Composites Weekly

This week Ryan Oner of AKPA Chemicals joins me to share some of the latest news from their company. AKPA Chemicals specializes in the production of organic peroxides & initiators.  They'll be featuring at CAMX in Atlanta next week and will be located at booth T44.  You can visit their website at  https://akpachemicalus.com . 

This week Madeline Wehrle joins me on the show. She is the business development manager at Re:Build, a company that develops and manufactures technologically advanced products from concept through production at scale here in the United States using a "Brain to Box™" process. Re:Build offers customers a new model of American industrialization. They've developed a combination of manufacturing operat...

On this episode, John H Moore of JHM Technologies joins me on the podcast. For over 30 years JHM Technologies, Inc. has provided closed molders worldwide with proven closed molding solutions. Known globally by their passion for the industry and assisting molders to achieve their closed molding goals. JHM Technologies'​ innovative approach provides molders with custom turn-key packages that are pre...

On this episode, Cindy Squires and Rebekah Stacha join me to highlight CAMX 2023 taking place down in Atlanta at the end of October. CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America.  It offers a robust education program with a massive exhibit hall showcasing hundreds of manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. You can register today by visiting h...

On this episode, Dan Neumann joins me to discuss how a government shutdown will affect our industry for the short term. Dan is the Vice President of Government Relations for the ACMA. He has twenty years of experience in policy work, government relations, media, and data analysis.  Also, don't forget to put Feb 26-28 on your calendar. This will be the next ACMA Composites Fly-In. It will provide a...

This week, Colin Mackinnon of PPSS Group joins me on the podcast. Colin is a specialist consultant in PPE options, workplace violence and staff security. PPSS Group is an internationally recognized firm specializing in the development and supply of high-performance personal protective equipment, clothing, and workwear, offering protection from edged weapons, blades, hypodermic needles, blunt force...

On this episode, ACMA consultant  Andrew Pokelwald  joins me to discuss how the composites industry is meeting infrastructure challenges. In construction projects, many are seeing the cost-saving advantages of building with highly durable and innovative composite materials. Composites offer the advantages of corrosion resistance and durability, leading to longer service life for structures. We'll...

This week David Morgan, the chief strategy officer at Carbon Rivers joins me to discuss their upcycle programs in the wind energy, automotive, marine, construction, and glass fiber markets.  Based in Knoxville, TN Carbon Rivers is the only company in the world that can upcycle glass fiber and provide clean, mechanically intact glass and composite intermediates for various OEMs. They are also the o...

On this episode Dr. Rigoberto Advincula joins me on the podcast to discuss some of their work research on using image-driven machine learning (ML) to optimize the thermo-mechanical properties of 3D Printed Composites.  Dr. Advincula is a Governor's Chair Professor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee. He is the Group Leader of the Macromolecular Nanomaterials Gro...

On this episode, Wagner Paglia of BlueWind Technology joins me to discuss their company and one of the recent milestones they achieved - manufacturing 1,500 nacelle covers in 40 months with just one set of molds.  Based in Pensacola, FL, BlueWind is a fast-growing company that specializes in manufacturing composite materials for applications with high technical requirements, such as those present...

On this episode, Zach Sinz of Stoner Molding Solutions joins me. Known for superior performance and consistent quality, Stoner has been helping manufacturers mold more parts in less time since 1942. Every Stoner formulation is designed to optimize your production process and significantly improve your bottom line. Stoner's brand portfolio offers solutions for any molding process. If you can mold i...

On this episode, I share an interview with Nick Santhanam, author of the best-selling book, The Titanium Economy . While silicon valley tech companies tend to dominate today's news headlines, many of the fastest-growing, most profitable companies in the United States are firms you've likely never heard of. These booming companies belong to a burgeoning sector—industrial tech. This sector offers su...

On this episode, I welcome Kyle Jordan to the show. Kyle is the new director of certifications with the ACMA. Their CCT program supports professional development and facilitates uniform training and technical skills. It's the only certification program of its kind in the industry. This program is completed online and provides enrollees with all the resources needed to succeed in becoming a Certifi...

On this episode, Alvin Ericson joins me to discuss GFRP rebar technology and the growing advantage in the infrastructure market. With a long and costly history of corrosion worldwide, steel is no longer viewed as a cost-effective option in aggressive environments. Many governments and businesses can no longer afford the short or long-term costs associated with black steel. Placing unprotected, rus...

This week Peter Hedger, of Composite Applications Group joins me as co-host as we welcome Martin Mclaughlin to discuss the Implosion of OceanGate's Titan and Aerospace Certification Methods.  There has been a lot of speculation that the submersible implosion was due to the composite cylinder fatigue after repeated dives. On this episode, we'll be discussing the best practices for the design, devel...

On this episode, Nick Ciparro joins me on the podcast. Nick is the Chief R&D scientist at Carbon Rivers , a company that  develops and commercializes technologies such as: Second Generation Polymer Composites  Graphene-Based Materials ( https://www.theaccr.com/ ) Multi-Functional Nuclear Industry Materials Additive Manufacturing Materials Tunable Multi-Functional Composite Coatings Advanced Compos...

On this episode, we feature an interview with  Joannie Harmon at IACMI's annual member meeting discussing workforce education. IACMI has made workforce education and development a pillar of its mission, along with composites R&D and commercialization. You can learn more by visiting https://iacmi.org/workforce . 

On this episode, Scott Lewitt of Structural Composites Inc. joins me to discuss a newly installed composite bridge in Tennessee that they've developed, and how this structure is being used to showcase sustainable solutions for aging infrastructure. This FRP bridge replaces a decades-old concrete crossing which, like many rural bridges across the nation, was rated structurally deficient and outdate...

On this episode, Tobi Ferguson, CEO of Magnum Venus Products, joins me at the IACMI Member Meeting to discuss their new $20 million expansion.  Magnum Venus Products (MVP) , a global manufacturer of fluid movement and production solutions for industrial applications, is expanding its footprint and capabilities with the purchase of this new facility and land in East Tennessee.  This expansion will...

On this episode, Haley Marie Keith , the CEO of Mito Materials joins me during IACMI's annual member meeting. MITO's technology is the "first and only" process to functionalize substances like graphene oxide and biomaterials—creating hybrid additives that give fiber-reinforced composites and thermoplastics lab-verified improvements in strength, durability, flexibility, and sustainability. Their te...

On this episode, regular guest Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me to discuss the topic of industry consolidation. We explore the impact of mergers & acquisitions on the future of composites.  Over the past year, we have seen monumental shifts and transformations, with particular emphasis on the flurry of mergers and acquisitions that have created a seismic shift in our industry's landscape. The composites...

On this episode, Brian Fitzgerald, the CRO at Augury joins me to discuss how A.I. is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry with its ability to predict machine and equipment failure, enhancing efficiency and reducing downtime costs.  Augury is a Billion manufacturing tech company that is unlocking production capacity, predictability, and sustainability while transforming how manufacturing team...

This week, Jesus Zozaya and James Pickard of Voltera join me on the show to discuss the future of additive electronics and how it is revolutionizing so many industries - including composites.  Votera , is a company that makes rapid prototyping platforms for printed electronics — from traditional circuit boards to the flexible, stretchable, conformable, and biocompatible electronics of tomorrow. Th...

On this episode, Alex Corrêa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene  joins me to discuss some of the exciting work their company is doing with graphene to revolutionize industries such as coatings, concrete, elastomers, polymers, and lubricants to name a few.  This Brazilian nanotechnology company Gerdau Graphene, specializes in advanced graphene-enhanced materials for industrial applications. They have recently...

This week, I welcome Dr. Liron Nesiel to the show. She is the CEO of Smart Resilin, a company that is setting out to change the plastic narrative. Using Resilin, a super-performing protein originating from insects, they are u sing genetic engineering techniques to extract the DNA and tailor-fit the protein for a variety of use cases and produce it at a very large scale. Having near-perfect elastic...