GREENVILLE, S.C. — October 20, 2017 — Covering complex, 3-D shapes requires an elastic fabric that won’t loosen over time. That’s why Tammy Hampton, owner of Cover Girl Marine Canvas and Upholstery, chose Safety Components’ innovative WeatherMAX 3D for a recent project. It delivers the flexibility she needed when fabricating a cover for a large marine outboard engine.

“I thought this project would be an ideal use for the fabric,” said Hampton. “It has the ability to fit right and look good. It’s really unique.” She had previously used it on a custom race car cover with great results.

Hampton has been working with the original WeatherMAX technical fabric since its introduction, so she understands the unique qualities that make WeatherMAX 3D perfect for difficult to fit applications. It’s UV- and fade-resistant, and 100-percent pigment solution-dyed for color consistency and durability. Soft and pliable, it’s water resistant, yet breathable.

“It needs a serged or overlap seam due to the stretch,” she notes, “but it’s really easy to work with.” WeatherMAX 3D expands up to 30 percent under tension, but when released, goes back to its original shape.

A rarity in the marine industry, Buford, Georgia-based Cover Girl Marine Canvas and Upholstery is woman-owned and women-run. It fabricates a complete range of boat coverings and upholstery. Multi-dimensional and continually diversifying, the company has a full e-commerce operation with its patented EZ-Xtend boat zipper for canvas that has shrunk over time. Its website is www.covergirl-marine-canvas-upholstery.com.

WeatherMAX 3D is made in the United States for long-lasting performance in extreme environments. The fabric is ideal for a wide range of applications that require durability and elasticity.

Posted October 20, 2017

Source: Safety Components

SOLON, Ohio — October 19, 2017 — An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a comprehensive, internationally-harmonized report that documents the ways in which a product, throughout its lifecycle, affects the environment.

As the global leader in strong long-lasting architectural membranes, SHEERFILL has always been committed to working towards sustainability. As a result of our commitment, Sheerfill is the only PTFE coated architectural membrane that is Energy Star and Cool Roof Rated.

“Our company is committed to producing materials that meet the highest levels of both performance and sustainability. The release of this document allows us to be transparent with SHEERFILL users and project owners about the products they are using so that they, too, can reach their sustainability and quality goals,” Michael Lussier, Global Market Leader for SHEERFILL said.

Time and time again, real-life use has shown that Sheerfill Architectural Membrane provides up to 25 years or more of reliable service. The first installation of Sheerfill II has been in continuous use, since 1973, at the University of La Verne.

Sheerfill II is manufactured by Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials company.

Posted October 19, 2017

Source: Saint-Gobain

ORLANDO, Fla. — October 19, 2017 — CAMX announces its list of exhibitors and conference program are now available for the rescheduled CAMX – The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, taking place December 11-14, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. Housing and registration are open for attendees as well. Now in its fourth year, CAMX-The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, co-produced by the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), is North America’s premier event for composite products, solutions, networking, and advanced industry thinking.

CAMX is an all-encompassing event that connects and advances all of the world’s composites and advanced materials communities — research and development, engineering, manufacturing, service providers and end users.

“CAMX staff has worked tirelessly over the past month and a half to ensure that attendees get the same amazing experience they’ve come to expect every year,” says Heather Rhoderick, senior vice president of Events and Information at ACMA and CAMX show director. “We have had a strong turnout from our exhibitors and our speakers, and appreciate the industry support for our new dates. The number of people who were able to make their schedules work for the dates is a testament to how important CAMX is to our industry.”

On December 12, the conference program kicks off with the general session, sponsored by Owens Corning, featuring CAMX Live! — a dynamic series of presentations from three “disruptive innovators” in the industry — James Antonic, president/CEO of Composites Building Structures, Kurt Jordan, Oracle Team USA Designer, and Kerry Manning, Aerostructures engineer at Boom Technology, Inc. To learn more about the speakers’ backgrounds, click here.  CAMX offers eight tracks of programming, including: additive manufacturing; advances in materials; business, regulatory and workforce development, design, analysis and simulation; green and sustainability, manufacturing and processing technologies; market applications; and non-destructive evaluation and testing.

Details such for all education and technical paper sessions during the show, featured sessions and pre-conference tutorials, as well as an updated exhibitor list, floorplan and services provided by the exhibitors are all available online on the CAMX website. To get the most of CAMX, attendees can use the MyCAMX Planner to find and keep track of programming and exhibits or create their own calendar of events and list of exhibits to visit.  Appointments with exhibitors can also be requested, and searches can be conducted to identify the products and services of exhibitors.

Registration is now open for anyone who had not previously registered.  CAMX attendees can register as a student, a non-member, or a member of ACMA or SAMPE. All attendees can register through the CAMX website.  Additionally, housing is also open.  The Hyatt Regency will serve as the headquarters hotel.  Anyone planning to attend CAMX in December needs to make housing reservations.

Attendees and exhibitors can follow @the_CAMX, @ACMAcomposites, or @SAMPE for show updates, and are encouraged to post about their experience with the hashtag #CAMX17.

Posted October 19, 2017

Source: CAMX

BRUSSELS — October 19, 2017 — With the Nonwovens Innovation Academy approaching, EDANA’s Scientific & Technical Affairs Director Marines Lagemaat caught up with keynote speaker Omar Hoek, executive vice president at Ahlstrom-Munksjö to discuss innovation in today’s connected world.

Marines Lagemaat (ML): You’re going to talk about innovation’s toughest question: what are we really trying to solve? Could you already reveal (part of) your viewpoint in a few lines?


Omar Hoek (OH): People try to find solutions based on their rationale and knowledge. Especially in the scientific world: you learn critical thinking methods and apply that in research and development.

In today’s connected world the opportunities and trends are driven by impulses, trends and technology that can change at the speed of light and overnight …. Are we prepared, structured and do we have the right DNA ready for that unstable mass and, do we want to lead or follow this trend?

ML: Innovation, in particular the process of innovating is difficult to manage, some companies use some form of stage gate process. What is your experience with such tools? Do they meet their purpose? Are there alternatives?


OH: Innovation processes “a la” stage gate, come from eras where we wanted control and research and actual innovation had a clear predictable target and we got “organized” around it for structural, budgeting and accountability purposes.

In today’s world we see a different type of innovation, fast pace vs slow, predictable vs random behaviour, existing versus new technology, with or without external partners etc. …
It gets very complex to make a one size fits all model for this type of innovation… but a mechanism that has its ear to the ground when a new trend-train is coming is an absolute must

ML: How can multinational companies like yours innovate and optimize the know-how that is available at different sites? Related to this, how can large companies share know-how between sites?


OH: In the historical material industry, sites where very much a standalone capability with their own eco-system and boundaries. In today’s world these doors have been opened and synergies happen between competencies centres as matter of survival. Multiple sites belong to a single business and cross virtual teams are established to deliver the desired outcome. Where people sit has become secondary.

In short: business targets become the true north, not necessarily the location and boss you report to. This requires strong strategic leadership and communication to make people believe and follow.

ML: Would you qualify innovation as a pull or a push process?


OH: That fully depends on nature of the organization. Stable, controlled and predictable innovation is most of the time a push process (sell what we can and control), whereas a pull process deals with all the uncertainties from failing and financial disaster to great success and victory – so a much broader spectrum.

A hybrid model where you fully anticipate consumer needs and have an organization dedicated to that (pull), but combined with the muscle of “all means” technology (push) spread through right channels and markets ….
You need to be so to say right and left handed… and that feels naturally uncomfortable.

ML: More often than not, companies try to answer the question ‘how can we create value for the consumer’ while finishing the sentence with the words ‘using our current assets’. This is very understandable, or are they missing great opportunities this way?


OH: Using current assets is the natural gravitation to the belief that it fits your existing competencies and using those won’t get anyone fired – isn’t it? Reality however is that many assets and technologies can be accessed through alliance, partnerships or acquisition.

What is much more important these days is that you have channel access, understand the language, identify the opportunity and develop solutions that ultimately need to be produced, ideally on the internal assets. But, if it is financially viable, why not look outside or invest in a new area?
Building a new innovation business should be led by the most senior and respectful leader in a company to disrupt and overcome challenges. Many companies make the mistake of giving a small project or a new innovation in the market to a young graduate student (seen as low risk) – imagine the natural struggle and failure ahead…

Posted October 19, 2017

Source: EDANA