OWENS CORNING
New SMC roving / 3-D fabric / Expansion in pipes / GRP composites for auto industry
US group Owens Corning (European HQ: Chaussee de la Hulpe 178, B-1170 Brussels) expects the auto industry to provide the most impulses for the glass fibre reinforced plastics business up the year 2000. At an international press conference in Spain, the new president of the Owens Corning composites business, Heinz J. Otto, predicted that the group's worldwide sales in this segment could surpass DEM 2 bn by the turn of the century, a rise from DEM 1.2 bn in 1995. Alongside automotive applications, the GRP specialist has a number of other products that can expect to participate in the overall market growth.
The new SMC roving 954 combines high mechanical strength with evenness of surface colouring. At its glass weaving facility in San Vicente, Spain, Owens Corning is developing a three-dimensional structure composed of woven fabric separated by TM roving, mixed with resin and cured to form a panel "considerably lighter and more rigid than aluminium honeycomb panels." The structure is being tested for a number of end-use applicatons includng panels for construction, ship walls and shipping containers.
Engineered pipe systems are another focus for Owens Corning. Its share of this market is at present only 1.5%, but the group continues to expand, for the most part through joint ventures and acquisitions. In September, the pipe systems segment based at Brussels took over the fittings for GRP pipes activities of Matherso (F-Bagneres de Bigorre) in southwestern France (1995 sales of FRF 6m). The business has been renamed Owens Corning Fittings.
In May, Owens Corning and Turkey's Yapi Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. teamed up in the jv Owens Corning – Yapi Merkezi Buro AS. The new company is to start production and marketing of large-diameter GRP pipe for municipal water and wastewater systems in early 1997. The pipes systems group has a USD 18.5m contract to supply GRP pipes for a water supply project in Zimbabwe. Pipes are also being supplied for a water project in Botswana.
READER SERVICE: Owens Corning product information on 3-D fabric, other speciality fabrics and engineered pipe systems (English):PIE-No. 40136.
The new SMC roving 954 combines high mechanical strength with evenness of surface colouring. At its glass weaving facility in San Vicente, Spain, Owens Corning is developing a three-dimensional structure composed of woven fabric separated by TM roving, mixed with resin and cured to form a panel "considerably lighter and more rigid than aluminium honeycomb panels." The structure is being tested for a number of end-use applicatons includng panels for construction, ship walls and shipping containers.
Engineered pipe systems are another focus for Owens Corning. Its share of this market is at present only 1.5%, but the group continues to expand, for the most part through joint ventures and acquisitions. In September, the pipe systems segment based at Brussels took over the fittings for GRP pipes activities of Matherso (F-Bagneres de Bigorre) in southwestern France (1995 sales of FRF 6m). The business has been renamed Owens Corning Fittings.
In May, Owens Corning and Turkey's Yapi Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. teamed up in the jv Owens Corning – Yapi Merkezi Buro AS. The new company is to start production and marketing of large-diameter GRP pipe for municipal water and wastewater systems in early 1997. The pipes systems group has a USD 18.5m contract to supply GRP pipes for a water supply project in Zimbabwe. Pipes are also being supplied for a water project in Botswana.
READER SERVICE: Owens Corning product information on 3-D fabric, other speciality fabrics and engineered pipe systems (English):PIE-No. 40136.
30.11.1996 Plasteurope.com [19718]
Published on 30.11.1996