New UK composites strategy to be launched

The strategy is designed to ensure that the UK maintains its position as one of the world’s leading places for the research and commercial exploitation of composites materials and processes.

The 2016 strategy defines three key aims for industry and government to secure UK market share:

Deliver and accelerate organic growth in already established sectors using composites

Develop developments in technologies and supply chains to capture mid and high volume opportunities

Diversify and enable UK industry to make a paradigm shift, taking advantage of composites in emerging user sectors

With underpinning objectives to:

•  Foster the growth of composites science research and technology development

•  Address the need for assurance regimes and standards enabling the take up of composites in new sectors

•  Develop capability in life cycle assessment and costing to show the financial and environmental benefits of composites

•  Ensure composites industry growth is environmentally sustainable

•  Avoid unnecessary duplication by widening understanding of opportunities and communication between funding bodies

Key recommendations are outlined that will be taken forward by the CLF working groups as they now move into delivery phase. At the conference on 11th May Alex Aucken, CLF chair, will present the critical aspects of the strategy. To view the document, visit the CLF or Composites UK websites.