JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #87 - March 2014 Special JEC Europe - 40

The Netherlands: country guest of honor
ADVERTORIAL

Visit Litzler at the JEC Show at booth number M61a.

LITZLER Prepreg Systems
* Hot Melt
* Filmers
* Solution
* Thermoplastics
* Tow preg

LITZLER expertise includes:
Hot Melt Prepreg Machinery
* Nip and S-Wrap Style Machines
* S-Wrap Increases Production Speeds up to 30 mpm
* Hot Melt Three Roll Reverse Roll Filmers
* Single Tow Drum Winders
* Fiber Unwind Creels
* 300 mm Pilot Machines
* Production machines up to 1525 mm
* Solution Based Prepreg Machines also available

For more information, visit calitzler.com, waeco1.com,
and litzlerautomation.com.
C. A. Litzler Co., Inc.
4800 W. 160th Street
Cleveland, OH 44135
Phone: 216-267-8020
Email: sales@calitzler.com
Litzler Shanghai: 021-54249130

Hot Melt Prepreg Machinery

About VKCN
VKCN (Vereniging Kunststof Composieten Nederland) is the
association for the reinforced plastics industry in the Netherlands. The association is dedicated to clustering the powers
of the composites industry, facilitating and supporting
member companies, promoting sensible applications for composites, promoting the industry's interests to government
bodies and other stakeholders, and fostering knowledge
transfer and information exchange. VKCN members include
converters, producers, raw material and additive suppliers,
engineering companies, research institutes and education
centres. Over 100 members represent approximately 45% of
the composite market.

will be changes in this strategy, because markets are demanding
standards, low prices, high and constant quality and prompt
deliveries. It is important to fulfil this specialization to reach a
serious position in both high-end and low-end markets.
What we do see however are:
- cross-overs: hybrid structures combining traditional materials
with composites and, following that, an increasingly active role
or participation in the composites sector of large construction
companies, general engineering firms and raw material suppliers
becoming active in parts manufacturing;
- growing interest and investments in automation, in an attempt
to address the larger volumes, lower costs and more constant
quality demands from new applications;
- partly due to the above two points, and partly by the general
economic situation, mainly SME's that are reconsidering their
business strategy and trying to diversify.
JCM: In a small country like the Netherlands, what are the challenges facing the composite sector's companies?

J. L. & R. H. : Standardisation, design standards and good
technical support from suppliers and producers are key issues
when trying to increase composite acceptance. Structural engineers always want composite solutions designed to code, with
an extensive history and with a warranty. When there is no code,
limited precedent and no warranty from material suppliers, these
solutions become difficult to sell. Once we have a European
standard, composites will have a much more equal position with
other building materials. Quality will be the main issue for developing the GRP industry. The Dutch governments (both national
and regional) see the growth potential for the composite sector
and have launched strategic programmes to support the industry
and knowledge centres. This is facilitated by VKCN, which is also
actively involved in setting up educational programmes (both
vocational and theoretical) and in the creation of new design
standards for the use of composites in the building and infrastructure sectors (with the aim of finally including composites
into the Eurocode system). n
More information:
www.vkcn.nl

40 jec composites magazine / No87 March 2014

http://www.calitzler.com http://www.vkcn.nl

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #87 - March 2014 Special JEC Europe

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