JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012 - 5

- Automotive - Marine, construction and satellite There are around 1500 companies in the UK composites sector, with 85% of business accounted for by the largest 38 companies. These generate over £1.1bn of added value for the economy, around half of which is exported. The UK is a large exporter in key areas of the supply chain, in particular carbon fibre components and structures for aerospace applications. In addition, the UK is exporting both prepreg and resins to the European wind industry and has domestic resin, fabric and fibre supply. The UK is working towards creating a sizeable offshore wind turbine blade composites supply chain over the next five years, which will lead to substantial future export opportunities e.g. German, Danish and North Sea offshore wind farms will be able to leverage the existing UK supply chain.
JCM: How is the UK rising to the challenge?

4 key requirements: - Leadership and coordination - Value/supply chain development - Technology development - Skills development The Composites Hub has been formed to bring together the key national delivery partners to achieve this. The Composites Hub is a sustainable coordinating infrastructure to ensure the success of the UK composites industry. It brings togethe r collaborating partners who will deliver complimentary support to meet industry needs. Based at the National Composites Centre the newly established Composites Hub brings together the industry support offered by the National Composites Centre and Composites Skills Alliance together with Composites UK, the growing industry trade body. They will operate using shared industry information to ensure that all sizes and types of companies and other organisations working in composites are offered the most effective support solutions. The partners bring together distinct support offers including: National Composites Centre - leading network of regional composite centres of excellence - Part of high value manu facturing technology innova tion (“Catapult”) centre - Offering world class develop-

ment expertise and state of the art, industrial scale manufacturing equipment to UK industry Composites Skills Alliance Brings together the Sector Skills Councils and National Academies - generating quality assured and marketed training provider network from FE (further education), HE (higher education) and industry Composites UK - building sector information and understanding - providing supply chain and international trade opportunities (collaboration with UKTI) - managed collaborative programmes through preferred suppliers - unified skills base for composites Members and affiliates of the NCC along with members of Composites UK will be provided with ready access to skills and training packages associated with their technology interests. The Hub will provide the infrastructure necessary to enable collaborative groups to understand and deliver shared technology trade and skills activities, thus developing and enhancing the global position of the UK industry. n
More information: www.compositesuk.co.uk

Collaboration through the Composites Hub

Dr S. H.: The UK will remain competitive by grasping commercial opportunities and building on the expertise and capability we already have to become a world class player. In order to do this we need a collaborative approach and improve joined-up activities. The UK Composites Strategy highlighted

Composite turbine blades

Association Objectives Composites UK aspire to the following objectives: - To develop and strengthen the UK composites industry - To promote composites to the wider community - To offer a first class service to members. n
Modular classroom, photo courtesy Optima Projects Ltd

No71 March 2012 /

jec composites magazine 5
http://www.compositesuk.co.uk
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012
