The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation Signs Collaboration Agreement With Composite Prototyping Center

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing (IACMI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Composite Prototyping Center (CPC) outlining a collaborative arrangement in which both will work to bring advanced composite materials and technologies to the marketplace. The agreement provides the framework for collaboration in research, product development, commercialization, workforce training and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.

Advanced composite materials—such as carbon fiber—are up to three times as strong and twice as light as the lightest metals used in many current applications. In the automotive sector, advanced composites could halve the weight of a passenger car and improve its fuel efficiency by roughly 35 percent without compromising performance or safety.

"IACMI's objective is to advance the cause of clean energy generation and improve the efficiency of the nation's automotive fleet through the development of new composite technologies and processes," said Craig Blue, chief executive officer of IACMI. "The partnership agreement signed today with CPC solidifies that initiative and advances our mission by maximizing the resources of both organizations. It also creates a satellite operation for IACMI in the greater New York area and provides a presence in the northeast corridor, which is critical to our long-term growth strategy."

IACMI, a public-private partnership created as part of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, focuses on developing lower-cost, higher-speed, and more efficient manufacturing and recycling processes for advanced composite materials.

Funded by the State of New York to promote advanced composite technology usage in industry, CPC enables the reengineering of outmoded manufacturing techniques by providing access to training, technology, prototyping and testing capabilities in the area of advanced composites.

"CPC is a leading resource for composite prototype production across a number of key industry sectors," said Leonard Poveromo, executive director of CPC. "Our Long Island manufacturing facility is equipped with state-of-the-art systems to support composite production needs. This pact marks a tremendous opportunity to join the IACMI consortium and combine our efforts in areas of mutual interest like research, employee training, STEM education and economic growth."

Several government officials shared their support for the partnership which will help create jobs and expand innovation opportunities in the New York area.

"The partnership between the Composite Prototyping Center and Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation will further bolster Long Island's place on the map for high-tech research and manufacturing," stated U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer.  "The initiative will help create jobs and bolster innovation in the Long Island region."

"If we want our economy to grow and create more jobs, we need to invest in cutting edge research that keeps our country competitive in new industries, and give small businesses the tools they need to turn their innovative ideas into successful business opportunities and expand their manufacturing operations," said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. This partnership between the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing and the Composite Prototyping Center will help further advance product development and workforce training opportunities on Long Island."

U.S. Representative Steve Israel stated, "I am proud to work with the Department of Energy, IACMI- The Composites Institute, and the Composite Prototyping Center to help promote the development of highly efficient, innovative and cost-effective processes that will help American manufacturers build smarter, more durable products. This collaboration will put Long Island and New York at the forefront of bringing advanced composite materials to market and forging a clean-energy economy for hardworking American families."

U.S. Representative Paul Tonko stated, "The work that will come from this partnership will help us to place clean energy generation at the core of our efforts to combat climate change and to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. We have a great team doing this work, sending a loud and clear message that investment in this region and in the clean energy sector is a sound one that pays dividends."

The three-year, in-kind agreement is effective immediately, and was signed at CPC's headquarters in Plainview, N.Y. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Kathleen Hogan of the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Representative Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and several other local officials.

About IACMI 
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), is a partnership of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state and local governments working together to benefit the nation's energy and economic security by sharing existing resources and co-investing to accelerate development and commercial deployment of advanced composites.

The national institute is supported by a $70 million commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office and over $180 million committed from IACMI's partners. IACMI, an institute within the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation is committed to delivering a public-private partnership to increase domestic production capacity, grow manufacturing and create jobs across the U.S. composite industry.

For more information about IACMI, visit http://www.iacmi.org.

About CPC 
The Composite Prototyping Center (CPC) has as its mission to enable all organizations to meet the needs of advanced manufacturing by providing access to essential training, workforce development, process technologies, prototype manufacturing and critical testing capabilities.

The CPC offers full prototype manufacturing, hands-on technical training from professional materials manufacturing experts, and a full array of state-of-the-art systems and equipment. Its comprehensive production line technologies are housed in a 25,000-square-foot facility, which also provides R&D support and new composite material evaluation and design optimization services.

For more information, visit: www.compositepro.org

SOURCE IACMI

Related Links

http://www.iacmi.org