Nearly $130 billion dollars is needed to repair deteriorating infrastructures throughout North America. 

And while steel and concrete may be the most popular methods for reinforcing structures, they are labor-intensive and time-consuming. 

CIISolutions was formed in 2018 by Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam to provide a better solution. They specialize in the repair and strengthening of structures like bridges, parking structures, and seawalls with Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP).

CII Solutions is an engineering and manufacturing company based in Canada, and they provide advanced, sustainable, and cost-efficient solutions for the civil engineering sector.

This week, Dr. Abdulsalam joins me on the show to talk about the work they are doing at CII Solutions. 

Dr. Bahira Abdulsalam has a Masters's Degree in structural strengthening using composites, a Pd.D. in FRP internal reinforcement, and a Post-doctorate Industrial Fellowship in composite manufacturing.

This week, I welcome William Hoff CEO of Geopolymer International, a firm that creates and distributes ecologically friendly building materials. William has been in
the construction industry for over 40 years, with experience in massive projects and is an expert in concrete and concrete alternatives.

William focuses on sustainable materials, and commits to bringing new technologies compliant with standard certifications, and permitting requirements needed to make them a reality. Currently, he's working with Geopolymer, 3-D concrete printing, and modular housing to achieve his goals.

You can learn more about them by visiting https://geopolymerinternational.com. 

This week, Martin Gambling of GRM Consulting joins me on the show to discuss how they are using OmniQuest's GENESIS is being used in the Motorsports industry today, and is migrating into automotive hypercar development, mainstream automotive, and marine composites sector as well. 

This week, Bob Barsotti the global R&D manager of Arkema joins me on the show to discuss their Kepstan Pekk Resins. 

These polyether-ketone-ketone resins are made from a tailored combination of two monomers and are designed for applications requiring extreme performance, usually in a combination of multiple categories.

Compared to PEEK resins, Kepstan^® PEKK resins generally offer higher temperature performance, significantly higher compression strength, a broader range of tailored properties, improved barrier performance, and a better coefficient of friction control.

You can learn more by visiting https://www.extremematerials-arkema.com/en/product-families/kepstan-pekk-polymer-range/ 

This past week Bentley Park, CEO of APJeT®, Inc. joined me on the show to discuss their unique air plasma technology and the benefits to a number of industries including the composites and additive manufacturing industry. 

APJeT® is an advanced technology company located in Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, NC. They recently announced a new industrial application for its breakthrough air plasma technology.

Eliminating the need for heat and chemicals for substrate preparation prior to dyeing or printing, the APJeT cold plasma process increases wettability and adhesion, while reducing safety risks, environmental impact, and degradation of the substrate material.

This week, I have a two-part interview with Chris Hurdleston and Marcos Vidal of ACS International, and also Marco Suess of Dorfner. 

ACS International is a leading supplier of raw materials for composites industries such as cast polymer, solid surface, and fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP).

On this episode, I welcome two guests from the transportation industry to discuss the two biggest drivers of increasing rates in the US - COVID-19, and supply chain disruptions. 

Jim Grundy, a transportation expert, and CEO of Sisu energy joins me for the first part of the discussion, and John Barnett of Steamboat Transportation Group joins me for the 2nd part. 

On this episode, we’ll be discussing the ongoing resin supply issues with Steve Wetzel of Interplastic, and Dirk De Vuyst of IMI. 

Steve will be discussing the cause of resin supply shortages. As many know, the February freeze in Texas triggered mass blackouts and led to chemical plant shutdowns that are disrupting supply chains, causing a shortage of raw materials.

Dirk will be sharing some proactive strategies manufacturing members can implement during these challenging times. These include the 4 P’s – Protecting current customers, Pricing based on new costing, Procuring materials ahead of time, and Producing efficiently.

This week Tim Ross and David Dytman of RimCraft join me on this episode to discuss their custom equipment solutions for our industry. 

RimCraft of ROI Equipment is a company well known in the industries they service for having a wide array of standardized machines used universally throughout the GRFC, GRFG, and Resin industries, they are also able to customize their products to meet your specific needs.

As engineers, David and Tim understand the chemistry of the materials so well that they are able to design customize their systems accordingly, in a way that most big companies cannot.

David and Tim were recently approached by Tesla Motors to provide a syntactic dispense system for their car battery packs. They made the decision to pursue this project, and it has expanded to their new facility in Shanghai, China.

Every Tesla Model 3 on the road now utilizes RimCraft's technology. As a result of this relationship with Tesla, they have been able to expand their production capabilities.

On this episode, we'll be discussing their line of resin systems as well as the fact that RimCraft now offers replacement parts for the old 2400 and 4600 pumps that have been discontinued by MVP. 

You can learn more by visiting their website at https://www.rimcraft.com. 

This week Scott Acton, CEO of Forte Specialty Contractors joins me on the show to share their story as a company serving the hospitality, restaurant, nightlife, and entertainment industries. 

Scott's entrance into this arena began with a long family history of Disney projects, which is known for creative, unusual experiences requiring innovative construction techniques.

Part of developing this skill set for Scott included attending “Disney University” where he learned the business and leadership skills necessary to build a successful career.

His early work comprises several landmarks across North America, including portions of Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, and Disney, showcasing Scott’s affinity to thematic design and construction.

Scott continues his legacy of innovation as the CEO of Forté and on this episode, you hear him share how they've expanded as a company to the point where they now use 3D printing to produce mockups of projects for their clients and subcontractors. They boast the largest 3D printer of-its-kind in the state of Nevada. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting them at https://fortedesignbuild.com. 

This week Jesse Henry, CEO of Heartland Industries joins me on the podcast to discuss their company. Heartland Industries provides manufacturers with a sustainable source of additives like fillers, reinforcements, & mineral extenders to enhance products they already make. 

On this episode, we'll be discussing the benefits of hemp fibers and how they process the hemp plant to make materials that are stronger, lighter, and cheaper than traditional products. 

American manufacturers would love to utilize hemp as an additive, but they don’t currently have a reliable supply chain. This leaves hemp sitting in the R&D departments of large corporations and universities. 

Today Heartland Industries is creating the first reliable supply chain of hemp-based materials for manufacturers across the composites industry. This will allow hemp to move beyond R&D departments and into manufactured goods. 

On this episode, John Schweitzer joins me to discuss the latest news on pending updates from OSHA on workplace exposure to styrene.

John is the senior adviser to the president of the American Composites Manufacturers Association. For questions, he can be reached at jschweitzer@acmanet.org. 

This week, I welcome Eric van Uden of Solico on the show to discuss a recent news event where a runaway train was saved by a composite "whale's tail" sculpture designed by Solico Engineering. 

This week, Alex Sassenberg joins me on the podcast to share the story of Reckless Motorcycles, a company driven by a passion for Motorcycling & Powersports. With more than 60 combined years of experience in the fiberglass & motorcycle industry, they provide their customers with the best line of quality parts in the industry. 

Over 90 percent of their parts are manufactured with closed molding technology, eliminating VOC's and ensuring a safe & green workplace environment. All of their products are manufactured in-house from start to finish. 

They also provide tooling for boat manufacturers as well.

https://www.recklessmotorcycles.com. 

This week I feature a recent interview with Andrew Pokelwaldt as he joined me to discuss some quality control tips for open mold fabrication facilities that use gel coats and resins. The interview is based on a recent article he wrote entitled “The Importance of Temperature and Measurement“.

Andrew is the director of Certifications, American Composites Manufacturers Association. You can email him at apokelwaldt@acmanet.org.

On this episode, we’ll address the topic of the ever-increasing manufacturing skills gap in the US and what is being done to engage and inspire more young Americans of all backgrounds to build great careers in the manufacturing trades. 

This is a two-part episode, featuring interviews with two guests. 

My first guest is Sarah Boisvert. She is the author of The New Collar Workforce: An Insider’s Guide to Making Impactful Changes to Manufacturing and Training. It’s a culmination of research with 200 manufacturers in the US on the skills needed mostly for operators and technicians on the factory floor.  

My 2nd guest is Chris Brenchley, the co-founder, and CEO of Surehand. Surehand is a self-service hiring platform that instantly matches industrial employers with skilled tradespeople.

Workers can create their free Surehand profile here: https://surehand.com

Employers can learn more and create their Surehand Recruiter preview account here: https://surehand.com/employers. 

This week, I welcome Eugene Giller, and Alex Orphanos of RIZE on the show to discuss their newest RIZIUM™ Glass Fiber Material, a composite 3D printing material with the high-dimensional stability and high stiffness for the strength required for printing large parts.

RIZE Inc. is a next-generation additive manufacturing company helping customers drive sustainable and inclusive innovation. Prestigious organizations such as NASA, PSMI, Wichita State University, and the US Army use RIZE solutions to support their additive manufacturing needs.

RIZIUM Glass Fiber is the only composite 3D printing material suitable for full-color parts, and the stability to support parts with complex geometries that often can warp. It also doesn't expose the user to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carcinogens that are often emitted by more typical ABS and PLA materials.

RIZIUM GF is recyclable, requires minimal to no post-processing to remove support structures, 

It is UL GREENGUARD certified, and safe to be used at home by those teams that are not fully back in a factory setting due to the pandemic. This new material expands the portfolio of the RIZIUM Alliance, where other 3D printing industry partners can implement safer, sustainable, recyclable 3D printing on a variety of platforms, such as the RIZE 2XC.

You can learn more by visiting https://www.rize3d.com/materials/rizium-gf. 

This week, I welcome Bob Yancey of Hexcel on the show. Hexcel is a leading producer of carbon fiber reinforcements and resin systems and the world leader in honeycomb manufacturing for the commercial aerospace industry. 

Bob is the business development director for Hexcel and his work includes developing new and emerging business opportunities for advanced composites & new manufacturing technologies like powder bed fusion with reinforcement, automated fiber placement, and automated tape laying. 

This week Tom Wright of Bedford Reinforced Plastics (BRP) rejoins me on the show to discuss the ReadyLadder, the first-of-its-kind modular fixed ladder system. It allows for easy
installation and faster shipment than custom fixed ladders.

The ready-to-ship access ladders are produced using Bedford’s long-lasting, FRP material. They won’t rust, rot, corrode or conduct electricity, and they’re lightweight for easy installation.

ReadyLadder is able to stand up to high humidity, saltwater, insects, harsh climates, and other tough environments. 

This makes it an excellent choice for a wide range of industries, including cooling towers, mining, oil and gas, plant and chemical processing, pulp and paper, utilities, wastewater, and water treatment and more.

This week, Francesco Pantaleone of Roboze joins me to discuss their company. Roboze was founded back in 2013 with a team of professional visionaries in the 3D printing sector with a passion for challenging design standards on a global scale.

Roboze customers turn to Roboze engineers to address and surpass their industrial needs in the Oil & Gas, Automotive, Motorsport, Aerospace, Manufacturing, and Defense sectors.

Their singular mission is to provide the best professional 3D printers, with FFF technology for extreme industrial applications through continuous product innovation, to create tangible competitive advantages in terms of precision, flexibility, personalization, and convenience for their end customers.

These are the strengths that separate Roboze from its competition.

This week, I welcome Paul Hassett, the Market Development Manager at Covestro, North America. He joins me on the show to discuss the benefits of Covestro's Maezio® thermoplastic composites.

These composites combine high mechanical strength with premium aesthetics and ultra-lightweight performance. They also boast versatile processing options for production at scale thanks to compatibility with several production technologies including thermal compression molding, automated tape laying (ATL), automated fiber placement (AFP), and functional integration by injection molding.

These composite materials are characterized by their unique, metal-like surface immediately after production, which is also compatible with a wide range of coating and embellishment options.

Also, unique textures, logos, and other details are possible, making structural parts more aesthetically appealing.

We'll be discussing some of the product applications these materials are now being used in. 

You can learn more by visiting composites.covestro.com. 

On this episode, Jeff Austad of Ventilation Solutions joins me on the show to discuss some of the custom engineering services they offer to the composites industry. 

Ventilation Solutions brings 30 plus years of experience in providing engineered solutions for customers needing industrial air moving equipment, emission control, dust control, air handling, and HVAC systems in composite fabrication facilities as well as industrial manufacturing and warehousing industries.

They have extensive experience in the development of ventilation systems specifically for composite/fiberglass materials, gelcoat, lamination, closed molding, grinding, sanding, and dust collection.

Jeff will be discussing the unique value Ventilation Solutions offers to our industry; one being they’re a single-source contractor that makes sure that their customer’s facilities are code compliant, safe, and contaminant-free with a total customized solution that is specific to their operation. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting them at https://ventilationsolutions.com or if you have questions, you can reach Jeff at jaustad@sbsmechanical.com.

This week, I welcome Bill Rice of Magnum Venus Products on the show to discuss the latest in gelcoat spray technology and also maintenance best practices for spray gun operators to help plants save money on equipment parts, seals, and gaskets. 

Bill has been in the FRP industry almost his whole life.  His father owned a commercial boat building business back in the 70’s.  He started working with him in his early teens until his father sold the business in the mid 80’s. Bill started with Magnum Venus Products back in 2000 and has served as a sales technician with them for the last 20 years.

On this episode, Bill will also be sharing some details on MVP’s multi-color systems for FRP manufacturers who want to spray multiple colors without paying for three individual spray units. 

To learn more about MVP”s technology, visit their website at https://www.mvpind.com.

On this episode, Jennifer Towner joins me to give an update on the cancellation of POLYCON 2020. 

This week, I welcome Amaël Cohades, Ph.D., CEO of CompPair Technologies on the show to discuss how they are bringing healable and sustainable composite material solutions to extend the lifetime of composite parts, contributing to a circular economy in the industry.

CompPair Technologies Ltd. is the result of 12 years of thorough research in self-healing composites in the Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Amaël is joined by a highly complementary team, with a strong network in the composites industry and a wealth of experienced advisors. Their pre-impregnated textiles allow composite parts to fully recover their initial properties in minutes while suppressing the usual repair waste.

Overall, CompPair has the potential to reduce composite resources needs by half. We'll be discussing this technology and the applications,  as well as the research that has gone into its development.