JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012 - 11

toxicity (FST) industry standards including ASTM E84, ASTM E662, ASTM D2863 and FMVSS 302.

A strategic vision
In a highly competitive, but growing market – composites have grown 1.6 times as fast as the industrial growth rate over the past 30 years and, especially, they have grown faster than wood, steel or aluminium – Owens Corning is moving forward with a strategy that focuses on innovation and growth. A very good example of the company’s focus on innovation is the work on thermoplastics in the field of materials for food contact. Besides being innovative, the solution is compliant with regulations and opens up new markets for composite materials. The research teams are also working on nanoparticles that should make it possible to give glass fibre conductive properties, for example. Another line of research concerns high-performance solutions, in particular S2 glass.

Military vehicle ShieldStrand application: a new example of Owens-Corning know-how

A second component of the company’s strategy is to lead and anticipate geographical and sectorial market evolutions. After increasing the Shanghai research centre’s potential last year, the company opened up a new site in Russia, invested in Mexico, and also opened up a new glass veil production line in the United States – investing wherever it is necessary, starting with the emerging countries. Owens Corning now operates more than 30 sites in 15 countries worldwide. The group always makes sure to stay competitive. The second part consists in focusing on high-potential or developing markets. This is where the company’s pioneering spirit comes across the most clearly, with the art of opening new markets instead of just making do with acquiring market share. There is a real difference there. Proactivity also includes responding to the mounting environmental concerns. In that respect, as Owens Corning’s campaign announces it, ”Pink is Green”. The efforts to make the company’s products, manufacturing processes and overall impact more environment friendly have not been in vain. There are plenty of examples, including the reduction in energy consumption and in all types of emissions during the manufacturing process (see the 2011 JEC Europe “Sustainability” presentation on this). Composite Solutions Business (CBS) accounts for 50% of Owens Corning operations, so it is a core business. As we have just seen, the CBS division leads the way in many fields. After the financial and economic crises we have experienced, 2012 is a pivotal year, and Owens Corning will probably stand out once more in the construction, automotive, wind energy, pipe and safety sectors, where it is already well established. n
More information: www.owenscorning.com

the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. This fabric provides the highest level of ballistic performance and is classified as Class C, Code 1 material. It was approved after an intensive qualification process that included a wide sampling of fabricators and resins. The ShieldStrand® S fabric meets EFP requirements for several armour configurations and the most demanding spall liner requirements. Developed specifically for armour applications, this fabric can increase protection, payload and performance by reducing weight by up to 30% when replacing aluminium and up to 50% when replacing steel in certain applications. ShieldStrand® S reinforcements and fabric provide better structural performance than aramid, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene and polypropylene fibres. They also enable armour designers and integrators to develop solutions that meet fire, smoke and

More information
- Founded in 1938, an industry leader in glass fibre insulation, roofing, asphalt, and glass fibre reinforcements - NYSE: OC - 2011 sales: $5.3 billion - 15,000 employees in 28 countries on 5 continents - Senior debt ratings: BBB-, BBB- and Ba1 - FORTUNE 500 company for 57 consecutive years - Component of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index - Three powerful businesses, three valuable franchises: Composites, Roofing and Insulation - The Composite Solutions Business (CSB) is the world leader in the production of glass fibre reinforcements with more than 30 manufacturing locations in 15 countries. Sales of multiple products into a variety of end-use industrial markets – including automotive, wind energy, building materials, ballistics and aerospace – exceed $2 billion annually. CSB develops industry-leading fur-nace and glass technology in its science and technical centres located in Granville, Ohio, U.S.; Chambery, France; and Ibaraki, Japan.

“

We make sure that our competitive capacity grows

“

says Arnaud Genis, group president of Owens Corning’s Composite Solutions Business (CSB)

No73 June 2012 /

jec composites magazine 11

http://www.owenscorning.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #73 - June 2012