composites weekly

This week, Alex Blum, CEO of Applied Bioplastics joins me on the podcast to discuss bio based thermoplastic composites. Applied Bioplastics has developed a unique technology that permanently bonds natural cellulose fibers and polymer to produce durable plastic for manufacturers.

It is the first alternative to be cost-competitive with commodity feedstocks, and requires no changes to standard injection molding equipment. In addition, it utilizes the most available bio-polymer on the planet - cellulose. About 1.5 trillion tons of cellulose is produced annually. 

On this week's episode, John Kehoe of Boaz Partners joins me again to discuss the work they are doing for companies in the composites and advanced materials industry.

Boaz Partners is a premier recruiting agency that specializes in connecting exceptional talent with leading companies in cutting-edge industries like advanced materials and composites. They understand the unique skills and experiences required in these dynamic industries.

With their extensive network and deep understanding of the market, they’re committed to finding the perfect match for both candidates and companies. 

You can learn more by visiting them at BoazPartners.com/advancedmaterials.

On this episode, Kyle Jordan and Peter Hedger of the ACMA join me for a discussion on workforce development. Kyle is the director of certifications with the ACMA and Peter is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Membership. 

We'll be talking about a recent workforce development research survey that the ACMA completed back in October, and some of the data from it. The results were clear - the industry wants and needs more training. As we share some of the feedback from companies, we'll also discuss just how CCT training & certification can help improve employee retention. 

For more info on the ACMA's CCT certification programs, visit https://acmanet.org. 

On this episode, Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me to discuss some of the latest industry news including the New Vulcan Centaur rocket that successfully launched. 

The Vulcan Centaur rocket features the first use of Northrop Grumman’s Graphite Epoxy Motor solid rocket booster. At over 72 feet long and 63 inches in diameter, the GEM 63XL is the longest monolithic SRB ever produced for flight. 

For our first podcast of 2024, we wanted to start the year with a discussion on innovation. To compete and be profitable in today's marketplace, you need big, creative solutions and you need them now.

On this episode, I share an interview with Dr. Roger Firestein. He is the author of the book Create in a Flash: A Leader’s Recipe for Breakthrough Innovation.

Just as you would follow a recipe to cook a great meal, there is a recipe for creating great ideas, and Roger shares it in his book. He's trained more people to lead the creative process than anyone else in the world. He helped Clorox solve a 77-year-old problem in 15 minutes and helped save General Motors $50,000 per week! 

Create in a Flash is based on Roger's 40 years of helping companies unleash the innovation of their workforce. Roger’s clients include AT&T, SC Johnson, Disney, Hilton, NASA and over 600 other organizations big and small

Roger is a Senior Faculty member at the International Center for Studies in Creativity, and President of Innovation Resources, Inc.

You can learn more about him at https://rogerfirestien.com. 

This week Stephen Nolet, senior director, innovation & technology for TPI joins me on the podcast. TPI was founded in 1968 and since 2001, has manufactured over 90,000 wind blades.

They are a global company focused on innovative and sustainable solutions to decarbonize and electrify the world. They accounted for approximately 38% of all onshore wind blades on a megawatt basis globally, excluding China, in 2022. 

TPI is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and they've expanded their global footprint to include domestic facilities in Newton, Iowa; Warren, Rhode Island; and Santa Teresa, New Mexico and international facilities in Kolding, Denmark; Chennai, India; Juarez, Mexico; Matamoros, Mexico; and Izmir, Turkey.

Their mission is to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to decarbonize and electrify the world by expanding the adoption of renewable energy.

On this episode, Steve will be sharing the background of TPI and the incredible opportunities ahead in the wind energy market. Wind energy is expected to make up over 30% of electricity generation in 2050 with close to 8,000 gigawatts installed. Compare this to approximately 830 gigawatts generated in 2021! 

You can learn more about TPI by visiting https://tpicomposites.com. 

This is part 3 of our interviews from CAMX 2023 in Atlanta last week. 

This episode features interviews with Daniel Neumann, Andrew Pokelwaldt and Peter Hedger of the ACMA, as well as companies like Toray Advanced Composites and CEAD. 

This week Madeline Wehrle joins me on the show. She is the business development manager at Re:Build, a company that develops and manufactures technologically advanced products from concept through production at scale here in the United States using a "Brain to Box™" process.

Re:Build offers customers a new model of American industrialization. They've developed a combination of manufacturing operations and engineering capabilities that enable their customers to grow a local, robust, competitive business.

Projects begin with concept development and product engineering. Then they work closely with customers to develop a highly flexible manufacturing process and solution or, as they like to say, go from Brain to Box™. 

We'll be discussing their process and some of the industries they're involve with. 

You can learn more by visiting https://rebuildmanufacturing.com. 

On this episode, ACMA consultant Andrew Pokelwald joins me to discuss how the composites industry is meeting infrastructure challenges. In construction projects, many are seeing the cost-saving advantages of building with highly durable and innovative composite materials.

Composites offer the advantages of corrosion resistance and durability, leading to longer service life for structures.

We'll be looking at some of the biggest opportunities in infrastructure and how composite manufacturers are meeting those challenges. 

This week David Morgan, the chief strategy officer at Carbon Rivers joins me to discuss their upcycle programs in the wind energy, automotive, marine, construction, and glass fiber markets. 

Based in Knoxville, TN Carbon Rivers is the only company in the world that can upcycle glass fiber and provide clean, mechanically intact glass and composite intermediates for various OEMs. They are also the only company in the world that supplies and deploys pristine graphene nanoplatelet flakes for a variety of global industries. 

This technology company is dedicated to sustainable, green circular economies. 

Instead of incineration, landfill, or aggregate in other materials, Carbon Rivers reclaims glass fiber from a variety of production and end of life waste streams in order to provide clean, high-quality glass fiber. 

You can learn more about their technologies by visiting them at www.carbonrivers.com. 

On this episode, Zach Sinz of Stoner Molding Solutions joins me. Known for superior performance and consistent quality, Stoner has been helping manufacturers mold more parts in less time since 1942. Every Stoner formulation is designed to optimize your production process and significantly improve your bottom line.

Stoner’s brand portfolio offers solutions for any molding process. If you can mold it, they can release it. They manufacture molding solutions for the thermoplastics, polyurethanes, composites, rotational, rubber, fiber, and investment casting industries.

You can learn more by visiting www.stonermolding.com. 

On this episode, I share an interview with Nick Santhanam, author of the best-selling book, The Titanium Economy. While silicon valley tech companies tend to dominate today's news headlines, many of the fastest-growing, most profitable companies in the United States are firms you’ve likely never heard of.

These booming companies belong to a burgeoning sector—industrial tech. This sector offers surprising hope to workers, consumers, and investors alike. You'll hear Nick explain why the future of America's industrial economy is bright. 

On this episode, we feature an interview with Joannie Harmon at IACMI's annual member meeting discussing workforce education.
IACMI has made workforce education and development a pillar of its mission, along with composites R&D and commercialization.

You can learn more by visiting https://iacmi.org/workforce. 

On this episode, regular guest Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me to discuss the topic of industry consolidation. We explore the impact of mergers & acquisitions on the future of composites. 

Over the past year, we have seen monumental shifts and transformations, with particular emphasis on the flurry of mergers and acquisitions that have created a seismic shift in our industry's landscape.

The composites industry has been, for decades, a critical player in driving technological advancements and sustainable solutions across multiple sectors, from aerospace to automotive, construction to wind energy. It has been the unsung hero behind numerous innovations, providing the raw materials that enable us to push the boundaries of what's possible.

But, like any sector in the global market, the composites industry isn't immune to the forces of change. In an era defined by digital disruption, geopolitical tensions, and environmental challenges, businesses have had to adapt and reinvent themselves. The rapid rate of consolidation through mergers and acquisitions is a testament to these forces at play.

But what does this mean for the future of our industry?

Today we’ll try and dissect the nuances of these mergers and acquisitions, and assess their potential impact on our industry's future. 

Some sources we'll refer to are below: 

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insightsnew/chemicals/changing-face-ma

https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/de/Documents/energy-resources/gx-global-chemicals-ma-outlook-2023.pdf

https://compositesmanufacturingmagazine.com/2022/02/84417/

On this episode, Brian Fitzgerald, the CRO at Augury joins me to discuss how A.I. is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry with its ability to predict machine and equipment failure, enhancing efficiency and reducing downtime costs. 

Augury is a Billion manufacturing tech company that is unlocking production capacity, predictability, and sustainability while transforming how manufacturing teams work. 

You can learn more about Augury by visiting https://www.augury.com. 

This week I welcome Nick Castelucci to the show. Nick is the managing partner at Prestige Tooling, based out of Elkhart, IN. Nick and his team have over 25 years of experience in mold making with over 6,000 completed molds. 

On this episode, he'll share some of the history of their company, as well as some of the industries they serve. 

Their company is also one of the first mold makers in North America to bring in a cutting-edge new additive manufacturing 3D printer. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting https://prestigetooling.com. 

This week, I welcome Mike Graham on the show. Mike is the founder and president of Real Carbon, a composite engineering company with a long history of high-quality work. 

Through 35 years of industry experience, they've helped their clients design custom carbon fiber products for all types of applications. These include the consumer, industrial, marine, medical, military, musical, recreational, and UAV industries.

Mike Graham is a chemist with a passion for all things composites related. He is originally from St. Andrews in Scotland and moved to the US in 1987. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting https://realcarbon.com. 

On this episode, Ben Gibbons of Circular11 joins me to share how their startup company is turning plastic waste into low-carbon building products that outlast and outperform traditional building materials. 

In the UK, 75% of plastic goes to waste, and a significant reason for this is the cross-polymer contamination that is an inseparable part of the recycling system. 

The mixture of plastics, and the range of chemicals in them, means that manufacturers can't achieve consistent product characteristics, and therefore don't buy the waste streams.

The team at Circular 11 has developed a process control system that dynamically adjusts our own sets of composite formulations to achieve a consistent, high quality output from low-grade variable inputs. 

They currently manufacture and sell products to validate the technology, and will then license the process control system to other manufacturers, enabling the wider polymer processing sector to use low-grade plastic as a functional feedstock.

You can learn more about their company by visiting https://circular11.com. 

This week Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me on the show as we discuss some of the expanded applications for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). CMCs are widely used in the aerospace and energy sectors but their ability to be used in extreme conditions (high heat) makes them attractive for other industries as well. 

This week I welcome Douglas Gardner on the show. He's the professor and program leader of sustainable materials technology in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine. He's also a member of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Forest Bioproducts Research Institute.  

His research, teaching, and service activities focus on polymer and interfacial science aspects of wood-polymer composite materials. 

He is also involved in research in the areas of adhesion and surface science, cellulose nanocomposites and extruded wood plastic composites, and additive manufacturing.