Celebrating National Composites Week

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind as I’ve been transitioning into the role of editor-in-chief of CompositesWorld, succeeding Jeff Sloan as he assumes the role of publisher and brand VP for CW. It’s been an incredibly busy and exciting time as I’ve been getting up to speed with the latest in the industry, while also picking back up a few familiar threads. It’s been fascinating seeing progress made with ongoing R&D projects such as the Clean Sky 2/Clean Aviation Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD), the subject of Ginger Gardiner’s feature story from the July issue of CW. I’ve also been amazed to see so many advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles that were early prototypes during my previous stint seemingly nearing entry into service as air taxis. Suffice it to say, I’ve kept a curious eye on news from the composites industry during my time reporting on other areas of manufacturing , yet there’s still been plenty to catch up on.

As I reenter the composites community, I’ve begun to reconnect with these ongoing stories and projects. One of the initiatives I was involved with back in 2019 was the launch of National Composites Week (NCW), a week devoted to celebrating the ways in which composites enable innovations in a wide range of industries. Annually taking place the last full week of August , NCW was launched through a collaboration between braided textile provider A&P Technology, advanced materials supplier Hexcel and CompositesWorld.

Since its inception, NCW has grown in scope and support with participants such as the ACMA, SAMPE and Composites One. Each year, the celebration puts a focus on an aspect of the role composites play in our world. NCW has put a spotlight on how essential composites are for a whole host of applications ranging from aerospace to infrastructure. It has highlighted the ways composites help move environmental and sustainability efforts forward, from enabling wind energy to lowering carbon emissions through lightweighting in automotive and transportation markets.

This year will mark the fifth annual National Composites Week, which will take place August 21-25, 2023. The theme of this year’s event is “Composites Are Now!” recognizing the ways composites are shaping the world today. So many applications that once seemed far-fetched are now a reality because of composites. From advances in aerospace to the advent of AAM, composites are changing the way we travel. As NASA’s Artemis program works toward returning people to the moon and commercial space companies make increasingly impressive milestones, these materials are playing a large role in what is proving to be a new golden age of space exploration.

The composites community has much to celebrate and spread the word about. NCW encourages those involved in the composites industry — raw material suppliers, designers, toolmakers, fabricators, educators, students — to bring attention to the role composite materials and fabrication processes play in the manufacturing world at large. Social media, traditional media and in-person events are a great way to bring attention to your operations, capabilities and products. Give shout-outs to your team via social media, share a video demonstration of your product or process, open your doors to the public for an educational event or conduct a virtual tour. Shine a light on the contributions your company makes to our world. Tag CW in your social media posts and we’ll happily reshare and help spread the word. Make sure to use the hashtags #NationalCompositesWeek and #CompositesAreNow.

For more information visit nationalcompositesweek.com. You’ll find a helpful guide and downloadable tools and templates designed to help you develop and execute NCW events and outreach for your facility. We encourage you to get involved and share your story about the important work you do.