April 2, 2015

In March, the American Composites Manufacturer’s Association (ACMA) hosted a tour by the FIBERS Technology Road-mapping team from the University of Mass-Lowell of composites manufacturers in the Northeast Ohio, area. The purpose of the tour was to inform leading researchers of the needs of ACMA members. Mar-Bal, Inc. was one of the companies visited during their research team’s visit to the area and the leading researchers toured the Mar-Bal R&D Technical Center and the Ohio Plant – both facilities are located in Chagrin Falls, OH.

Dr. Daniel Walczyk, a member of the FIBERS team from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), said, ”Although I was familiar with engineered composites and glass composites, I never realized how big this segment is of the total market, the variety of useful parts made and the challenges facing these companies. It was a very enlightening and educational experience for me. With regards to roadmapping, it’s clear that engineered composites and glass composites must be emphasized as much as traditional advanced composites.”

Based on the success of this tour, ACMA will arrange additional tours in different geographic locations to provide networking opportunities for ACMA members. If you would like to participate in a future tour please contact Dan Coughlin, ACMA’s Vice President of Composites Market Development, at dcoughlin@acmanet.org.

About ACMA

The American Composites Manufacturing Association (ACMA) is the world’s largest composites industry trade group. We are manufacturers, material and equipment suppliers, distributors, academia and end users, dedicated to growing the composites market. We serve our members and the industry by promoting the competitive advantage and versatility of composite materials. ACMA offers composites industry educational resources through our CAMX show, conferences and Certified Composites Technician (CCT®) program. We develop standards and specifications that drive preference for the use of composites in place of traditional materials. We lead advocacy efforts via legislative and regulatory channels to achieve a more viable composites industry. Together, we are shaping the future of composites. Learn more at www.acmanet.org.