EPTA Highlights Prospects for Pultruded Composites in Infrastructure

The attractive long-term prospects for pultruded composites in infrastructure and further key application markets were highlighted at the recent World Pultrusion Conference, organized by the European Pultrusion Technology Association (EPTA). This year’s event attracted a record number of composites professionals from around the world to Vienna to discuss growth drivers for the pultrusion industry, potential in existing and emerging applications, and the latest developments in materials, testing and standardization. Conference delegates heard how the infrastructure sector will be a major growth driver for pultruded composites. One target application is replacement of steel rebar, a US$ 200 billion market globally. The Halls River Bridge in Florida is an example of a next generation bridge initiative designed to demonstrate the reliability and benefits of composite materials. Alongside discussions of market potential, increased productivity was a strong focus of the conference. Delegates learned about new advances in resin systems and curing agents aimed at increasing pultrusion line speed without compromising the properties of the final part. The challenge of online non-destructive testing (NDT) was also addressed through presentations on a number of novel technologies. The conference concluded with status reports on standardization initiatives in the US and Europe, the success of which will be crucial to facilitating future adoption of pultruded composites in the construction market and beyond. For identifying growth opportunities in the global pultrusion market, please visit http://www.lucintel.com/pultrusion_market_2021.aspx