Manufacturers want to enter new and emerging markets, and they want to know how suppliers will help them, says Bill Luzier, business director, energy, building & construction at Arkema Inc. “Many of our customers are looking for areas that will fuel their growth, especially in the economy downtimes we’ve had in the past two years,” he says. “So we frequently get questions around what we you have that’ new, what kind of things can we provide us that will help them get into those areas.”

Arkema, which will highlight its line of organic peroxides, reactivity controllers and other products at Composites 2010, is focused on alternative energy applications, Luzier says. The BlocBuilder RC-50 reactivity controller, for instance, is helping manufacturers adopt infusion and pultrusion processes that fit wind energy applications. “Those wind blades are very thick parts,” says Luzier. “The infusion process can be used to make those very thick parts, so the RC 50 will enable some of our customers to produce those kinds of parts through an infusion process where they would have struggled before.” Additionally, Luzier says the use or RC 50 results in improved adhesion, toughness and pigment dispersion in the cured product.

Arkema will exhibit at Booth #729