JEC Europe 2013 Competitive Intelligence Report

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EXIBITION WATCH REPORT

JEC Europe 2013 – Paris, Porte de Versailles

Research, Testing and Industrial Instrumentation exhibition

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© VIEDOC – For any further information: [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................... 4 RESUME............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Part 1. innovations on composites materials ................................................................................................ 5

1.1 BAC2 Limited.................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1.1 Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 5 1.1.2 New family of latent acid catalysts for easier storage of prepolymeric mixes ................................ 5

1.2 Arkema ............................................................................................................................................ 6 1.2.1 Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 6 1.2.2 New (Meth)acrylic based chemical formulations for thermoplastic parts ...................................... 6

1.3 Henkel ............................................................................................................................................. 7 1.3.1 Presentation ................................................................................................................................ 7 1.3.2 New polyurethane solution for RTM technology ........................................................................... 7

Part 2. innovations on composite parts...................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Owens Corning ............................................................................................................................... 10

2.1.1 Presentation .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.1.2 High efficiency façade based on composite profiles .................................................................... 10

2.2 Fokker Aerostructures .................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Presentation .............................................................................................................................. 12 2.2.2 Thermoplastic composite tailplane for helicopters ..................................................................... 12

2.3 BMW Group ................................................................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Presentation .............................................................................................................................. 13 2.3.2 LifeDrive concept: the world’s first body architecture for electric vehicles .................................. 13

2.4 Zodiac Recrational .......................................................................................................................... 16 2.4.1 Presentation .............................................................................................................................. 16 2.4.2 New generations of ecodesigned semi-rigid boats ...................................................................... 16

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 About VEILLE SALON ....................................................................................................................................... 19 PRESENTATION of VIEDOC SARL ...................................................................................................................... 20

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DISCLAIMER

This report was compiled from interviews conducted by us with the exhibitors present at each event, from gathering and analyzing information in conferences and from the compilation of information on the web afterwards. Thus, the data contained in this report have information value. Although the objective is to disseminate timely and accurate information, VEILLE SALON cannot guarantee the result. Any damage that may result from use of this information can’t be imputed to this site. The use or reproduction of all or part of this document is prohibited without the prior written consent of VEILLE SALON. For full terms and conditions of use of this report, thank you for contacting us.

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ABSTRACT

The JEC Europe 2013 composite show, held in Paris on 11th – 14th March, 2013, covered the sector’s major topics: mass production, thermoplastics, smart composites with embedded sensors, new applications, the environment, and recycling. Clearly, the trend in the composite world is on large production, and most notably thermoplastics. The idea is to find more and more applications for cheaper thermoplastics, that can be handled efficiently through RTM processes. Indeed, it is estimated that the composites market will grow at an average annual global rate of 6%, to reach a value of about €90 billion and a volume of 10 million metric tons by 2015 (compared to €80 billion and 9.2 million MT in 2012). However, there are still outstanding innovations for thermosetting materials, which are mostly based on faster curing ways. Henkel is pushing polyurethane resins to the detriment of epoxy resins, because polyurethane can be cured five times faster than epoxy. It should be interesting to see if polyurethane resins will become the standard materials for thermosetting material for RTM processes in the future. In terms of sectors, the automotive industry really brought it the next level in the JEC Europe 2013 exhibition show. There were numerous demonstrations that suppliers are perfectly able to keep up with the output demanded by the automotive industry, and 70% of the parts shown in the Exhibit Area were related to automotive transportation. The most impressive innovation came from BMW, which find a way to produce car body parts made of CFRP in less than 10 minutes for curing. This composite will be used in the mass produced electric car named BMW i3, which will feature an estimated sales price of 40 000€ by November 2013 !

Key words: composite, resin, fiber, prepreg, carbon, CFRP, polyurethane, thermoplastic, epoxy, curing

RESUME

Le salon JEC Europe 2012 s’est déroulé du 11 au 14 mars 2013 et il était possible de constater que les préoccupations majeures du secteur était d’arriver à des applications de masse en faisant appel à des thermoplastiques et malgré tout d’essayer de produire des thermodurcissables beaucoup plus rapidement, ce qui diminuerait considérablement leur coût. D’ailleurs, sur ce point, outre l’amélioration continue pour réduire les temps de cuisson des résines epoxy, la grande firme allemande Henkel semble abandonner cette voie et pousse considérablement pour que la profession donne sa chance aux résines polyuréthane, qui permettent d’atteindre des temps de cuisson cinq plus court avec des propriétés mécaniques acceptables. Il sera intéressant de voir si d’autres sociétés suivent Henkel dans cette position en rupture avec ce qu’il se fait actuellement. Au niveau des secteurs industriels, l’automobile est vraiment au-dessus du lot dans leur effort constant pour réduire les coûts et arriver à des applications de masse. Il faut noter l’étonnante performance de BMW qui a trouvé un moyen de cuire des pièces thermodurcissable renforcé par des fibres de carbone (CFRP) en moins de 10 minutes. BMW annonce déjà qu’il utilisera ces pièces de grande taille dans la carrosserie de sa prochaine voiture électrique BMW i3, qui sera vendu au mois de novembre 2013 à un prix estimé à 40 000 euros.

Mots clés : composite, résine, verre, carbone, pré-imprégné, cuisson, époxy, polyurethane, thermoplastique

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PART 1. INNOVATIONS ON COMPOSITES MATERIALS

1.1 BAC2 LIMITED

1.1.1 Presentation

Address : Bac2 Limited Basepoint Romsey, Romsey SO51 9AQ, UK Website : http://www.bac2.co.uk/

Contact : +44 1794 329342 Mail: [email protected]

Bac2 was formed in 2002 by Dr. Graham Murray to develop commercial-scale electrically conductive polymer composites based on novel thermoset catalyst technology. His extensive experience of phenolic resin and catalyst technology now lead the Company’s focus on Latent acid catalysts for improved thermoset process control in industry. Mike Stannard joined as CEO in 2005 to expand Bac2’s commercial activities in the fuel cell market and electronics industries. Bac2 is privately held and is based in Romsey near Southampton on the south coast of England.

1.1.2 New family of latent acid catalysts for easier storage of prepolymeric mixes

The development of the CSR family of latent acid catalysts was driven by the desire to make pre-polymeric mixes easier to store, transport, handle and process during product manufacturing. Without a latent catalyst to control polymerization, the storage life of pre-polymeric mixes may be anything from a few seconds to a few minutes. Other catalysts that extend storage life are available. However, they typically require temperatures above 200°C for activation, something that is both energy-hungry and impractical with many of the materials involved in manufacturing processes that utilize resins. Bac2 developed the CSR family of latent acid catalysts to address the above issues. The key innovation was to develop a family of products that activate between 50°C and 120°C, depending on the application and the speed of cure required, enabling them to be used with many materials and processes. Critically, the catalysts do not have a detrimental effect on the mould flow or other characteristics of the resins with which they are used. Originally developed for use with Bac2’s electrically conductive ElectroPhen polymer resin, the CSR family of catalysts has since been expanded to include formulations that retard and control the curing of phenol-formaldehyde resoles, furan resins, urea and melamine formaldehyde resins. Using CSR catalysts, the storage life of pre-polymeric mixes has been extended to over 3 months, simplifying storage, transportation and materials handling. Process efficiency improvements of 130% have been demonstrated in pultrusion. In SMC and BMC processes, room-temperature storage life is extended to several months. CSR catalysts also enable the manufacture of inherently flame-retardant mouldings by facilitating the production of stable phenolic and furan-based pre-polymeric mixes. Bac2 estimates the potential global market for its latent acid catalysts to be at least £100 million. The company has identified 3 primary sectors where the innovation offers the greatest benefits: 1. During the manufacture of wood products such as MDF, particle board and plywood, high temperatures are used to cure the resin used for bonding the materials and to drive out moisture. Using CSR reduces the cure

http://www.bac2.co.uk/

mailto:[email protected]

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time, reducing the time during which the high temperatures need to be maintained. This in turn reduces the energy consumption and cost. 2. In abrasives manufacture, the overall temperature of the manufacturing process is reduced, saving energy and cost. 3. In the manufacture of sheet or bulk moulded composites, for which there are applications in everything from interior fittings in transportation to seating for stadiums, CSR can be used to produce inherently flame-retardant products at lower temperatures than previously possible.

1.2 ARKEMA

1.2.1 Presentation

Address : Arkema group headquarters 420 rue d'Estienne d'Orves 92705 Colombes Cedex Website : http://www.arkema.com/

Contact : Mrs Sybille CHAIX Tel (+33) (0) 1 49 00 70 30 Email: [email protected]

A global chemical major, Arkema has operations in over 40 countries, with leadership positions in specialty chemicals and performance materials. With operations in more than 40 countries, some 14,000 employees and 10 research centers, Arkema generates annual revenue of €6.4 billion, and holds leadership positions in all its markets with a portfolio of internationally recognized brands.

1.2.2 New (Meth)acrylic based chemical formulations for thermoplastic parts

Altuglas® composite resin solutions are innovative (meth) acrylic formulations developed within a research and development partnership between Arkema and PPE (Pôle Plasturgie de l’Est). In early 2011, Arkema and PPE created a joint research laboratory located in Saint-Avold (France) aimed at the development of innovative chemistries and processes for the production of thermoplastic composite parts. To optimize Altuglas® Composite formulations, Arkema and PPE have partnered with specialists in the composite industry – MVC (Brazil), Chomarat (France) and 3B-Fibreglass (Belgium). This leads to Altuglas® Composite suitable for:

High performance structural composite parts used in applications such as wind turbines, automotive parts or sports equipment, mostly based today on epoxy resins.

Aesthetic semi-structural composite parts such as shaped truck parts, bus body panels, hoods for agricultural machinery, etc., usually made of UPR-based composites.

These formulations can be used to produce (meth)acrylic thermoplastic composites reinforced with continuous glass, carbon or flax fibers with the same low-pressure processes and equipment as those currently used to produce thermoset composite parts. The resulting (meth) acrylic thermoplastic composite parts show mechanical properties similar to those of parts made of thermoset materials while presenting the major

http://www.arkema.com/


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advantages of being post-thermoformable and recyclable and offering new possibilities for composite/composite or composite/metal assemblies. Altuglas® Composite resin solutions enable the production of (meth)acrylic thermoplastic composites, reinforced by continuous glass, carbon or flax fibers with the same processes (RTM or Infusion) used today to produce thermoset composite parts (made with Unsaturated Polyester, Vinyl Ester or Epoxy resins) with similar polymerization cycle times. The resulting parts show properties, in terms of rigidity and mechanical strength, comparable to parts made with thermoset resins, while presenting the major advantages of being recyclable and suitable for post-thermoforming and welding. The (meth)acrylic nature of Altuglas® Composite enables more possibilities for composite/composite or composite/metal assemblies. Very high mechanical strength for such assemblies can be achieved through the use of adhesives (e.g. methacrylate-based structural adhesives) or, due to the thermoplastic nature of the matrix, through welding in the case of composite/composite assemblies. Moreover, Altuglas® Composite resins solutions are styrene-free. They are available with ready-to-use Luperox® peroxide initiators from Arkema’s range, allowing optimized polymerization. Altuglas® Composite resins are marketed by Altuglas International, a subsidiary of Arkema.

1.3 HENKEL

1.3.1 Presentation

Address : Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Headquarters), Henkelstraße 67 40191 Düsseldorf, Germany Website: http://www.henkel.com/

Contact : M. Stefan Kreiling Phone +49-211-797-9933 Mail:

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel, headquartered in Düsseldorf / Germany, has some 47,000 employees worldwide and counts among the most internationally aligned German-based companies in the global marketplace.

1.3.2 New polyurethane solution for RTM technology

Henkel has developed a novel polyurethane matrix resin that is compatible with carbon and glass fibers. Its reactivity profile is designed for fast automotive RTM processes. The presentation outlines key processing and performance characteristics of the new matrix resin. Due to its inherent fracture toughness properties the polyurethane technology can offer superior fatigue resistance and damage tolerance compared to standard resin systems. The polyurethane thermosetting matrix system described here has been commercialized by Henkel Corporation under the trade name Loctite MAX 2. It is a two-component polyurethane matrix resin which can be further accelerated by addition of a cure accelerator depending on the cure speeds required in the respective process. Laminates were made from non crimp fabric (glass, carbon) commercially available from Saertex, Hexcel or SGL Carbon. Low matrix resin viscosities allow fast injection of the resin into the respective molds and at the same time good fiber wetting and fabric penetration even at high fiber volume contents. The rheological behavior of the

http://www.henkel.com/

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thermosetting resin has been evaluated in dependency of the temperature in order to define a processing window for injection at minimum resin viscosity. Isothermic viscosity curves were recorded to determine the temperature effect on cure kinetics.

While the high cure exothermy of epoxy matrix resins may lead to undesired local overheating, polyurethane chemistry offers safe processing of the resin at various temperatures even when accelerated to realize fast reaction times. The following differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) chart shows a basic comparison of cure profiles of standard epoxy versus polyurethane resin systems. The released cure reaction heat (adjusted to 1g of resin) is decreased for the polyurethane resin by almost a factor of 2 indicating lower risk of hot spot occurrence especially for thick laminates.

Polyurethane matrix resins provide a high modulus in combination with an elongation of break of 5-10 %. The critical stress intensity factor is a measure for the neat resin toughness performance. In this content, polyurethane chemistry induces a unique intrinsic toughness to the cured resin due to its specific polymer backbone structure. A combination of soft polymer segments with strong H-bridging of the urethane moieties is responsible for this advantageous characteristic. No further addition of cost-intensive and viscosity-increasing toughening agents is necessary as compared to epoxy chemistry. The intrinsic toughness of the resulting composite is especially important when the application in the car demands high damage tolerances and durabilities of the part.

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Table 1 shows selected properties of the neat polyurethane thermosetting resin after an in-mold cycle of 30 min at 90°C.

Different toughening mechanisms have been described in the literature (crack-pinning mechanism, microcracking mechanism, crack-path deflection mechanism, massive shear-banding mechanism).3 In the case of polyurethane, plastic deformation of the localized shear yielding mechanism is believed to be the major contributor to toughness. The excellent toughness properties of polyurethanes transfer also into a superior fatigue behavior which positively affects durability of the composite in the application. Especially for chassis applications, composite matrices offering high fatigue resistance are being selected in order to withstand the cyclic loads occurring during driving operations.

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PART 2. INNOVATIONS ON COMPOSITE PARTS

2.1 OWENS CORNING

2.1.1 Presentation

Address : Owens-Corning Fiberglas France Zoning Industriel Ardoise, 30290 Ardoise (L') Website: http://www.owenscorning.eu

Contact : Eric DAILLIES Tel : +33 664 06 2503 Email: [email protected]

Owens Corning Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of fiberglass and related products. It was formed in 1935 as a partnership between two major American glassworks, Corning Glass Works and Owens-Illinois. The company was spun off as a separate entity on November 1, 1938. However, major medical liabilities due to the company's use of asbestos as a fireproofing agent led to the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2000. The company emerged from Chapter 11 in October 2006.

2.1.2 High efficiency façade based on composite profiles

As new European thermal insulation regulations for building envelopes become increasingly stricter (RT 2005 – 2012), the best way to lower the energy needs of buildings is through thermal insulation of façade components. Current façade panels made of aluminium profiles with embedded polyamide thermal breaks will only meet the lowest limits of these regulations. Moreover, the use of conventional materials would result in thicker and thicker wall constructions. This has driven Owens Corning and its partners to study, design and plan the industrialization of an incremental solution targeting new and old buildings (fewer than ten floor levels) that could meet new thermal regulations. The global panel solution, named COFAHE, is the result of a strong partnership among key industrial players and is composed of different parts and materials. The profile component uses composites to replace the PA thermal breaks and part of the aluminium. The main advantages of this composite component are:

an almost “ready-to-use” (panel) incremental solution with minimum changes in existing technology and machinery, and no change in the aesthetic aspect of the façade;

lower thermal conductivity and better insulation while keeping good mechanical properties, thanks to the composite/aluminium combination;

a solution that can evolve in the future to meet the expected tightening of thermal regulations, as opposed to current solutions, which have reached their limits.

http://www.owenscorning.eu/


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Together with Goyer, OC assessed the value that will be created by replacing all their PA thermal breaks with pultruded reinforced vinylester (reinforced with Xstrand® H glass in this case). The change is motivated by the improved mechanical properties and thermal insulation. COFAHE solution decreases by almost 4 times the U surface factor to 0.85 W/m2.K (Thermal conductivity requirement stated by RT 2005 Regulation is: U surface factor (W/m2.K) <2.3).

Moreover, building contractors will be able to sell larger living surfaces inside the buildings using composite profiles combined with extremely thin vacuum-insulated panels instead of traditional mineral wool. Europe-wide, the potential market for the COFAHE façade panel solution is 4-5 million.

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Generally speaking, the COFAHE panel results 30% more expensive while 80% of the overcost is due to assembling tasks adding labor/time consumption. On the contrary, composite material enables saving PA breaker and Al material costs. For competitive industrialization, key step is improvement of the Al/composite profile assembling process and cost

2.2 FOKKER AEROSTRUCTURES

2.2.1 Presentation

Address : Fokker Aerostructures Industrieweg 4, 3351 LB Papendrecht, P.O.box 1, 3350 AA Papendrecht, The Netherlands

Contact : Tel : +31 (0)78 6419911 Website: http://www.fokker.com/aerostructures

Fokker Aerostructures is a recognized, first-class specialist in the design, development and manufacturing of lightweight structures, modules and landing gear for the aerospace and defense industry. We operate at the forefront of today’s technology. Our highly skilled workforce includes professionals in the Netherlands, Romania, Mexico and the United States. Fokker Aerostructures is a Business Unit of Fokker Technologies.

2.2.2 Thermoplastic composite tailplane for helicopters

The innovation is a full thermoplastic horizontal tailplane with a co-consolidated, single-piece multi-spar torsion box for the AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter. This main load-carrying member is 3 metres long and spans tip-to-tip. It consists of four preforms that are melted together under pressure. Replaceable thermoplastic leading and trailing edges are attached to the torsion box. The leading edges are made of consolidated thermoplastic laminates, supported by a number of thin press-formed ribs. Thermoplastics were used for the leading edges because of their good impact properties. The trailing edges are made of thin thermofolded thermoplastic laminates supported by press-formed ribs. All the components are made of TenCate Cetex® carbon/PPS fabric-based materials. The strongly curved winglets are conventional laminated carbon/epoxy prepreg parts. The new design results in a 15% weight reduction for AgustaWestland vis-à-vis previous composite tailplane designs. The value of the innovation lies primarily in weight and cost savings. The weight saving results in lower fuel consumption and NOx/CO2 emissions. The low-weight solution is made possible by the toughness of the thermoplastic material and by the strong, stiff multi-spar torsion box design. The design is made affordable by applying co-consolidation of simple preforms to create the main structural element of the single-piece torsion box. AgustaWestland expects the new AW169 to be highly successful in the civil market, and that the company will easily exceed sales of 500 aircraft. The new concept could also be applied to more tailplanes. The coconsolidated multi-spar concept is also suitable for other products such as aircraft floor panels.

http://www.fokker.com/aerostructures

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2.3 BMW GROUP

2.3.1 Presentation

Contact : Tobias Hahn BMW Group Technology Communications Telephone: +49-89-38-2-60816 Fax: +49-89-382-28567 Media Website: www.press.bmwgroup.com E-mail: [email protected]

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of approximately 1.29 million automobiles and over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year. The pre-tax profit for 2009 was euro 413 million, revenues totalled euro 50.68 billion. At 31 December 2009, the company employed a global workforce of approximately 96,000 associates.

2.3.2 LifeDrive concept: the world’s first body architecture for electric vehicles

All the major carmakers have realized that they need electric vehicles to succeed in China, a crucial market where the government is keen to promote emission-free transport. Though carmakers all over the world are rushing out electric models, BMW i's LifeDrive architecture is the first to be custom-built for electric vehicles. In the early 1930s, progress in metal cutting and a desire for lighter, more powerful automobiles gave birth to an innovation that would dominate motor vehicle manufacturing for many decades: the integral monocoque body. Three quarters of a century later, at the dawn of the electric vehicle era, the BMW i team was again facing the challenge of how to reduce a vehicle's weight – this time to accommodate the battery for an electric motor. The result of their deliberations was the world's first body architecture specifically designed and purpose-built for the series production of electric vehicles: the LifeDrive concept. In contrast to vehicles with a monocoque body, the LifeDrive architecture is made up of two separate functional units. The upper Life module consists mainly of a high-strength and extremely lightweight passenger cell made of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) hardened with epoxy and molded into components. This innovative concept not only compensates for the extra weight of the battery unit, but it also lowers the vehicle's centre of gravity to make it a more dynamic vehicle to drive. A lightweight design is not the only benefit LifeDrive brings. The carbon-fibre passenger cell is exceptionally rigid and strong. Building moderately priced cars from CFRP had long been a holy grail for automotive engineers, because a carbon chassis weighs half as much as a steel counterpart and 30 percent less than aluminum. The savings in weight translates into better performance and higher fuel efficiency. Therefore, it’s a material of choice for everything from Formula One racers and America’s Cup yachts to jet fighters, spacecraft, and the Boeing 787.

http://www.press.bmwgroup.com/

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According to Joerg Pohlman, director of BMW’s carbon fiber projects, cost was the sticking point. The technology took hundreds of millions of dollars of research and development to perfect. But now BMW is unveiling a technology that it says can mold a woven sheet of carbon fiber into a completed car part in less than 10 minutes. Those parts will go into the groundbreaking BMW i3, a plug-in hybrid that analysts estimate will cost just $40 000 to $50 000 per car, barely more than the price of a Nissan Leaf EV. The company now intends to begin building more than 1 million carbon-fiber components a year and to eventually base many of its cars on the material. Sales for BMW i3 are scheduled to start in November 2013 at a price of €40,000 (US$52,000) for the all-electric version, and the range-extender option costs an additional €3,000 (US$4,000).

A linchpin of the plan is in Moses Lake, Wash., where the lure of cheap, clean hydropower sparked a $100 million partnership between BMW and Germany’s SGL, among the world’s top manufacturers of carbon-based products. BMW and SGL bill it as the world’s greenest, most efficient carbon-fiber plant. That’s one reason why the i3’s total life-cycle carbon dioxide emissions will be one-third less than that of the most efficient internal-combustion cars—50 percent less if the i3 is recharged using renewable energy.

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Along Moses Lake’s 245-meter production line, bundles of 50 000 silky white polymer acrylic strands—each a tenth as thick as a human hair—are carbonized in furnaces at 1400 °C. Spools of the black fiber head to Wackersdorf, Germany, where they’re woven into sheets. At another German factory, sheets are pressurized, impregnated with liquid thermosetting plastic, and molded—in BMW’s speedier, proprietary take on resin-transfer molding—to form finished components in less than 10 minutes. The trail ends in Leipzig, where components are glue-welded together, forming the bones of a radically new type of car. According to Pohlman, other efficiencies will make carbon fiber about as inexpensive to manufacture as aluminum within three to five years. Instead of 350 or 400 metal parts, the i3’s chassis has about 35. The simple construction—a bit like gluing together a model car—eliminates dozens of factory welding robots and manufacturing stations. And unlike steel—even clear-coated steel—carbon fiber never rusts, requires no costly corrosion treatments, and is designed to last for decades with minimal structural fatigue. The plastic underpinnings, experts say, will long outlast the cars and technology that surround them. True, that raises the question of how to recycle the stuff, which is tricky, because recycled fiber isn’t strong enough to reuse in a car chassis.

Moreover, in the case of the BMW i3 there is no space-consuming tunnel running through the middle of the vehicle, since all the power components are housed in the drive module. As a result, passengers can enjoy streamlined seating and a lounge-like sense of space. Up to 2020, BMW anticipates a worldwide market share of 4 to 8% for electric vehicles (BEV and plug-in hybrid). Furthermore, together with the German Government, BMW adheres to the target of one million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020. Although the LifeDrive concept with its CFRP passenger cell is a stand-alone vehicle architecture that is purpose-built for the BMW i3 and BMW i8, other model series may also stand to benefit in the long term from the CFRP expertise that BMW has developed.

At the new vehicle’s core is a carbon-fiber passenger compartment that has already passed crash tests. The fiber, which in its raw state resembles horse hair, will come from the Moses Lake plant, where BMW and the SGL Group, the carbon company, are building components specifically for the new vehicle.

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2.4 ZODIAC RECRATIONAL

2.4.1 Presentation

Address : ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL 1, Quai de Grenelle 75015 PARIS, France Website: WWW.ZODIACMARINE.COM

Contact : Sébastien BOUTIER Tel : Mail:

Zodiac Recreational is the world’s leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of inflatable and Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs). The first inflatable boat was invented by Zodiac in the mid-1930s, and the brand was made popular in the 1950s by Jacques-Yves Cousteau who used Zodiac tenders during his expeditions. Today, Zodiac is the leading brand and most recognized business in the nautical industry with an extensive range of products including RIBs, recreational tenders, inflatable boats, jet tenders, life rafts, and related boat accessories. Zodiac Recreational also serves the space industry with a stratospheric balloon and multi-layer insulation activity, that will be included as part of the acquisition. Zodiac Recreational products include three brand names: Zodiac, Bombard, and Avon. The products are distributed through a network of dealers in Europe and the US, and through importers for other select markets. OpenGate Capital LLC announced in July 2012 it signed an agreement to acquire Zodiac Recreational from Zodiac Marine & Pool. OpenGate, a Los Angeles-based private investment and acquisition firm with offices in Paris and Brazil, completed the transaction in February 2013.

2.4.2 New generations of ecodesigned semi-rigid boats

These new semi-rigid boats consist of an assembly between a rigid composite hull and an inflatable float. The two boats presented were designed along the same ecodesign guidelines. The project’s main objective was to reduce the environmental impact of the Bombard AirEthic semi-rigid boat and the Zodiac Z-Concept dinghy. The AirEthic is a series-produced boat, and the Z-Concept is a concept boat that incorporates all aspects of eco-impact reduction, including recyclable thermoplastic materials, bio-sourced materials, clean processes and electric motor. To reduce the composite hull’s environmental footprint, the project managers chose to produce it using the RTM process with flax-fibre reinforcement. The AirEthic’s underwater hull and deck are both RTM moulded with flax-fibre reinforcement. The Z-Concept’s entire hull is one-step moulded, with the flax reinforcement on the deck side. Zodiac has been using composite materials for this type of boat for a long time. Composites give these boats

http://www.zodiacmarine.com/

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the desired strength and low weight, along with the possibility to create complex shapes at moderate investment and production costs. Because flax is a bio-sourced plant fiber, using it lowers the composite’s environmental impact. It is possible to replace part of the glass fiber reinforcement with flax. These boats are Zodiac’s first ecodesigned models. The AirEthic project was launched in April 2012, and the boat was presented at the December 2012 International Boat Show in Paris. The Z-Concept project got off to a start in July 2012, and the boat concept was also presented at the Paris Boat Show. Over the long term, consumers’ growing concerns about environmental impacts when they choose a product and the gradual toughening of regulations on production conditions will make traditional polyester materials and techniques obsolete, relegating them to bottom-of-the-line product offers. The new process and these materials could eventually be applied to all Zodiac boats, since the experience with both models shows that this is feasible for this type of boat. The principle could also apply to most composite parts.

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CONCLUSION

The JEC Europe 2013 composite show, held in Paris on 11th – 14th March, 2013, covered the sector’s major topics: mass production, thermoplastics, smart composites with embedded sensors, new applications, the environment, and recycling. Clearly, the trend in the composite world is on large production, and most notably thermoplastics. The idea is to find more and more applications for cheaper thermoplastics, that can be handled efficiently through RTM processes. Indeed, it is estimated that the composites market will grow at an average annual global rate of 6%, to reach a value of about €90 billion and a volume of 10 million metric tons by 2015 (compared to €80 billion and 9.2 million MT in 2012). However, there are still outstanding innovations for thermosetting materials, which are mostly based on ways to cure faster these materials. One should notice that Henkel is pushing polyurethane resins to the detriment of epoxy resins, because parts made of polyurethane can be made five times as fast as those made of epoxy through RTM processes. It should be interesting to see if polyurethane resins will become the standard materials for thermosetting material in the future. In terms of sectors, the automotive industry really brought it the next level in the JEC Europe 2013 exhibition show. There were numerous demonstrations that suppliers are perfectly able to keep up with the output demanded by the automotive industry, and 70% of the parts shown in the Exhibit Area were related to automotive transportation. The most impressive innovation came from BMW, which find a way to produce car body parts made of CFRP in less than 10 minutes for curing. This composite will be used in the mass produced electric car named BMW i3 featuring an estimated sales price of 40 000€ ! By way of conclusion, this JEC Europe 2013 composite show was really a success. Given the demand and the fact that JEC Europe already entirely fills Hall 1, JEC Group has decided to increase the surface area of the trade show significantly for 2014. So next year, JEC Europe will take place in Halls 7.2 and 7.3 of the Porte de Versailles fairgrounds, with a total surface area of 54,000 square meters – equivalent to eight World Cup soccer fields!

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ABOUT VEILLE SALON

Officially launched in early 2010 by VIEDOC Consulting, a business & competitive & technological intelligence company, VeilleSalon.com is the first professional service for watching and reporting on trade show innovations for companies and is based on one of the largest global directory of trade shows, symposiums and other international events. This new professional service is designed both for visitors / companies, for exhibitors and trade show organizers. Through a bilingual directory, VEILLE SALON has already referenced more than 7,500 exhibitions and international events sorted and searchable according to business areas:

for industrial sector : Aerospace, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Automotive, Materials, Construction, Consumer goods, Cosmetics, Electronics, Defense, Energy, Optics, Pharmaceuticals, Telecommunications ...

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Besides the powerful features of multi‐criteria searches (dates, places, keywords, sectors, organizers, exhibitors ...), VeilleSalon.com also offers visitors a customized and interactive calendar of forthcoming exhibitions, a monthly newsletter, a forum and many other services. For potential exhibitors and event’s organizers, VeilleSalon.com is a real communication tool: registration of new events, presentation of your company and of latest news (product & process innovations, new services), free or charged conference proceedings, real time information for the visitor ... VeilleSalon.com is also a forum where visitors can meet directly with you to prepare at best their visit and where they can get information about your company. Why offer a professional service dedicated to trade show innovation watching? Watching trade show innovations is an ideal way to identify and analyze competitors, suppliers, new products, equipment, and services, to detect technology transfers and innovations, to achieve business development with potential new customers and to enhance market and trends knowledge. Therefore the team VEILLESALON, through experienced consultants and seasoned business intelligence engineers from VIEDOC Consulting, offers a range of services in: reporting on trade show innovations, in France and abroad, supporting individuals on‐site events, conducting on demand investigations and interviews, staff training... So whether you are a company wishing to maximize your trade show innovation watch, a future exhibitor or an event organizer, we have developed tailored solutions to meet your expectations. To access our website: http://www.veillesalon.com.

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PRESENTATION OF VIEDOC SARL

VIEDOC CONSULTING’s core business is information. VIEDOC is your company’s partner from strategy to operation. VIEDOC aims to assist its customers in the first stages of their activities (Business intelligence, knowledge management, competitive analysis, technological watch, market research, patent monitoring, benchmarking, technology transfers, state of the art ...) through information collect and analysis relevant to your business. Business Intelligence does not require mandatory life‐long skills within the company but impose to get the right information at the right time. VIEDOC has worked for customers both on extended and short periods of time to assist companies in decision making. VIEDOC advises companies from all industries (automotive, aerospace and defense, food, cosmetics, health, materials, optics, packaging, telecommunications ...). VIEDOC can assist companies that are ambitious and aware of the importance of investing at this level:

From the small innovative company looking forward to having strategic advice in tight milestones, up to major industrial groups anxious to keep their leadership position.

Methodology: We have a pragmatic approach built on a rigorous methodology showing the issues of collecting, processing, analyzing and dispatching of information with high added value information. Through its multi‐sector experience, VIEDOC provides its clients with services tailored to their needs by listening to their concerns and being available to meet their requirements and methods. To successfully help its customers at different stages of the life of their company (from creation to recovery), of their products (from design to sale) or of their projects (from the first study to the end of the project), VIEDOC operates both on process and on product innovation. VIEDOC deals both with technical and economical information. You can benefit from our experience, of specialists in collecting and analyzing value‐added information, from our methodologies and analytical capacity to provide qualified information and high quality validation. As experts in technology transfer identification, we have consistently grown our multisectoral vision by providing our professionalism and expertise to many clients, large industrial groups and SMEs, in a dozen of distinct sectors. This experience allows us today to make available to our customers, a meaningful analysis which does not neglect any technical, economical, legal and human implications and fully complies with ethical rules that guide all activities of our company.

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