MARKETS

Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP) have surpassed many of the materials that have been used in the past because of its unique strengths. Engineers and architects spec FRP more frequently due to its reliable performance. FRP has passed the highest international standards. New applications for this product are being discovered and implemented in one of the most rapidly expanding and diverse marketplaces in the industry.

Aerospace

“Carbon and glass fibers were developed during the 1950s when we were fighting for survival in terms of defense and the space race as a country. It should be noted that the U.S. Navy had the Vanguard rocket experience and the U.S. Air Force had supersonic flight. This all required the development of extremely strong and lightweight composite materials. The future for composite materials for the aerospace industry seems to be strong and will continue to show strength throughout the next century.” Read more...

Aquarium & Marine

“A marine soul at heart, everything in my life somehow can relate back to the ocean, the beach or boats. For those that have read my other blogs, you already know this. It is a regular occurrence for me, and living so close to the great lakes, even when I am unable to get my ocean fix I can still take a brief trip to one of Michigan’s Great Lakes. In fact, just yester- day I was out on Lake Michigan on a small fishing boat, reeling in some large king salmon, and that was just a Wednesday night. So it is no wonder that when I hear fiberglass I immediately think boat.” Read more...

Architecture

“Due to unforeseen events during construction of the adjacent building, architecture office Moon Hoon was commissioned with the task of reimagining a narrow site in seoul, korea. Infilling the already completed steel structure, the space has been envisioned as an urban greenhouse, designed with the intention for plant growth over time. Fiberglass reinforced plastic grating panels are hung from the beams above by red-painted steel cables. This material is also used for wall surfaces, arranged in an irregular composition.” Read more...

Civil Infrastructure

“Corrosion is one of the main causes of infrastructure decay. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been and will be invested to minimally maintain crumbling infrastructure. Imagine, bridge decks could last 75 to 100 years in service rather than the current 25 to 40 years. Researchers at the Center for Repair of Buildings & Bridges with Composites are enabling a whole new industry to fill the need for potentially high volumes of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) rebar.” Read more...

Colleges & Universities

“The project also features a one-of-a-kind shade system, which employs fiberglass grating pieces usually used on the deck of aircraft carriers. The super strong material can absorb the impact of landing airplanes and also resists the negative effects of salt water, making it ideal for seaside communities like San Diego. The grating pieces provide a dual function, as they provide shade for the buildings but don’t restrict airflow. “You can imagine if those were solid pieces there would really be no airflow. By using that fiberglass mesh system, the air can actually blow through to cool the building, while shading it as the sun goes along.” Read more...

Food Processing

“Technology has enabled the production of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) to provide the characteristics needed to simulate - and often surpass - many of the performance characteristics of traditional materials. Just as durable, frequently stronger and typically more cost effective, lighter, easier to clean and install, FRP has a 60-year track record as solutions for industrial and commercial challenges, particularly those with corrosive environments. Food processing requires the rugged performance of FPR.” Read more...

Municipal Facilities

“An ADA (American Disability Act) compliant fiberglass grate was used to surround the portion of the structure that contained the tree and a cutout allowed for tree trunk. Fiberglass grating was chosen since the material was easy to cut with a hand saw, allowing for easy enlargement of the opening as the tree trunk expands in trunk width.” Read more...

Offshore Oil & Gas

“Composite handrails, ladders, gratings, cages, decking, flooring and cable trays have been used on fixed and floating offshore platforms for more than 15 years, with installations on more than 4,000 structures in the Gulf of Mexico alone. Composites have also been adopted over the last several years for personnel protection structures including blast relief systems, firewalls, enclosures, temporary structures and modular housing, as well as for specialized structures like accumulator bottles for riser tensioning systems on tension leg platforms (TLPs).” Read more...

Public Safety & Disability Access

“Over the years, Tennant Lake’s water level has risen, causing a majority of the boardwalk to be under water for several months of the year. The RCO funds would be used to make the short section of the boardwalk Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, and would raise the low sections of the loop trail by removing the existing wood planking, and replacing the majority of it with a higher level surface. The boardwalk will also be made fish friendly by installing fiberglass grating at the overlooks.” Read more...

Telecommunications

“Cellular towers, communication enclosures and utility poles are the fastest growing industry for the composite manufacturers. Radio Frequency waves and electromagnetic waves pass through fiberglass without interference. Many telecommunication dishes and antennas are “hidden” behind shelters or camouflaged behind fiberglass reinforced plastic equipment. Electrical power poles are now manufactured to replace poles made of heavy, traditional material. Fiberglass utility poles are 15% or less the weight of concrete poles, 30% less than wood poles, and 60% less than steel’s weight.” Read more...

Transportation

“With a 14-year track record of bridge installations under its belt, the fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) compos- ites market continues to offer significant benefits to the transportation infrastructure in the USA and around the world. Although early predictors indicated high volume demand for FRP, quantities have remained somewhat low due to several contributing factors. However, over the last decade specific bridge configurations have emerged that are especially suited to FRP bridge technology.” Read more...

Water Treatment

“FRP materials have been employed in cooling towers as secondary components (including pipes and fan stacks) for over 30 years, the primary structure traditionally being constructed from wood, concrete or steel. However, FRP composites are now prevailing as the most suitable primary structural material in view of their superior performance in hostile environments and other beneficial properties.” Read more...

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ACMA: History of the Composites Industry

Plastics Europe: Environmental Benefits of Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP)