JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #53 - November/December 2009 - 3

EDITORIAL No53 November - December 2009 46th year President and CEO/Publisher: Frédérique Mutel mutel@jeccomposites.com Editor-in-chief: Frédéric Reux Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 11 reux@jeccomposites.com Assistant editor: Franck Glowacz Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 04 glowacz@jeccomposites.com Full steam ahead! According to statements from the World Monetary Fund and Ben Bernanke, the president of the U.S. Federal Reserve, economic recovery is near at hand. On 15 September, Mr. Bernanke announced that the recession in the United States was probably over in the United States. And with the promise of recovery, a ripple of optimism is being felt here and there. The upturn appears to be for real, and is showing up in a number of different regions and sectors. The United States, one of the first countries to be hit by the economic crisis, is also the one of the first to register a turnaround. Retail was up 2.7% in August. The boating industry, which has been hard hit, is showing positive signs. The automotive industry, which has been of particular cause for concern these days, is registering a noticeable revival. This sector still needs to pursue the major reorganization in process, but at least sales are no longer plummeting in the United States and are even climbing in some countries. The situation is a mixed bag, of course, and some builders are recovering more easily than others. This is surely because their vehicle offering and more broadly, their market approach, are appealing more to consumers’ new expectations and requirements. Once again, the key to success lies in the capacity of companies to innovate and put out the right product at the right time. The times may be troubled, but people’s behaviour is changing and there is no going back. The rage for huge, polluting, energy-guzzling vehicles is over. No doubt there will always be some demand for such vehicles, but certainly much less in the future. Environmental awareness is growing worldwide. One sign of this is the demand for simpler, cleaner cars. Electric and hybrid cars are booming. The French government announced in September that it would order 40,000 electric vehicles for the administration. In this context, lowering weight becomes an important goal once again – you might even say an absolute priority. Just consider that average vehicle weight has been increasing by 15 kilograms a year since 1980. A study carried out in 2008 by American association Automotive Composites Alliance (www.autocomposites.com) showed, with plenty of examples to prove it, that increased use of composite materials helps to significantly reduce the weight of vehicles, and thereby the vehicle’s energy consumption. The next move is up to car makers, but they are also counting on their suppliers to help them bring vehicles to the market that will meet the requirements of consumers and of the times. Technical topics: Pierre Lissac info@jeccomposites.com Copy-editor & Graphic designer: Marylène Pinault pinault@jeccomposites.com Antoine Morel morel@jeccomposites.com Advertising managers: Judith Blacker Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 74 blacker@jeccomposites.com Circulation & partnership manager: presse@jeccomposites.com Sandrine Dumarquez dumarquez@jeccomposites.com Subscriptions: www.jeccomposites.com/magazine-subscription/ Fax: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 19 Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 08 dumarquez@jeccomposites.com Marketing/Communication: Patrice Sinthon, sinthon@jeccomposites.com Printing: SPEI - Pulnoy (54), France Legal registration: ISSN 1639-965X Dépôt légal : 4e trimestre 2009 Photos & illustrations: All rights reserved, unless mentioned. JEC Composites Magazine is published by JEC. 25, Bd de l’Amiral Bruix 75016 Paris - France Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 01 Fax: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 14 www.jeccomposites.com The reproduction, even partial, of articles and illustrations is forbidden, unless prior permission is obtained from JEC Composites Magazine. The management of JEC Composites Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising. Total Qualified Circulation: 31,349 copies (23,500 Print circulation and 7,849 Electronic circulation) May issue (BPA June statement 2009) Frédéric Reux Editor-in-chief No53 November - December 2009 / jec composites magazine

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #53 - November/December 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #53 - November/December 2009