A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership

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A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
SPRING 2019

                   A Rich Heritage,
                      a Blossoming
                             Future

                     The Power of
                      Partnership

www.toraytac.com
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
Toray Textures                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    CONTENTS

                                        Reinforcing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   42 	A New
        Corporate Philosophy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                4    Safe Flying
Contributing to society through
 the creation of new value with                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Generation       7	Auto Industry on Eve of Composites Serial Production
innovative ideas, technologies,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           of Helicopters
                                        Our Composites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            10 "A natural match"
                   and products
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            12 Next Stage of TAPAS
            Corporate Missions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            14 Hannover Messe Success for TenCate

                                        Market Position
             For our customers:
           To provide new value                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             17 Far, Far Away
       to our customers through
           high-quality products                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            20 D²Ragon: Aerospace Cluster in China
           and superior services
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            23	Amber Composites Celebrates
                                        TenCate Advanced Composites blossoms into a new era at JEC World 2019, officially becoming Toray Advanced Composites.                                                                                                                                                   Anniversary with New Name
             For our employees:
       To provide our employees                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             25 Tooling Reinvented
           with opportunities for       As we look to the future, it is important to recognize our legacy as part of the 315-year-old Dutch textiles company Koninklijke (Royal)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                TenCate AmberTool® Composite Tooling Prepreg
           self-development in a        TenCate. TenCate revolutionized the adoption of thermoplastic composites in the aerospace industry with its Cetex® portfolio, itself in
        challenging environment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             28 N
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ext Generation Advanced Composites for Space
                                        its 30th year. Cetex® is responsible for numerous global firsts that revolutionized the industry and continue today with the world’s first
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              07 	Auto Industry                               Advanced Rigid Array (ARA) Mk4 Panel
                                        thermoplastic rear pressure bulkhead, manufactured by Premium AEROTEC for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft.
        For our stockholders:
   To provide our stockholders
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  on Eve of                                 29 Connected Aircraft
          with dependable and           We highlight TenCate’s legacy in this edition, sharing a range of articles published over the years in TenCate’s corporate magazine                                                                                       Composites                                32 Small, Convenient, and Comfortable
     trustworthy management             txtures. These stories not only demonstrate the rich heritage TenCate brings to the Toray family as Toray Advanced Composites,
                                        but also the necessity of partnership and support to advance technology for our customers’ success.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Serial Production                         35 Ultra-Pure
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Advanced Composites for Radomes
                    For society:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Technologically Advanced Triband Satcom Radome
  To establish ties and develop
  mutual trust as a responsible         Toray Advanced Composites continues to offer a portfolio of industry-leading resin and prepreg technologies, now with the global                                                                                                                                    36 A
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ston Martin Valkyrie Door Assembly
                                        scale to drive these technologies into new segments. The leading supplier of carbon fiber and composite materials in the world,                                                                                                                                        The Power of Partnership
              corporate citizen
                                        Toray brings vertical integration and scale to Toray Advanced Composites, along with a strong commercial channel to drive these                                                                                                                                     38 Expertise in Thermoplastics
           For our customers:
   To provide new value to our
                                        products into the right applications at a competitive price.                                                                                                                                                          14 	Hannover                                 41 L ightweight Stow Bin Latch Cover for
customers through high-quality
                                        Toray Advanced Composites will bring a robust portfolio of products to our customers, leveraging our combined companies’ strength.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Messe Success                                 Boeing 787 and 747-8I Aircraft
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                TenCate Cetex® Thermoplastics for Aircraft Interiors
products and superior services
                                        We will continue to work as partners with our key resin and reinforcement suppliers to support the programs that are important to us                                                                                      for TenCate                               42 A New Generation of Helicopters
Corporate Guiding Priniciples           all. And as always, we will be transparent, honest, and committed to working as partners with our customers. After all, our goal is
       Safety and Environment           your success. When you succeed, we succeed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         45 The Fifth Mode of Transportation
           Ethics and Fairness
               Customer-focus                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               48 Langley Mill: the Top in Thermoset
                    Innovation          On behalf of Toray Advanced Composites’ management and employees, I thank you all sincerely for the support you have shown
       Fieldwork and Initiative                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             50 Thermoplastic Composites: Success and Growth
                                        us over the years. We look forward to expanding our partnership with you in the future as Toray Advanced Composites.
       Global Competitiveness                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               54	Thermoset Prepregs Make Space
               Global Coalition                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Travel More Affordable
Emphasis on Human Resources
                                        Mr. Keisuke Ishii, Chief Executive Officer                                                                                                                                                                                                                          56 Underbody Panel for the Jaguar F-TYPE
                      Head Office       Toray Advanced Composites
               18255 Sutter Blvd.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Global Partner for Aerospace Composites
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            59	
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Next-Generation Multipurpose Light
                      Morgan Hill,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Single-Engine Helicopter
                   CA 95037, USA
              Tel. +1 408 465 8500                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          60 In the Center of the High-Tech Composites Industry
             info@tcac-usa.com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        50   Thermoplastic
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            64 A Royal Company
      Articles reproduced from                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Composites:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            65 Aerospace Composites Go Underground
    previous editions of txtures
         with the permission of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Success
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            68 Support without the Weight
      Koninklijke Ten Cate B.V.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             and Growth
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            71	2019 Events Calendar
           Photo on front cover                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Meet the Team
       The wing tip of the Airbus       ©2019. All data given is based on representative samples of the materials in question. Since the method and circumstances under which these materials are processed and tested are key to their performance,
       A350 XWB (photo: Airbus          and TenCate Advanced Composites has no assurance of how its customers will use the material, the corporation cannot guarantee these properties. TenCate®, (TenCate) AmberTool®, (TenCate) Cetex®, (TenCate)
                                        CFRT®, (TenCate) MicroPly™, and all other related characters, logos, and trade names are claims and/or registered trademarks of Koninklijke Ten Cate B.V., Toray Industries Inc. and/or its affiliated companies in
              S.A.S./P. Pigeyre)        one or more countries. Use of trademarks, trade names, and other IP rights of Koninklijke Ten Cate B.V. or TenCate Advanced Composites without prior written approval by such is strictly prohibited.

   2     Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            3
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
PROTECTING PEOPLE               TENCATE COMPOSITES FOR SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

        Safe Flying
        TenCate Advanced Composites supplies the aerospace industry with thermoset and
        thermoplastic composite. The major end-users in the aerospace industry are Airbus
        and Boeing. The proportion of composites in new generations of aircraft is increasing.
        This applies to parts for the fuselage and wings as well as for the interior. In 2014,
        the market group is expected to increase its revenues and result due to increasing
        production for aircraft for which qualifications have been received.

        TenCate revenues from the aerospace industry              box) and whether they will be comfortable during
        declined in 2012 and the first half of 2013 as a result   the journey. This is in part determined by the cabin
        of delays in deliveries for the Airbus A380 and A350      pressure and humidity and whether one is sitting
        and the Boeing 787. After this period, however,           comfortably. TenCate Advanced Composites USA
        revenues and profitability increased: the TenCate         currently supplies many composite materials to both
        Advanced Composites market group recorded a 16            US and European aircraft seat manufacturers. One
        percent increase in revenues in 2013. The market for      of these customers is Geven, an Italian company
        aerospace composites showed strong growth, and            manufacturing aircraft seats and interiors. The
        good progress was made in the latest generation of        American company Cutting Dynamics has used
        aircraft. The order book for the Boeing 787, which        TenCate composite to make a lightweight, slim seat
        is important to TenCate, has more than 900 aircraft       frame with high crashworthiness (up to 16G).
        listed in it. The order book at Airbus for the A350 is
        also well filled, containing over 800 aircraft.           The French company Expliseat has made an
                                                                  aircraft seat weighing a mere 4 kilos, based on
        Radomes                                                   a combination of titanium and TenCate composite.
        Increasing opportunities for communication during         This provides a saving on fuel of up to €370,000
        passenger flights, especially in the United States,       a year for each A320 or B737. It is the lightest
        have led to a great demand for radomes. These are         aircraft seat ever to have withstood the crash
        made of thermoset composite material and often            test. Meanwhile, a contract has been signed for
                                                                                                                          Performance Excellence Award
        involve the nose of the aircraft, which houses the        the delivery of these seats to a European aircraft
                                                                                                                             TenCate Advanced Composites received
        radar equipment. These materials are subject to           manufacturer. BE Aerospace, also a major seat           Boeing Silver Performance Excellence
        stringent requirements for impact tolerance. They         manufacturer, uses TenCate Cetex® laminate for          Awards in 2013 and 2017. This is an annual
                                                                                                                          award presented by The Boeing Company
        must be made in an extremely clean environment (a         the structure that joins the seat to the floor. If it
                                                                                                                          to suppliers who have put in a superior
        clean room), so they do not become contaminated           is the buyer of the aircraft who determines which       performance.
        with conductive particles, which may lead to              interior will be used in the aircraft, this is known    In 2013, TenCate was one of only 459 suppliers
        safety problems and communication malfunctions.           as buyer-furnished equipment. If the aircraft           to have received this award at Silver level.
        TenCate Advanced Composites produces these                manufacturer sees to this, then it is known as          There are in total approximately 23,000 Boeing
                                                                                                                          suppliers. This award is particularly important
        materials in its facility at Morgan Hill (California).    supplier-furnished equipment.                           because TenCate compression-molded
                                                                                                                          parts for the military V-22 Osprey helicopter
                                                                                                                          program (photo) provide a reduction in both
        Aircraft seats                                                                                                    cost and weight. TenCate also supplies similar
        It is more interesting for passengers to know among                                                               parts for the F-18 program and for the Boeing
                                                                                                                          737, 747, and 787.
        which TenCate materials they are traveling (see               Continued on page 6

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A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
TenCate is the exclusive supplier of carbon fibers for the production of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     monocoque of the Alfa Romeo 4C. This central passenger compartment reduces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     the weight of the vehicle and gives it an extremely stiff and safe basic structure.

          CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4                                                                                                                                                           PROTECTING PEOPLE                COMPOSITE MATERIALS ENTER THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

        New seats are one thing, but the replacement
        or retrofit market is also important. Aircraft
        operators like to replace old seats with new ones,
        as nowadays these are lighter, smaller, and look
        more attractive. Not only do they save weight, but
        also space, which is then used to place one or two
        additional rows of seats.

        In the kitchen
        Composites are also used in the galleys: the
        aircraft kitchen. The galleys of the Boeing 737s
        of SouthWest Airlines are made of TenCate

                                                                                                                                                                                          Auto Industry on
        materials. SouthWest is the largest low-cost
        carrier in the US and, measured by the number
        of passengers transported, the largest aerospace
        company in the world. The materials for kitchens

                                                                                                                                                                                          the Eve of Composite
        and other interior applications must satisfy                             Helicopter tail piece made of composite.
        very strict fire safety requirements. Interior
        materials from TenCate also score well on their
        self-extinguishing capability and requirements                    projects. It thus supplies directly to the OEMs.         the technical and industrial partner and supplier of

                                                                                                                                                                                          Series Production
        relating to fire smoke toxicity. This, moreover,                  After a cautious start in 2013, deliveries to            materials and special processes for the Embraer
        also makes them suitable for ships and trains,                    Airbus Helicopter (formerly Eurocopter) recovered        KC-390 project. The market group is currently in
        which have longer evacuation times.                               somewhat. In November, TenCate was selected              the qualification phase for delivery to Airbus of
                                                                          by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer           the protection of the cockpit door and walls in
        Aerospace armor                                                   to design the ballistic protection for the Embraer       passenger aircraft. In this market there have as yet
        TenCate Advanced Armor is a technology-driven,                    A-29 Super Tucano. The design and the prototypes         been only a few cases of retrofit applications.
        tier 1 company in specific ballistic protection,                  of the ballistic protection for this military aircraft
        particularly for military helicopter and aircraft                 program are in the final stages. TenCate is also         Structural demand
                                                                                                                                   TenCate Advanced Composites is well positioned
                                                                                                                                   to benefit from the structural demand for weight-
                                                                                                                                   saving materials in the aerospace industry. In         The acquisition of Amber Composites (UK) at the beginning of 2013 has given TenCate                               processing of this type of advanced material.
                                                                                                                                   2014, revenue and results are expected to rise,        accelerated access to the market for automotive composites. These materials form one of                           By contrast, in the sports car market and in car
                                                                                                                                   due to increasing production for aircraft for which    the key points within the TenCate business development strategy. The focus is on those parts                      racing, apart from steel, there is almost exclusive
                                                                                                                                   qualifications have been received. A key factor        of the vehicle that have an effect on its safety and structure. These materials are subject to                    use of thermoset composites.
                                                                                                                                   in this growth forecast is, as mentioned above,        stringent requirements. Meanwhile, a number of interesting development projects have been
                                                                                                                                   the increase in production for the Airbus A350         initiated. The demonstrators resulting from this work will in the future have to find their way                   Solutions for mass production
                                                                                                                                   and the Boeing 787. The further increase in the        into new types of vehicles.                                                                                       Thermoset is ideal for low-volume production.
                                                                                                                                   use of thermoplastic composite material for the                                                                                                                          When it comes to large numbers, thermoplastic
                                                                                                                                   aerospace industry, and in particular for Airbus,      The European Commission has determined that            in thermoplastic composite technology for well             composite is the obvious material. In alliance with
                                                                                                                                   is also highlighted by the recent expansion of the     by 2020 CO2 emission standards will have to have       over 30 years. This material is increasingly being         BASF and Owens Corning, TenCate is developing
                                                                                                                                   TAPAS consortium (see page 12).                        been reduced by 40%, vis-à-vis the level of 2007.      used in the aerospace industry; the automotive             optimal solutions in thermoplastic composite
                                                                                                                                                                                          This will force car manufacturers (OEMs) to look       market is much greater and more diverse.                   for mass production in the automotive industry.
              Are you flying to or from a business meeting or holiday destination? Then you will find yourself surrounded by       www.tencatecomposites.com                              for weight savings. Compared with traditional          Thermoplastic composite is ideal for use in series         Tooling prepregs are supplied for large thermoset
           composite materials from TenCate – at least, in the newer generations of Airbus and Boeing and in four types of         advancedcomposites.europe@tencate.com                  materials, composite is 30 to 50 percent lighter and   production, but it does require adaptation of
           Gulfstream, for example, TenCate composite materials are used. Examples include the frames and screens for the
           windows, the stow-bins, trolleys (sandwich panels), seat frames, floor panels, and ducting for the air conditioning.                                                           thus eminently suited to help achieve this weight      the production chain of (structural) parts. This
                                                                                                                                                                                          saving. TenCate has occupied a leading position        is because OEMs are not yet geared to the                       Continued on page 8

6   Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           7
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

           Alfa Romeo 4C

        parts; thermoplastics will mainly be processed         release is expected this year and limited series   ite. The company in Langley Mill (Derbyshire,UK) is   supply of TenCate E700 carbon-fiber prepreg for                                                                    •	Thermoplastic composite is eminently
        using metal molds.                                     production will be possible about twelve months    already a major supplier to the Formula 1 market.     the Alfa Romeo 4C platform. This material from                                                                        suited to series production, but does
                                                               later. A prototype of a composite bottom plate     One of the developments in this market is that,       TenCate Advanced Composites UK is used for the                                                                        require adaptation of the production
        Together with Kringlan Composites, TenCate is          has been made jointly with Voestalpine             as a result of the use of lighter turbo engines,      production of the entire monocoque: the passenger                                                                     chain of (structural) parts
        engaged in providing solutions for the automated       Polynorm. A traditional steel plate weighs 22      temperature requirements will increase. For           compartment. This reduces its weight and gives                                                                     •	Thermoset is ideal for low-volume
        manufacture of parts based on thermoplastic            kilos; when produced in composite, this weighs     TenCate, this increase in temperature requirements    the vehicle an extremely stiff and safe basic                                                                         production; for large numbers, thermoplastic
        composite technology. The most significant             less than 10 kilos.                                is not unfavorable. The expected growth of the        structure. TenCate has been supplying the Adler                                                                       composite is the obvious material
        development at this time is a fully carbon-                                                               facility will mainly come from the automotive         Group with this material for the production of                                                                     •	TenCate composite materials will be
        reinforced composite wheel for cars in the upper       Tooling – fast-growing market segment              sector (Alfa Romeo 4C). The growth of tooling         this car for some time. For logistical reasons, the                                                                   used for the production of the passenger
        segment. This wheel has a strong weight-saving         TenCate Advanced Composites UK produces            applications is more modest.                          intention is for material production to be carried        On March 11 during the 2014 JEC Show, the Dutch             compartment of the Alfa Romeo 4C
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Minister of Economic Affairs, Henk Kamp, also visited
        effect and reduces the unsprung mass of the vehicle.   mainly tooling and structural prepregs (resin-                                                           out locally. For TenCate, this agreement represents
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               the TenCate stand, where he admired the monocoque for
        Tests show that in terms of material stress, the       pre-impregnated fibers) and honeycomb cores.       Alfa Romeo 4C                                         its first OEM project of this size in the automotive   the Alfa Romeo 4C. On the left, the Minister and in the
        demonstrator of the wheel meets extremely high         As a result of the increasing use of composite     TenCate and the Adler Group (Naples, Italy) have      industry. Up to three thousand cars of this type       middle, Frank Meurs (group director, TenCate Advanced
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Composites and formerly TenCate Protective Fabrics EMEA).
        safety and integrity requirements. The market          material, the molds will also be made of compos-   recently signed an agreement for the exclusive        are expected to be manufactured annually.

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A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
INNOVATION           TENCATE AND FOKKER AEROSTRUCTURES: A NATURAL COMBINATION IN COMPOSITES

                                                                                                                                                                                      OEMs in particular. This involves accuracies to        involved in the Region of Smart Factories. Together   Vision for the future
                                                                                                                                                                                      tenths of a millimeter. It is specialist work, into    with multinationals such as IBM and Philips, SME      Aeronautical drafters at aircraft manufacturers
                                                                                                                                                                                      which a great deal of development has gone.            companies, knowledge institutes, and universities,    have been focusing on the aircraft of the future,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             they aim to develop new techniques to substan-        creating animations of planes with remarkable
                                                                                                                                                                                      “An exceptional proposition”                           tially improve or even double productivity in the     shapes–aircraft that move like birds with a
                                                                                                                                                                                      According to Arnt Offringa, director of R&D at         manufacturing industry. Existing principles like      slow wingbeat. Arnt Offringa believes that the
                                                                                                                                                                                      Fokker Aerostructures, in the partnership with         automation and lean manufacturing are no longer       increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and global
                                                                                                                                                                                      TenCate there has been ‘‘a natural match for           sufficient. Smart factories provide new opportuni-    warming will ensure there will continue to be a
                                                                                                                                                                                      several decades. Together we strive to achieve         ties for increasing productivity.                     great demand for economical and thus lightweight
                                                                                                                                                                                      the same goal: light, affordable aircraft parts                                                              means of transport.
                                                                                                                                                                                      using thermoplastic composite technology. By           Smart factories constantly think for themselves
                                                                                                                                                                                      jointly distinguishing ourselves on the market         and correct and improve themselves. Such a fac-       For the aerospace industry, this means an ongoing
                                                                                                                                                                                      with an exceptional proposition, we acquire            tory requires areas of high-caliber expertise, like   need for affordable, lightweight aircraft. TenCate
                                                                                                                                                                                      orders. It’s like a marriage: you need each other      advanced sensor systems and the processing of         and Fokker Aerostructures are extremely well
           The new Airbus A320neo is fitted with new, more economical engines, which make the aircraft heavier, so its weight must be reduced. (Photo: Airbus S.A.S.)                 to reach the goal you’ve set. Together you are         data streams. Sensor systems allow one to fathom      placed in this respect, with unique thermoplastic
                                                                                                                                                                                      stronger and you provide your customers with a         out complex industrial processes. Knowledge of the    composite technology from TenCate Advanced
                                                                                                                                                                                      better product.’’ He mentioned in particular as the    control of large data streams is necessary to make    Composites. Material, production techniques, and
                                                                                                                                                                                      strong point of TenCate its focus on thermoplastic     processes self-learning. The first Smart Factory      design expertise all come together here. ‘‘When

  ‘‘A natural match’’
                                                                                                                                                                                      composite as a material and their joint approach       project has just been completed at Fokker in          it comes to engines, significant development is
                                                                                                                                                                                      to the market. ‘‘This has enabled us to secure our     Hoogeveen. In this project, the logistic system be-   taking place: at a stroke they have become 20
                                                                                                                                                                                      current position.’’                                    hind part of the composites line has been optimized   percent more economical, which is a revolution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             using advanced techniques. The partners will in the   in aircraft manufacturing.’’ As an example, he
                                                                                                                                                                                      Smart factories                                        years ahead exchange expertise on smart factories,    mentions the new Airbus A320neo (New Engine
        TenCate Advanced Composites supplies thermoplastic composite material to Fokker                                          thousands of press-formed ribs each year. All        Fokker Aerostructures and TenCate are also two         acquire new knowledge, and conduct pilot projects.    Option) narrow body, which is fitted with these
        Aerostructures in Hoogeveen. The material is processed there into parts for the aircraft and                             these individual parts are then welded together      of the companies in East Netherlands that are                                                                new engines. ‘‘These engines do, however,
        helicopters of Airbus, Boeing, Gulfstream, Dassault, AgustaWestland, and others. TenCate                                 to form the leading edges of wings for Airbus                                                                                                                     make the aircraft heavier, so its weight must be
        and Fokker Aerostructures form a natural and reliable combination in their value chain.                                  A380 airliners and the rudders for Gulfstream                                                                                                                     reduced. Herein lies a task for both of us.’’
                                                                                                                                 and Dassault business jets.
        TenCate is involved in various development                  and Lockheed Martin. These are delivered in part                                                                                                                                                                               •	Fokker Aerostructures processes
        projects and consortia for the aerospace industry,          directly and in part to Tier 1 companies, which are          Panels                                                                                                                                                               composite materials from TenCate to
        including TAPAS (with Airbus) and TPRC (with                the suppliers of systems to OEMs.                            Each year, thousands of floor panels are also                                                                                                                        make parts for aircraft and helicopters
        Boeing). One of the partners in these partnership                                                                        made from TenCate Cetex® for a variety of types                                                                                                                   •	Both companies are co-initiators of the
        alliances is Fokker Aerostructures, which special-          Material processing                                          of Gulfstream aircraft. In this process they are                                                                                                                     Region of Smart Factories, which aims
        izes in the design, development, and production of          The material from TenCate Advanced Composites                press-formed, bonded, thermo-folded, and induc-                                                                                                                      to increase or even double productivity
        lightweight parts for the aerospace industry. The           undergoes a variety of different treatments in               tion welded. The new Airbus A400M is fitted with                                                                                                                     in the manufacturing industry
        materials that are processed are metals such as             Hoogeveen. Single-layer semipreg material is                 ice-protection panels from Fokker Aerostructures,                                                                                                                 •	New, more economical engines in
        aluminum and titanium, thermoset composite, and             used to laminate large parts, such as the skin               based on TenCate Cetex® TC1100 PPS/glass.                                                                                                                            the aerospace industry demand further
        relatively new materials, such as Glare®, a                 and the spars of the leading edges of wings,                 Fokker Aerostructures also designed the horizontal                                                                                                                   weight reduction
        thermoplastic composite material from TenCate.              and rudders. The supporting torsion box in the               tailplane for the AgustaWestland AW169.                    Winand Kok (formerly manager, engineering, TenCate Advanced Composites), Arnt Offringa
        The company supplies complete tailplanes and                tail of a helicopter is fused in a single process            Needless to say, all the processes and products         (director, R&D, Fokker Aerostructures) and Michael Overd (head, Structures Design & Development,
        moving wing parts for commercial and military               step. Cetex®, a thermoplastic composite material             have to satisfy the stringent quality requirements      AgustaWestland) with the JEC Innovation Award 2013 for the first horizontal tailplane made of
                                                                                                                                                                                         thermoplastic composite for the AW169 helicopter
        aircraft for customers such as Boeing, Airbus,              from TenCate, is used by Fokker to make tens of              set by the aerospace industry in general and the

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A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
INNOVATION           TENCATE, FOKKER, AND PARTNERS CONTINUE INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP WITH AIRBUS

        Next Stage of TAPAS
        On Monday January 20 2014, the CEOs of Airbus, Fokker Aerostructures, and TenCate put their signatures to the contract for the next stage
        of the Thermoplastic Affordable Primary Aircraft Structure (TAPAS) program to run until the end of 2017. This innovation program, a highly
        successful tool for project-based innovative partnership, has thus entered the next stage.

        The TAPAS consortium consists of companies and           the Technical University of Delft, and the University   as part of TAPAS 2. Other aircraft components
        knowledge institutes in the Dutch aerospace in-          of Twente. The Dutch aerospace industry enjoys          too, such as the wings and fuel tanks, are being
        dustry working together with Airbus on the further       a good reputation worldwide in the field of             studied. A wing can be compared to the tailplane,
        development of thermoplastic composite applica-          lightweight materials. This is due in part to its       but it is ‘‘a fairly complex part,’’ explains TenCate
        tions in aircraft fuselages, wings, and tail sections.   excellent knowledge infrastructure, materials, and      manager of engineering, Winand Kok. It has con-
        The target is to further increase the proportion of      processes. In terms of size, the Netherlands has        flicting requirements: ‘‘It must be light and strong,
        thermoplastic composites in current aircraft as well     the sixth-largest aerospace industry in Europe.         conductive, the fuel has to be stored in it and it
        as in new generations. The partners of TenCate                                                                   must be able to lift the aircraft off the ground.’’
        Advanced Composites are Airborne Composites,             Tail section                                            During a flight, lightning may strike and static
        CODET, DTC, KE-Works, KVE, Technobis Fiber               A demonstrator of a tail section made entirely of       electricity cause sparks, which is not desirable in
        Technologies, the National Aerospace Laboratory,         thermoplastic composite material is being developed     the vicinity of fuel tanks. While traditional wings

                                                                                                                                                                                 are made of metal, which is a good conductor,          so that the aircraft becomes lighter. Yet the            Senior vicepresident R&T, Axel Krein of Airbus,
                                                                                                                                                                                 composite is far less conductive. ‘‘You have to        nose and fuselage must be able to withstand          Loek de Vries (center), and Sjoerd Vollebregt (right), CEOs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             of TenCate and Fokker Aerostructures, respectively, put
                                                                                                                                                                                 develop a specific solution for thermoplastics to      hailstorms, with hailstones measuring as much
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             their signatures to the contract for the continuation of
                                                                                                                                                                                 overcome this, with each application making its        as 8 centimeters in diameter. These are extreme
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             the TAPAS program. The document was signed in the
                                                                                                                                                                                 own demands. In the aerospace industry every-          scenarios, but you do have to take them into         presence of the French President, François Hollande, and
                                                                                                                                                                                 thing is put under the magnifying glass.’’             account. The important thing is to be able to fly    the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte. (photo: René de Gilde)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        safely from A to B. This can be translated into
                                                                                                                                                                                 Impact-resistance                                      material characteristics, which are what we make
                                                                                                                                                                                 In the event of impact, a dent will be visible         in our processes. It is a part of the safety that
                                                                                                                                                                                 in a metal aircraft fuselage. If the wall is made      is reflected in the care that we exercise in our
                                                                                                                                                                                 of a composite (layers of materials), nothing can      manufacturing processes. Our customers expect
                                                                                                                                                                                 be seen, but damage may well have occurred             us always to do the same thing and deliver exactly
                                                                                                                                                                                 inside. That is why an aircraft with composites        the same product.’’
                                                                                                                                                                                 is designed ‘‘thicker,’’ also due to its scale. The
                                                                                                                                                                                 walls of smaller aircraft are thinner and their im-    www.tapasproject.nl
                                                                                                                                                                                 pact-resistance is greater. ‘‘Our thermoplastics are
                                                                                                                                                                                 tougher and can possibly be designed ‘thinner,’

             Fokker Aerostructures, the NLR, and TenCate are three of the partners in TAPAS

12 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             13
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
Astronaut André Kuipers shows German chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte round the TenCate stand,
         where the Alfa Romeo was prominently displayed
                                                                                                                                           INNOVATION              TENCATE AT THE WORLD’S LARGEST TECHNOLOGY FAIR

                                                                                                                                        Hannover
                                                                                                                                        Messe Success
                                                                                                                                        for TenCate
                                                                                                                                        TenCate operates at the very heart of society and makes a genuine contribution to continuing
                                                                                                                                        improvements in sustainability. With its innovative products, systems, and technological
                                                                                                                                        developments, TenCate often leads the way. This is one of the main conclusions that can be
                                                                                                                                        drawn from the presence of TenCate at the Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial trade
                                                                                                                                        fair, which was held April 7–11, 2014.

                                                                                                                                        The fair, which was opened by the German                 Moreover, the use of composite enables production
                                                                                                                                        chancellor, Angela Merkel, together with Dutch           volumes to be adapted fairly flexibly, as was
                                                                                                                                        prime minister, Mark Rutte, was inspired by the          indicated in the presentation ‘‘Global Challenges,
                                                                                                                                        theme ‘‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution.’’ This year,   Dutch Composites.’’
                                                                                                                                        the Netherlands was the partner country. There
                                                                                                                                        were 270 Dutch companies present and TenCate,            Inspiring presentation
                                                                                                                                        which was presenting its products here for the           Robert Lenferink, director of business development
                                                                                                                                        first time, attracted a great deal of attention.         thermoplastic composites at TenCate Advanced
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Composites, was present at the Hannover Messe
                                                                                                                                        Reaching out to the German car industry                  and gave an inspiring presentation. ‘‘With our
                                                                                                                                        For TenCate, the Hannover Messe was a great              great knowledge and experience of composite
                                                                                                                                        success in various respects. The company took            gained in the aerospace industry, the transition
                                                                                                                                        advantage of the fair in part to reach out to            to the car industry is opening up an entirely new
                                                                                                                                        the large German car industry, which is also             market. TenCate aims to reach out from small
                                                                                                                                        increasingly focusing on improving sustainability.       (racing) car producers to large car manufacturers
                                                                                                                                        This means lighter cars that use less energy. This       with countless - thermoset or thermoplastic
                                                                                                                                        is an irreversible trend, as a result of European        - composite components or materials for the
                                                                                                                                        regulations, which oblige even cars to reduce their      large-scale production of cars.’’ To this end,
                                                                                                                                        CO2 emissions. This offers a golden opportunity          the company is collaborating with a number of
                                                                                                                                        for composite. It is not only much lighter and more      strategic partners. At the fair, TenCate prominently
                                                                                                                                        sustainable, but also far stronger than steel and        displayed the chassis of the Alfa Romeo 4C,
                                                                                                                                        thus safer. And safety is also of great importance
                                                                                                                                        on roads that are becoming ever more congested.              Continued on page 16

14 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                         15
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15                                                                                                                                               MOBILITY          TENCATE COMPOSITES FOR AVIATION, AEROSPACE, AND AUTOMOTIVE

        produced by Adler in Italy, with thermoset           incorporated more and more into the interior. So         companies) and the OEMs, such as companies in
        composite from TenCate. Producer voestalpine         it’s a case of green being combined with growth.’’       the aviation, aerospace and automobile industries.’’
        Polynorm from Bunschoten (NL) is our partner for
        undertrays, as is Kringlan and Sabic for wheel       Increasing need for composite                            Industry 4.0
        rims, which have already been certified. Weight      ‘‘In view of the expected growth in the number           This last industry also offers opportunities for
        savings of no less than 50 to 70 percent have been   of daily flights from 84,000 in 2011 to 170,000 in       TenCate, a pioneer in the field of thermoplastic

                                                                                                                                                                               Far, Far Away
        achieved on these car components.                    2030, the need for composite will only increase,’’       composite. And the problem area fits in
                                                             he continued. ‘‘Such an increase can also be             seamlessly with the theme of the Hannover
        Aviation industry continues strong growth            attributed to other advantages of composite: they        Messe in respect of the smart factories of Industry
        TenCate has for many years had a prominent           suffer less corrosion and material fatigue than          4.0, in which TenCate also plays a proactive
        presence in the aviation industry with its           traditional aluminum aircraft structures. This           role. In this concept, the supply chain for value
        thermoplastic composites. Thermoset composite        means that a large-scale revision will need to take      creation is being increasingly optimized. The
        from TenCate is widely used in the space industry.   place only once every 13 years, instead of every         use of the internet and further digitization and
        During his presentation, ‘‘Global Challenges,        six, which will make a considerable difference           automation or robotization will lead to flexibility in
        Dutch Composites,’’ Arnt Offringa, director of R&D   in costs. Moreover, it will make it possible to          production and volume. The use of raw materials
        of Fokker Aerostructures, indicated a number of      construct larger windows and the pressure and            is more efficient and there is a much improved           From its production locations in Morgan Hill and Fairfield, CA, in the United States, TenCate           savings needed. Astro Aerospace is a business
        interesting longer-term trends. These are partly     thus the moisture level in the aircraft can be higher.   response to customer requirements. Philips,              supplies a wide range of composite materials for communication, military, and research                  unit of Northrop Grumman, a North American
        the result of the increasing use of composites       This will all contribute to a greater degree of          Fokker, and TenCate with Xennia are pioneers             satellites, as well as for launch vehicles.                                                             defence, aviation, and aerospace company.
        in aircraft. ‘‘Since 2000 the aviation industry      comfort for the traveler,’’ claimed the R&D director     with smart factories, together with partners such                                                                                                                ‘‘TenCate Cetex® thermoplastics are integral
        has grown by some 53 percent, whereas fuel           of Fokker Aerostructures.                                as the University of Twente and the Noordelijke                                                                                                                  to the structure of our mesh reflectors,’’ states
        consumption has increased by only 3 percent,’’                                                                Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (NOM). In the words           Satellites utilize high-modulus (high-stiffness)    development of microsatellites, which are to        Daniel Ochoa, product development manager
        Arnt Offringa stated. ‘‘In addition to much more     Opportunities and potential                              of Hans Praat, project developer of the NOM:             carbon fibers combined with tailored resin          be deployed in large numbers to allow internet      at Northrop Grumman’s Astro Aerospace. ‘‘They
        fuel-efficient engines, an important factor is the   Harald Heerink, general manager of the leading           ‘‘The Netherlands has a leading position in this         systems for the production of structures on the     access in far regions. Research satellites serve    help to create the parabolic shape of the antenna.
        great increase in the use of lighter composite       global ThermoPlastic composites Research Center          compared with Germany. With smart factories              satellite, including solar arrays, booms/trusses,   a variety of specialized purposes. For example,     The material has been extensively tested as
        materials in the leading edge, tail sections,        (TPRC) in Enschede, also placed great emphasis           complex processes become more customized                 reflectors, and bus structures. Solar arrays are    they may be used to measure atmospheric             part of the unit prior to flight, and is durable
        and recently in the wings and fuselages of the       in Hannover on the opportunities for the material        and intrinsically intelligent, as well as faster         used to provide power to the satellite while        changes, weather, and climate change.               and stiff, which is critical to the functioning
        A350 and Boeing 787. Composite is also being         and its potential. ‘‘Thermoplastic composite is          and more meticulous.’’                                   it is in space; booms/trusses hold equipment                                                            of the antenna.’’
                                                             inherently suitable for use in efficient high-volume                                                              and solar arrays to the main structure of the       AstroMesh®
                                                             production, such as that in the car industry,’’ he       •	At the Hannover Messe, TenCate was                    satellite; and reflectors are the communication     On January 31 2015, NASA launched its Soil          Launch vehicles: weight and cost reduction
                                                             said enthusiastically. ‘‘It makes very fast processing      reaching out to the German car industry,              disks that are used to upload and download          Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite.           Launch vehicles (rockets) use standard- and
                                                             cycles possible. Moreover, it has greater                   which is increasingly focusing on greater             satellite communications that enable data           TenCate Advanced Composites provided Astro          intermediate-modulus (moderate-stiffness)
                                                             toughness, and offers the possibility to weld               sustainability                                        transmission with mobile phones, the internet,      Aerospace with TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic         fibers. These fibers are impregnated with
                                                             components using a variety of technologies, in           •	The use of composite in aerospace means               HD television, military communications, and         composites for the AstroMesh® reflector on this     thermoset epoxy-based resin systems (prepreg)
                                                             addition to higher chemical resistance to corrosion         less corrosion and material fatigue,                  analytical instruments.                             spacecraft. The SMAP spacecraft will provide        to create the rocket structure. The structures
                                                             and solvents. It is also, relatively speaking, a            less revision, and makes it possible                                                                      global measurements of soil moistures and indi-     on launch vehicles are typically large and can
                                                             very safe material in the event of fire and also            to construct larger windows and it                    Satellites                                          cate whether it is frozen or thawed. The data       be very heavy as a result. So the lightweight
                                                             in relation to the development of smoke and                 contributes to greater passenger comfort              Communication satellites enable internet,           will be used to understand the processes that       composite materials from TenCate are used to
                                                             poisonous gas. And, last but not least, there is the     •	A relatively limited number of smaller                television, and mobile phone communications.        link Earth’s water, energy, and carbon cycles and   replace metals such as aluminum and titanium
                                                             possibility of recycling and reusing the material,          producers of composite means thin supply              The need and the desire for mobile phones,          improve weather and climate prediction models.      for weight savings. Since the cost to launch
                                                             thus also making the composite sustainable.’’               chains between chemical companies and                 digital television, and internet connectivity       The 6-meter-long AstroMesh® reflector, which        a satellite is driven primarily by the weight of
                                                             Harald Heerink pointed out that there are also              companies in the aviation, aerospace,                 are all driving the demand for communication        will spin atop the spacecraft at nearly 15          the payload, reducing the weight is critical for
                                                             problem areas regarding its use. ‘‘Due to the               and automobile industries                             satellites. Military satellites provide Earth,      revolutions per minute, provides for total global   cost savings. Additionally, TenCate materials
                                                             relatively limited number of smaller producers of                                                                 observation, secure communication, GPS              mapping every 2 to 3 days. The reflector uses       are valued since they may be cured in large
                                                             composite there is a thin supply chain between                                                                    location/navigation, early warning, and weather     TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic composites to
             Arnt Offringa: ‘‘Green combined with growth’’
                                                             the suppliers of the basic materials (chemical                                                                    information. A new trend that has begun is the      achieve the strength, durability, and weight            Continued on page 18

16 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             17
A Rich Heritage, a Blossoming Future The Power of Partnership
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

        ovens under low pressure, which is a very                protection group worked closely with TenCate               Making a difference
        valuable characteristic, as curing the parts in          Advanced Composites in North America on the                Customers and end-users in both the aerostruc-
        large pressurised ovens (autoclaves) would be            5-year development and qualification effort                tures and the space markets, like Thales, Boeing,
        very expensive due to the size of the autoclave          for a range of materials used in this extreme              Northrop Grumman, Space Systems Loral, and
        needed. One of TenCate’s newest customers                application. This Lockheed Martin spacecraft               SpaceX, turn to TenCate for both technical
        for composite materials is SpaceX.                       was successfully launched as a trial at the end            reasons (such as product characteristics) and for
                                                                 of 2014. The TenCate materials in this space               customer support reasons. First and foremost,
        Orion space capsule                                      capsule replaced the traditional titanium solution         TenCate has perhaps the largest suite of materials,
        In 2010, a heat-resistant composite resin was            for reentry and splashdown requirements, while             well-documented flight history, and an enormous
        developed by TenCate and provided for the heat           saving weight and cost. The composites from                range of technical data on its materials for
        shield (with a 5-meter diameter) and the backshell       TenCate used on the heat shield design allow               satellite and launch structure materials. Unique
        structure of NASA’s Orion crew vehicle.                  very large composite structures to be fabricated           data such as radiation resistance, thermocycling
        Lockheed Martin Space Systems Orion thermal              out-of-autoclave.                                          and microcrack resistance, and low outgassing

                                                                                                                                                                                       TenCate Advanced Composites provided Astro Aerospace with TenCate Cetex® thermoplastic composites for the AstroMesh® reflector

                                                                                                                                                                                  are required for our customers to successfully       toward more rapidly deployable architectures          •	With a view to weight savings, metals
                                                                                                                                                                                  apply our materials to their application. We also    (designs), and will be putting hundreds of lower          such as aluminum and titanium for launch
                                                                                                                                                                                  provide industry-leading response times and          cost satellites into orbit. This is creating a need       vehicles are replaced by the lightweight
                                                                                                                                                                                  on-site technical support for our customers,         for materials with similar properties to the              composite materials from TenCate
                                                                                                                                                                                  which further helps to differentiate TenCate         traditional satellite materials from TenCate,         •	Launch vehicles are now being developed
                                                                                                                                                                                  from our competition.                                but that can be produced faster and at a lower            that are either reusable or very low cost
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       cost. The space market is experiencing rapid              and satellite manufacturers are shifting to
                                                                                                                                                                                  Rapid change                                         innovation, expansion, technology adoption,               more rapidly deployable architectures
                                                                                                                                                                                  The space and satellite market is an area of         and change. TenCate is paying very close
                                                                                                                                                                                  extreme innovation and rapid change. Launch          attention to these trends so we can maintain our      info@tcac-usa.com
                                                                                                                                                                                  vehicles are now being developed that are            leadership role in the market as it evolves.
                                                                                                                                                                                  either reusable or very low cost. Rather than
                                                                                                                                                                                  spending over $200 million on a single launch,       •	A satellite structure experiences very
                                                                                                                                                                                  satellite operators will be able to put satellites      intense loads during the actual launch              TenCate materials have traveled >4 billion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              miles from Earth on NASA’s New Horizon
                                                                                                                                                                                  in orbit for dramatically lower cost. On top of         of the satellite into orbit, and in space
             The Orion space capsule from Lockheed Martin with TenCate materials was successfully launched as a trial at the end of 2014                                                                                                                                                      spacecraft
                                                                                                                                                                                  lower costs, satellite manufacturers are shifting       is exposed to extreme temperatures

18 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                19
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT                  TENCATE PARTNER IN AEROSPACE CLUSTER

           One of the aircraft types built by the Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC

       D²RAGON: Aerospace Cluster in China
        The Netherlands has comprehensive knowledge infrastructure and expertise in aerospace. This makes our country an attractive partner                                    helicopters. The company, which has a production      governments (G2G) for technological, industrial, and   Chinese students at Dutch colleges and universities
        for the rapidly growing Chinese aircraft industry. In April 2014, the government and a number of companies, including TenCate, signed a                                site in China for aircraft wiring, has had contacts   academic cooperation, the development of com-          that provide courses in aeronautical engineering,
        covenant for cooperation in this field: D²RAGON. Within its Asia strategy, TenCate is already working jointly with players in Chinese aerospace.                       with aircraft manufacturer COMAC (Commercial          mercial activities and involvement in the ‘‘concept    which will benefit long-term cooperation.
        The two programs in this twin-track approach can strengthen each other.                                                                                                Aircraft Corporation of China) for quite some time.   definition phase’’ of the 929-wide body of COMAC.
                                                                                                                                                                               Just as the D²RAGON partners, it sees the potential   In the medium term, they intend to conclude at least   Involved with D²RAGON
        Partners for International Business (PIB) is a             a network organized by the government (Dutch         Technologies are two companies within D²RAGON          for growth in the field of composites for aircraft    two contracts with COMAC for development and           The contacts for D²RAGON on behalf of TenCate are
        public-private program for groups of Dutch                 Development and Research in Aeronautics supported    that are already operating in the Chinese aviation     designed and produced by China.                       design. The goal in the long term is to generate a     Raoul Starmans (business development manager,
        companies and knowledge institutes that have the           by Government Organized Network). The contribution   market. As part of its Asia strategy, TenCate has                                                            minimum of €50 million in revenues annually.           TenCate for Greater China) and Harm Albers (sales
        joint aim of entering a foreign market in one of the       of TenCate consists of technological knowledge and   concluded agreements for cooperation with major        G2G and K2K                                                                                                  manager, TenCate Advanced Composites). Raoul
        top sectors. One of these sectors is High-Tech             materials.                                           players in the Asian aviation industry. Networks and   D²RAGON focuses on establishing a good and stable     K2K (exchange of knowledge) is also a part of the      Starmans organizes the local representation of
        Materials & Systems, such as composites. Part                                                                   partnerships are being established and expanded.       market position for the Dutch aerospace cluster in    program. Chinese aircraft manufacturers can make
        of PIB is D²RAGON. This includes research and              Networks and partnerships                            Fokker Aerostructures incorporates composite           China. Its short-term objectives include entering     use of Dutch knowledge and expertise in the field
        development in aerospace with the support of               TenCate Advanced Composites and Fokker               from TenCate into lightweight parts for aircraft and   into an agreement between the Dutch and Chinese       of aerospace. The aim is to increase the number of         Continued on page 22

20 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   21
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21                                                                                                                                      BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT                     TENCATE ADVANCED COMPOSITES LAUNCHES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

        TenCate composite technologies for the next gener-    ening the image and the reputation of Dutch
        ation of Chinese commercial aircraft. Harm Albers     industry. They support the valuable contacts that
        was co-signatory to the D²RAGON covenant.             the Dutch government has made for us in China
                                                              and from which we can benefit. The TenCate
        What are the advantages of this program?              Asia strategy is more ‘work on the ground,’
        ‘‘The cluster offers a wide range of technologies.    with a strategy focused on the sale of our mater-
        You enter the Chinese market together and can         ials. Our products will not be used until they have
        thus strengthen each other. The government            been qualified. We must continue to be very alert
        bears part of the costs and helps to raise the        in our operations so as to enable new aerospace
        awareness of companies at trade fairs and             applications to be found for our materials. This          Raoul Starmans, business development
        seminars and by making high-level contacts            requires close cooperation with partners in the         manager, TenCate for Greater China
        with Chinese company and government officials.        supply chain.’’
        Companies like Fokker already have local produc-                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The former Amber Composites is an important supplier
        tion and their presence is an advantage for us.       What opportunities are there in China for                                                                                                                                                                    of prepreg systems and materials to the Formula 1 market.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The United Kingdom is at the heart of Formula 1 racing.
        Thermoplastic composites for aviation applica-        TenCate composites?
        tions are relatively new for China and knowledge      ‘‘China is a world power with excellent growth
        of them is still very limited. Fokker can make        potential in commercial aviation, therefore we
        high-grade components from our composites, and        are already having talks with other players,

                                                                                                                                                                      Amber Composites Celebrates
        it leads the way here in terms of thermoplastic       including COMAC. There are also opportunities
        technology. The combination of TenCate (material      for other applications, such as satellites, but
        development) and Fokker (part manufacturing)          these may not legally be exported and, of course,

                                                                                                                                                                      Anniversary with New Name
        works well. COMAC is favorably disposed to an         we respect that. So we shall deal only with
                                                                                                                        Harm Albers, sales manager, TenCate
        open business model in which close cooperation        commercial aviation and with composites for the
                                                                                                                      Advanced Composites
        with suppliers plays an ever more central role.’’     automotive industry.’’

        What does the PIB program mean for TenCate?           How can you prevent knowledge ending up with          •	TenCate is a partner in D²RAGON, which         On Wednesday, October 2, 2014, Amber Composites Limited, based in Langley Mill                       The TenCate Advanced Composites group
        ‘‘This year, there are G2G and K2K activities on      third parties as a result of cooperation?                focuses on building a good and stable          (Nottingham, UK), celebrated its 25th anniversary, marking this special occasion with                manufactures both thermoplastic and thermoset
        the program. Together with the PIB consortium         ‘‘You see that a particular need arises, for which       market position for the Dutch aerospace        an identity change to TenCate Advanced Composites. Sixty invited guests (customers,                  composite materials. The thermoset activities
        we are taking part in trade fairs and promotional     our materials are certified and that there is a          cluster in China                               suppliers, associates, and other business partners) gathered together to celebrate                   were formally concentrated in Morgan Hill
        activities, and there are airshows in China and       local need for technical people who could             • Thermoplastic composites for aerospace          the anniversary and the change in name.                                                              (United States) and focused mainly on the
        Europe, network meetings, and trade missions.         take this on. China has a significant amount of          applications are relatively new for China.                                                                                                          space and aerospace sector (satellites and
        These activities promote the reputation and           catching up to do in the field of thermoplastics,        TenCate and Fokker Aerostructures have                                                                                                              communication). The main product lines at
        image of a strong and united Dutch aerospace          but they are working on this at two research             detailed knowledge of the technology and                                                                                                            the Langley Mill (UK) site are composite tooling
        industry. Furthermore, TenCate would welcome          institutes. These are low-grade thermoplastics           application of thermoplastics                                                                                                                       prepreg (TenCate AmberTool®), structural
        a combined company visit from a Chinese dele-         for consumer electronics, for example. On the         • D²RAGON and the TenCate Asia strategy form a                                                                                                         component prepregs, and various honeycomb
        gation to TenCate Advanced Composites, Fokker         high-tech side, we have a headstart, based on a          twin-track approach and reinforce each other                                                                                                        cores. The honeycomb cores range includes
        Aerostructures, and other members of                  twenty-year learning curve and this we of course                                                                                                                                                             aluminum, Nomex®, or Kevlar®. These products
        the consortium.’’                                     want to hold on to as far as possible. Would                                                                                                                                                                 are used in Formula 1 and high-performance
                                                              this completely block local production in China?                                                                                                                                                             automotive, as well as for commercial aviation,
        To what extent can D²RAGON and the TenCate            It seems possible to set out clear frameworks                                                                                                                                                                marine, and other industries.
        Asia strategy strengthen each other?                  for this and to deal extremely cautiously with
        ‘‘The two strategies run parallel and strengthen      acquired intellectual property and its protection.                                                                                                                                                           Formula 1 – highly demanding market
        each other. This is a twin-track approach: the        Let´s not forget that the Chinese market will                                                             	 Around 60 invited guests gathered together that day in Langley Mill (Nottingham) to celebrate   The market for Formula 1, sports, and luxury cars
        one is a collective effort by the Dutch aerospace     develop anyway. It is quite conceivable that                                                              the anniversary and change in name
        cluster. You can see it as a trailblazer. The other   assembly will take place there.’’                                                                                                                                                                                Continued on page 24
        is more sales-oriented. The PIB aims at strength-

22 Toray Textures | Spring 2019                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        23
Composite
                                                                                                                                                                                       Composite Tooling
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Tooling Prepreg
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Prepreg
          CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

        is relatively new to TenCate. It is an innovative                industry and is keen to develop materials for          day was an excellent opportunity to explain to
        and highly demanding market noted for rapid                      all aspects of the vehicle.                            customers and other stakeholders just what
        developments. A racing car is made up of more                                                                           our plans with the company actually are,’’ says
        than 5,000 components, and after each race                       Strengthening activities                               Frank Meurs (group director, TenCate Advanced
        up to 20% of these are replaced or upgraded.                     Through the acquisition of Amber Composites,           Composites EMEA). ‘‘Besides the new, modern
        Thermoset composite materials have been used                     TenCate Advanced Composites can also                   production site, we presented TenCate as company.
        in this industry for many years. New material                    strengthen its thermoset activities within the         And the feedback we received from our guests,
        innovation or a new technology can quickly                       European communication and satellite industry.         including some Formula 1 teams, was very positive.’’
        prove itself here–unlike in the aviation industry,               TenCate continues to invest in the development
        where new product introduction can take many                     and production of prepregs, as well as in the          TenCate AmberTool®
        years to certification approval to fly. The United               necessary technical support in test equipment          In September 2014, TenCate Advanced
        Kingdom is at the heart of Formula 1 racing, with                and manpower to support substantial growth.            Composites launched a rebranded series of
        no less than eight of the eleven F1 teams being                  For the domestic UK market, this means                 prepregs for composite tooling under the name
        based within a 40 mile radius of the Silverstone                 competitive materials, supplied more quickly           TenCate AmberTool®. This portfolio incorporates
        race circuit. The former Amber Composites is an                  and efficiently. The Langley Mill facility (formerly   the original heritage of the former Amber
        important supplier of prepreg systems and mater-                 Amber Composites location) is now the center           Composites’ tooling range with tooling prepregs
        ials to this market. For example, the TenCate                    of excellence when it comes to the production of       available from TenCate Advanced Composites
        E745 resin system is used in high-impact struct-                 thermoset prepregs for Europe. Working together        USA, and use is made of the 3M nanosilica
        ures. From the start of 2014, this will be the                   with their USA colleagues, markets                     fortified-resin technology. New opportunities for
        only material qualified and specified for use in                 will be developed where the strengths of its           application can be found within the motor racing,
        side impact structures of all Formula 1 cars.                    materials development can really benefit the           aviation, marine, and prosthesis industries.
        The Langley Mill business is dedicated to this                   industry and customer base. ‘‘The rebranding
                                                                                                                                •	TenCate Advanced Composites is an
                                                                                                                                   important supplier of prepreg systems
                                                                                                                                   and materials to the Formula 1 market
                                                                                                                                •	In cooperation with their USA colleagues,
                                                                                                                                   markets will be developed where the
                                                                                                                                   strengths of its materials development can
                                                                                                                                   benefit the industry and customer base
                                                                                                                                •	The TenCate AmberTool® portfolio
                                                                                                                                   incorporates the former Amber Composites’
                                                                                                                                   tooling range with tooling prepregs
                                                                                                                                   available from TenCate Advanced

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   TOOL
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   TOOL ING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ING REINVE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            REINVE NT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   NT EE D
                                                                                                                                   Composites USA

               Frank Meurs (second from right) and Nick Tiffin (respectively group director and director of sales & marketing
                                                                                                                                www.tencatecomposites.com/tooling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         D
           of TenCate Advanced Composites EMEA) gave a presentation explaining the reasons for the TenCate acquisition          tcacsales@tencate.com
           of Amber. They also outlined their vision for the future of the company and the composite group.

24 Toray Textures | Spring 2019
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