Ten companies and two research institutes have founded the "Composite Application Center" (CAC) in Singapore under the leadership of the Composite Cluster Singapore (Singapore; www.compositecluster.com). A memorandum of understanding for the launch of the CAC was signed by the participants during the recent "Germany-Singapore Business Forum 2018" in Hanover / Germany, held in conjunction with the industrial technology and energy trade fair "Hannover Messe 2018" (www.hannovermesse.de).

The centre officially started operations on 1 May 2018. Its aim is to drive the development of advanced composites. It will provide a platform for customer trials, prototyping, pilot manufacturing, training and technical support. Composite Cluster Singapore managing director Florian Doetzer expects more companies to join the consortium.

The launch partners are Admiralty International (processing), Cevotec (fibre layup equipment & software), Composite Cluster Singapore (development & processing), Covestro (raw materials), Filacon Systems by Tajima (preforming machinery), Fraunhofer IGCV (applied R&D), Hufschmied Zerspanungssysteme (machining tools), iNDTact (sensors & data analysis), Plasmatreat (plasma coating), Sakura Tech (processing & mould construction), Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (education & research) and Stratagem Innovation Singapore (composites inspection & repair).