CompositesWorld

OCT 2017

CompositesWorld

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NEWS 27 CompositesWorld.com Firestone Expands Outside Fiber Sales Drilling out through a face-down OML (outer mold layer) is tricky business. That's why the world's leading fighter jet manufacturer looked to AMAMCO for the right composite drill. This diamond coated carbide drill works 12.5 times faster than PCD and lasts 4.36 times longer. WOR KS FAST E R, LASTS LO NG ER. Brandon Fowler –OD Grinder 800.833.2239 www.amamcotool.com Firestone Fibers & Textiles expands capacity, seeks composites industry sales Although 80-year-old Firestone Fibers & Textiles Co. LLC (Kings Mountain, NC, US) is a small part of the global Bridgestone-Firestone conglomerate (Bridgestone Corp., Tokyo, Japan), it produces a respectable 41,000 MT of fiber products annually. Its focus has been on converting poly- amide (PA) 6, PA 6/6, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), glass and steel fibers/yarns in the 210- to 10,000-denier range into cords, braids, woven fabrics and weft-inserted fabrics via proprietary processes and unique procedures. Historically, most of that capacity was consumed in-house by Bridgestone sister companies to produce tires, roofing products, and commercial truck suspension systems. But three years ago, the division began actively working to increase outside sales, ramp manufacturing and develop new products and shift sales from internal to external. "We knew that our own sales growth was limited if we relied solely on the dynamics of a few core markets," notes division sales manager David Flanary. Over the past three years, the division has managed to shift some sales from internal to external, and it made an official announcement that it was seeking new customers in multiple industries at The Future of Composites in Construction show, June 20-22, 2017, in Chicago, IL, US. By that time, the division had determined that its new products were commercially viable and that its manufacturing operations could handle the influx of business. "We didn't go build a massive new facility," notes product development manager Marty Luebbers. "However, the ability to scale is one of the things we've been doing for years .... We can scale pretty quickly and have a lot of weav- ing capacity in the area." Luebbers says that, initially, the division is targeting customers in the defense, automotive, commercial truck, recreational vehicle, building and construction, and marine indus- tries with a focus on North America but with the ability to go global. To support this quest, company research- ers have added to their growing materials list aramids, high-modulus (ultra-high-molecular-weight) PP (HMPP/UHMWPP) and carbon fiber (currently 3-12K tow from multiple unnamed suppliers and with plans to move to heavier tows). Firestone is starting work with ultra- high-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and spun liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and also has looked at basalt. "We still envision selling to ourselves, although we intend for the percentage [vs. outside sales] to change," adds Flanary. "We hope external sales continues to grow at a rate like we've seen lately." While he is keeping the division's strategy under wraps for a while longer, he advises, ""Stay tuned," he adds. "The industry will be hearing more from us over the next year."

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