TPI Composites, a leading global wind blade manufacturer, announced that it has signed a multiyear supply agreement with Acciona Windpower SA to provide wind blades from TPI’s new factory in Dafeng, China. Acciona intends to export these blades for projects around the world including North America. TPI will also manufacture high-precision molds and assembly systems to produce Acciona’s blades at TPI’s recently announced advanced composite tooling facility in Taicang Jiangsu.
To look back on what was a interesting year for the composites industry from key acquisitions, partnerships, innovations and investments.
The automotive industry saw the mainstream car companies playing catchup to BMW with Ford, General Motors and Nissan all announcing their own light weight composite projects. It was a big year for BMW, the German company increased their partnership with carbon fibre manufacturer SGL Carbon and launched their carbon fibre composite clad i series of electric vehicles.
2013 marked the 50th Anniversary of Lamborghini, the carbon fibre crazed outfit celebrated in style with the launch of the Veneno Roadster and the Egoista. Other composite clad super cars to launch in 2013 included the hand crafted strangely named Ferrari LaFerrari, the new Aston Martin Vanquish and the McLaren P1 and 12C Spider all using a bucket load of carbon fibre composite materials and technology.
On the Aerospace front Boeing had a start to the year they would probably want to forget as they were constantly hit with dreamliner issues, from problems with the wings to fuel leaks, fire extinguisher faults and battery fires which in late January lead to the entire fleet being grounded pending FAA investigations. With changes to the planes battery systems made the dreamliners were back in the air by late April.
Airbus finally launched their own composite clad aircraft with the A350 XWB successfully making its debut in France back in June. Lots more flight tests are planned with the plane set to officially fly for the first time in Spring 2014.