason the annual show is highly regarded by composites professionals is that vendors talk with attendees, not at them—something first-time attendee Jay Dean noticed. He spent the first few hours seeking advanced resin systems. “I’ve checked out about half the show floor, and I’m quite impressed with the experience and products of the exhibitors,” said Dean, president/owner of Next Level Design Inc., West Bend, Wis. “We usually attend the AWEA show (WINDPOWER, held by the American Wind Energy Association), and decided to come here to see what else is out there.”

Said Gutzmer: “This is a powerful, money-making show for attendees and exhibitors. We’re thrilled to be here.”

Award winners were announced at Wednesday's COMPOSITES Luncheon

COMPOSITES is more than a huge networking event and a showcase of the latest technologies. It’s also a chance for individuals and companies to honor those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and Wednesday’s Awards Luncheon recognized some of those efforts.

Cheryl Richards, Global Market Development Manager of Wind Energy for PPG Industries, received the first-ever Outstanding Volunteer award.  She received the honor in large part because of her extensive work on committees supporting green composites.

John Tickle, president of Strongwell, was this year’s President’s Award recipient. According to ACMA President Monty Felix, Tickle was honored because of his ability to develop future leaders and his compassion for those less fortunate.

Bob Lacovara and Fred Dierks, longtime industry vets who are both currently independent consultants, were elected to ACMA’s Hall of Fame. To be eligible, inductees must have attained distinction among his/her peers through their efforts, involvement and accomplishments in the composites industry and its associations.

Royce Newsome, president of Venetian of Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas, received ACMA’s Lifetime Achievement award for his long-standing industry and association leadership. To be considered for the Lifetime Achievement Award, nominees must have been involved in the composites industry for at least 20 years and must have made a significant and lasting contribution.

Several new products won Awards for Composites Excellence, which recognize technology achievement, salute excellence in composites manufacturing, and advancements in product development.

• BEST OF SHOW: California Bay House – William Kreysler & Associates, Inc.
• INFINITE POSSBILITY: Hybrid Composite Beam – Harbor Technologies, LLC
• INNOVATION IN GREEN COMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY: BRP Green Wall – Bedford Reinforced Plastics
• MOST CREATIVE APPLICATION: Bridge-in-a-Backpack – AEWC Advanced Structures & Composites Center
• PROCESS INNOVATION: One Way Flap Valve Using MIR Technology – Composites Solutions Pty Ltd.
• TECHNICAL INNOVATION FOR CORROSION APPLICATION: FRP Pilot Carbon Capture – Scrubber & Ductwork, AEP Mountaineer Station – Ershigs, Inc
• SUPERIOR QUALITY (IN AN OPEN MOLDED PART): Composite Swimming Pool with Renewable/Recyclable Content Resin System – Alaglass Pools

Pinnacle Award winners were also recognized. This award is presented for the best installations demonstrating innovation and creativity in cast polymer design and application.

• BEST OF SHOW: Robal Glass – Monroe Industries
• COMMERCIAL/SPECIALTY CATEGORY: ISIS Luxury Bath – International Marble Industries, Inc.
• RESIDENTIAL CATEGORY: Robal Glass – Monroe Industries