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BUSINESS

MAY/JUNE 2012

Zoltek and Magna

partner on SMC

Kaman and Kineco form

Indian joint ventureUS HEADQUARTERED carbon

fi bre manufacturer Zoltek

Companies Inc and global auto-

motive supplier Magna Exteriors

and Interiors have agreed an

exclusive global collaborative

partnership to develop low-cost

carbon fi bre sheet moulding

compound (SMC) for the auto-

motive industry.

An operating unit of automotive

parts supplier Magna Interna-

tional Inc, Canada, Magna

Exteriors and Interiors is a

supplier of exterior and interior

systems, including Class A

composite panels. It also manu-

factures sheet moulding

compound (SMC) material,

EpicBlend-SMC™, in multiple

formulations. The new carbon

fi bre SMC will combine Zoltek’s

Panex®35 carbon fi bre with

Magna’s EpicBlendSMC formula-

tions and production expertise.

The product will be branded

EpicBlendSMC EB CFS-Z. The

new carbon fi bre SMC will

enable Magna to off er an

expanded range of lightweight

parts and sub-systems for auto-

motive, commercial truck and

other markets.

Magna Exteriors and Interiors

will also sell the SMC directly to

moulders.

Magna International Inc;

www.magna.com

Zoltek; www.zoltek.com

KAMAN AEROSPACE Group Inc

and Kineco Pvt Ltd have

announced an agreement to

form a company in India to

manufacture composite struc-

tures for aerospace, medical and

other industries.

The new company, to be called

Kineco Kaman Composites -

India, will initially be based at

Kineco’s existing facility in Goa,

which employs approximately

150 people and produces

composite structures utilising

carbon fi bre and autoclave

curing technology.

According to Gregory L. Steiner,

President of Kaman Aerospace

Group, this joint venture repre-

sents a further step in Kaman’s

strategy for its composites

business.

“Kineco brings strong local

knowledge and business rela-

tionships and when combined

with our international customer

base we anticipate major oppor-

tunities in both commercial and

defence applications,” he says.

This partnership will enable

Kineco to participate in the

global market.

The fi nancial terms of the trans-

action have not been disclosed

and completion is subject to

due diligence.

Kaman Aerospace Group;

www.kaman.com

Kineco; www.kinecogroup.com