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The UK is risking missing out on the huge commercial opportunity offered by the multi-billion pound composites industry, according to a new policy statement by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
According to the research, the growth of the UK composites sector is being hampered by poor collaboration between companies, lack of appropriate codes and standards, a fractured supply chain and a drop in the number of university courses offering composite-specific degrees.
Dr Helen Meese, Head of Materials at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said:
“As manufacturers strive to improve the performance of the materials they use, the demand for composite materials is set to grow rapidly, with the end-product market expected to be worth £50 billion in the next five years.
“If the UK is to seize the opportunity presented by this growing industry, UK manufacturers must urgently look to address key barriers working with the composites industry.
“The National Composites Centre has been very successful since its creation in 2009, but it is now time for the wider industrial community to build on this foundation.
“To enable the UK composites industry to grow, it is vital for us to identify gaps in the UK skills base and supply chain network, and Government needs to work with the Composites Leadership Forum and UK Trade & Investment to increase international exposure to the UK composites market.
“We need extra funding to ensure the UK is in the vanguard of international standard setting for composites and that they encourage, rather than hamper progress.
“There is also a need for cross-sector engagement within the manufacturing industry. Engineers working on composites for the aerospace sector for example, need to share knowledge with engineers working on composites for rail and biomedical applications, otherwise we will continue to see the slow development of key skills, Research & Development as well as an inefficient supply chain.
“The UK led the way in the development of composites in the 1990s and Government needs to ensure the country does not get overshadowed by competition from countries such as China, Germany, the Middle East and India.”
Composites are made from two of more materials with different physical or chemical properties. Commonly used composites include fibreglass, reinforced concrete or glass-fibre reinforced aluminium laminate used on the new Airbus A380, which is 25% stronger and 20% lighter than conventional aluminium.
Composites are often favoured due to their inherent strength, light weight, corrosion resistance or relatively low cost when compared to traditional materials.
The UK’s composites industry currently employs over 40,000 people and has an estimated turnover of £1.6bn a year.
Read the full Composites consolidating the UK’s competitiveness policy statement.