On this episode, we share some interviews from CAMX 2023 in Atlanta last week. It was a great show and we had the opportunity to speak with several companies during the event.
We'll be making these "CAMX interviews" a three part segment.
For part one, we feature interviews with Paua, a UK-based material technology company, and CAMX award finalist. This episode also includes interviews with John Kehoe of Boaz Partners, Adam Harms, the founder of Modulus, and John Thoma of Gefran.
This week Ryan Oner of AKPA Chemicals joins me to share some of the latest news from their company. AKPA Chemicals specializes in the production of organic peroxides & initiators.
They'll be featuring at CAMX in Atlanta next week and will be located at booth T44.
You can visit their website at https://akpachemicalus.com.
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, John H Moore of JHM Technologies joins me on the podcast. For over 30 years JHM Technologies, Inc. has provided closed molders worldwide with proven closed molding solutions. Known globally by their passion for the industry and assisting molders to achieve their closed molding goals. JHM Technologies' innovative approach provides molders with custom turn-key packages that are precisely tuned to meet their production needs.
John is the president of the company and he'll be discussing some new technology they've developed to assist open molders. This technology retrofits on to existing spray systems and helps resin & gel coat operators maintain proper catalyst levels during temperature changes inside the plant.
On this episode, Cindy Squires and Rebekah Stacha join me to highlight CAMX 2023 taking place down in Atlanta at the end of October. CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America.
It offers a robust education program with a massive exhibit hall showcasing hundreds of manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. You can register today by visiting https://www.thecamx.org.
You can check out a list of ACE and CAMX award finalists at: https://camx23.mapyourshow.com/8_0/sessions/#/searchtype/sessionkeyword/search/Award%20Entries/show/all.
On this episode, Dan Neumann joins me to discuss how a government shutdown will affect our industry for the short term. Dan is the
provide a unique setting to meet with Members of Congress and agency leadership to educate them on the valuable capabilities of composites and further open markets.
You can learn more by visiting https://acma-org.my.site.com/flyin2024.
This week, Colin Mackinnon of PPSS Group joins me on the podcast. Colin is a specialist consultant in PPE options, workplace violence and staff security.
PPSS Group is an internationally recognized firm specializing in the development and supply of high-performance personal protective equipment, clothing, and workwear, offering protection from edged weapons, blades, hypodermic needles, blunt force trauma, and bites.
Their stab vests body armor is made from an ultra high-performance carbon fiber composite, offering fully certified, operationally sound, and thoroughly field-tested levels of protection from edged weapons.
You can learn more about them, by visiting their website at www.ppss-group.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 Dr. Rigoberto Advincula joins me on the podcast to discuss some of their work research on using image-driven machine learning (ML) to optimize the thermo-mechanical properties of 3D Printed Composites.
Dr. Advincula is a Governor's Chair Professor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee. He is the Group Leader of the Macromolecular Nanomaterials Group at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences(CNMS), ORNL. He was a Full Professor (now Adjunct) at Case Western Reserve University.
You can read more by visiting https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359836823004614?dgcid=coauthor.
On this episode, Wagner Paglia of BlueWind Technology joins me to discuss their company and one of the recent milestones they achieved - manufacturing 1,500 nacelle covers in 40 months with just one set of molds.
Based in Pensacola, FL, BlueWind is a fast-growing company that specializes in manufacturing composite materials for applications with high technical requirements, such as those present in wind power generation, agricultural and petrochemical industries.
The 1,500 nacelle covers produced by BlueWind were part of a contract signed in late 2019 with GE Renewable Energy.
Made of composites through the infusion process, nacelle covers house such critical wind system components as the wind turbine generator, gear box, brake, and controller.
You can learn more about their company by visiting https://bluewindtechnology.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, I welcome Kyle Jordan to the show. Kyle is the new director of certifications with the ACMA. Their CCT program supports professional development and facilitates uniform training and technical skills. It’s the only certification program of its kind in the industry.
This program is completed online and provides enrollees with all the resources needed to succeed in becoming a Certified Composites Technician.
You can learn more by visiting acmanet.org and going to “education hub”.
If you have questions about CCT training you can email Kyle at kjordan@acmanet.org.
On this episode, Alvin Ericson joins me to discuss GFRP rebar technology and the growing advantage in the infrastructure market.
With a long and costly history of corrosion worldwide, steel is no longer viewed as a cost-effective option in aggressive environments. Many governments and businesses can no longer afford the short or long-term costs associated with black steel. Placing unprotected, rusty re-bar in new concrete structures is being eliminated in many parts of the world.
Alvin is an independent technical consultant in North America specializing in fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) and fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) systems. Since 1988, he's been introducing new reinforcing technology to the precast concrete market.
We'll be discussing some of the latest GFRP technology, that includes the GBar, GWall, and GBolt. You can learn more by visiting https://www.gbar-gbolt.com.
This week Peter Hedger, of Composite Applications Group joins me as co-host as we welcome Martin Mclaughlin to discuss the Implosion of OceanGate’s Titan and Aerospace Certification Methods.
There has been a lot of speculation that the submersible implosion was due to the composite cylinder fatigue after repeated dives. On this episode, we'll be discussing the best practices for the design, development, and certification of a modern composite shell for deep-sea applications.
Martin has 22 years of experience in tactical aircraft and B-2 development; 17 years of space transportation systems development, with experience in advanced composite structures and composite cryogenic propellant tanks.
He's the founder of McLaughlin Aerospace LLC and has been involved in accident investigations during his career.
On this episode, Nick Ciparro joins me on the podcast.
Nick is the Chief R&D scientist at Carbon Rivers, a company that develops and commercializes technologies such as:
Nick has s super interesting story to share of how he got into the world of advanced materials and composites.
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, Scott Lewitt of Structural Composites Inc. joins me to discuss a newly installed composite bridge in Tennessee that they've developed, and how this structure is being used to showcase sustainable solutions for aging infrastructure.
This FRP bridge replaces a decades-old concrete crossing which, like many rural bridges across the nation, was rated structurally deficient and outdated.
The University of Tennessee and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) partnered with Morgan County, TN, and Morgan County Highway Superintendent Joe Miller to create an affordable bridge that can be installed quickly and will safely meet transportation needs
You can see this bridge by visiting https://compositebridge.org.
On this episode, Tobi Ferguson, CEO of Magnum Venus Products, joins me at the IACMI Member Meeting to discuss their new $20 million expansion.
Magnum Venus Products (MVP), a global manufacturer of fluid movement and production solutions for industrial applications, is expanding its footprint and capabilities with the purchase of this new facility and land in East Tennessee.
This expansion will enable MVP to increase its manufacturing velocity and meet customer demand.
Tobi will be sharing the details of this new facility as well as MVP's mission moving forward as a solutions provider for the composites industry.
You can learn more about MVP by visiting https://www.mvpind.com.
On this episode, Haley Marie Keith, the CEO of Mito Materials joins me during IACMI's annual member meeting. MITO’s technology is the “first and only” process to functionalize substances like graphene oxide and biomaterials—creating hybrid additives that give fiber-reinforced composites and thermoplastics lab-verified improvements in strength, durability, flexibility, and sustainability.
Their technology can be integrated into a variety of production processes, including:
You can learn more by visiting https://mitomaterials.com.
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://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, Jesus Zozaya and James Pickard of Voltera join me on the show to discuss the future of additive electronics and how it is revolutionizing so many industries - including composites.
Votera, is a company that makes rapid prototyping platforms for printed electronics — from traditional circuit boards to the flexible, stretchable, conformable, and biocompatible electronics of tomorrow. The best and brightest minds are using Voltera's NOVA platform to push the boundaries of innovation - boundaries that are only limited by your imagination.
On this episode, they’ll be sharing some of the applications their printing technology is being used for – from simple solutions like an induction coffee mug heater to self-heating carbon fiber composites for UAV Wings.
You can learn more about their technology, as well as connect with their experts for questions by visiting https://voltera.io/cw.
On this episode, Alex Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene joins me to discuss some of the exciting work their company is doing with graphene to revolutionize industries such as coatings, concrete, elastomers, polymers, and lubricants to name a few.
This Brazilian nanotechnology company Gerdau Graphene, specializes in advanced graphene-enhanced materials for industrial applications.
They have recently announced the commercial availability of two new additives specifically formulated for waterborne paints and coatings. The two new additives also deliver excellent coverage, durability, and washability while also minimizing the overall environmental impact, reducing or eliminating the need for some traditional manufacturing inputs, additives, and processes, thus also lowering production costs.
We'll be discussing these latest developments and some of their applications.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.gerdaugraphene.com/en.html.