Composites for Developing Countries
Once considered a pejorative moniker, the term “developing country” now represents
promising business opportunities. In an era of global supply chains, reduced trade
barriers and increased access to information, it is instructive to look at applications of
composite materials in countries striving to achieve our standard of living. Indeed,
countries with little existing infrastructure maybe ideal candidates for lightweight,
energy-efficient composite structures with long life expectancies. Material suppliers and
fabricators are both exporting and setting up shop in developing countries to meet the
demand in the emerging energy, transportation, marine and water handling markets.
China
China is increasingly becoming a market-based society as they endeavor to raise the
standard of living for their vast population, especially in rural areas. At the same time,
urban centers are magnets for outsourced manufacturing for overseas partners as unlikely
as their WW II nemesis, Japan. During China’s President Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the
United States he spent more time meeting with Microsoft’s Bill Gates and touring
Boeing’s aircraft facility in the wake of a recently signed deal for Bejing to purchase $4.6
billion worth of aircraft than he did in the nation’s capital meeting with politicians (not to
be outdone, Airbus is considering building commercial aircraft in China). It may be
President Jintao’s training as a hydrology engineer that is accelerating large-scale
infrastructure projects in the country, such as the $24 billion Three Gorges Dam across
the Yangtze River.
E-Composites, Inc. has issued a recent report based on a survey of over 100 Chinese
material suppliers and fabricators (www.e-composites.com/MarketChina.htm) that
estimates growth to over 5 billion pounds by 2011, surpassing the U.S. by 2013. In a
summary, E-Composites states: “The rapid growth in Chinese composites market is
spurred by growth in pipe, tank, grating, pultrusion, construction, wind energy,
automotive, electrical, and electronics market. In the last five years, average growth in
Chinese composites market was in double digits. [The] world’s multi-national companies
have invested aggressively during the last several years to establish itself in China as the
world's most populous nation liberalizes its economy and enjoys rapid growth.”
One example of this investment comes from DIAB (Laholm, Sweden), who is opening a
new facility in Kunshan, China (31 miles west of Shanghai). Anders Paulsson, CEO of
DIAB, commented: “In recent years a number of our major European customers have
established manufacturing facilities in Asia. As a worldwide supplier, it is important that
we are able to support our global customers on a local basis.” Specifically, DIAB sees
accelerated growth in the marine, surface transportation and wind energy arenas.
China wants to increase renewable energy sources by the year 2020 from 7% to 15% and
中国航空网 www.aero.cn
航空翻译 www.aviation.cn
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