The focus this year at the international JEC Composites Show in Paris was not so much on brand-new processes as on adapting existing processes and materials for mass production, especially of large parts with critical structural demands. Attracting the most attention was wind energy, where composite material usage is growing more than 17%/yr, according to Gurit (formerly SP Systems), a Swiss-based global prepreg supplier with U.S. operations.

An extruded polypropylene honeycomb core material is available in new forms aimed at infusion molding.

Part II of our review of the big composites show in Paris focuses on news in materials and reinforcements. They include lighter, stronger reinforcements for large parts such as wind blades and growing inroads by thermoplastics to speed up production.