Article in Shape Magazine (Issue 5) - Gurit

shapeThe Gurit MagazineIssue 05, October 2009Keep wind turbines turning. It is rocket science. Turnkeymarine materials and service package. c at i a c a d design suite.The Gurit Code of Conduct. Introducing m-Foam.

Dear Reader,In the first half of 2009, Gurit achieved its target of maintaining theoperational performance level of 2008, despite a sales decline in ourtarget markets of some 12% at constant currency translation rates.Ongoing operational improvements, further progress in Group-widepurchasing, together with rapidly introduced and often painful costsavingmeasures compensated the negative effects from lowersales and thus lower capacity utilization. Gurit closed the period witha strong balance sheet and a remarkable net cash position. Ourhealthy financial status gives us good reason to look ahead with confidence,although we expect markets only to broadly recover nextyear.In troubled times like these, it is very important to stay focused onthe longer-term perspectives. Gurit pushes firmly ahead with itsstrategy implementation. While our global capacities are not fullyloaded, we concentrate on even further improving our equipment,on training our colleagues, on exploring new market opportunities.Doing so, we build a solid foundation for future success.We enhance our positions in all our target markets by providing ourcustomers with tailor-made solutions, expanding our role as a leadingmaterials and technology provider in advanced composites andby expanding our addressable markets. In this edition of s h a p e, weinvite you to discover how Gurit contributes to bringing satellitessafely into space, to making passenger ferries more fuel efficient, tohelping expand the life span of wind energy generators and to speedup automotive design projects.With our materials and technologies, Gurit contributes to making ourone world more sustainable. Doing business globally, we also acknowledgethe importance of adhering world-wide to high standards,be it in terms of environment, health and safety, in terms of emloyerrelations, or with respect to our business conduct. Our efforts arewidely recognized wherever we do business: Gurit (Tianjin) – for instance– was just presented with a prize for special social achievementsin the Tianjin Economic Development Area, t e d a , in China.The various high standards Gurit sites and Gurit employees havebeen traditionally complying with locally have now been integratedinto our Gurit Code of Conduct also presented to you in this editionof s h a p e and on the Gurit website www.gurit.com.ContentsCorporate News 04 Gurit (Tianjin) recognized for outstanding employeerelations 04 Governor of the Bank of England Visits Gurit (u k )04Gurit (Tianjin) receives i s o 14001 certification and is recognizedfor outstanding employee relations 10 An interview withRobin Price, Chief Purchasing Officer 17 Sticking to strategicpriorities Markets 06 Six hours – and the new bridge was there08It is rocket science 12 Crossing over to Copenhagen’s Operanow saves 50% energy 14 Keep them turning 20 Turn-key materialsand services package TechTalk 11 c at i a reduces design anddevelopment time 18 M-Foam – the foam for all marine applicationsBeing Gurit 05 Automotive Press Tour 05 Gurit congratulatesm b p v 22 Our Website in Chinese 22 Get on your bikes 23 The GuritCode of ConductYours sincerelyRudolf Hadorn, c e oImprint: Gurit Holding AG, Group CommunicationsEditor in Chief: Bernhard SchweizerThank you for your feedback at s h a p e@gurit.comPictures courtesy of: Ruag Space/ESA (1, 8, 9), Aston Martin (5, 11)Rail Media Group/Birse Rail (6), www.schmidtaps.com (12/13 landscape), e w e a / Vestas (14, 15, 16)Nautor/Swan (20), istockphoto (22, 23) and Group company photo archivesConcept and Design: Gurit and Eclat AG, ErlenbachCover: Gurit supplies prepreg materials for the payload fairings of the Ariane 5 rockets.Inside Cover: Windwand, designed by Ron Arad, is made from Gurit carbon fibre prepreg.This 50 metre needle pierces the sky above Canary Wharf in London.The Gurit Magazine 05_2009 03Wind energy Transportation Marine

Corporate NewsBeing GuritGurit (Tianjin) recognized foroutstanding employee relationsThe Tianjin Economic Development Area (t e d a ) is the most successfulinward investment region in China, attracting billions of dollars offoreign investment over the last 20 years. With over 4000 companiespresent, t e d a boasts 76 subsidiaries of «Fortune 500» companies. Tocelebrate the achievements of the Foreign Invested Companies,t e d a honoured 20 outstanding General Managers who they felt hadcontributed to the local society and business success of t e d a . PhilHarnett, General Manager of Gurit (Tianjin), received one of the 20prestigious awards. The jury not only focused on the financial successof the companies but also on how they contribute to society. Trainingand staff development, labour relations, working atmosphere or staffturnover were important criteria as well as compliance with local environment,health and safety laws and policies or the general factorysafety and cleanliness.the British economic and monetary policy, and is therefore one ofthe most important public officials in the United Kingdom. He accompaniedthe Bank’s central Southern England agent, Chris Piper, on hisvisit to Gurit (u k ), as well as other businesses on the Isle of Wight.Feedback received from these businesses is used by the Bank tocompile a picture of the economic environment and the issues beingfaced within the region. At Gurit, the Governor was received byGraham Harvey, General Manager Marine and Managing Director ofGurit (u k ), and Mary Spradbery, Head of Finance at Gurit (u k ), andwas treated to a tour of the Gurit premises and the operations factorybefore meeting management to be updated on current marketconditions.Automotive Press TourIn late August, Gurit (u k ) had the pleasure of welcoming a group ofVIP automotive journalists including Autocar and Car Design News tothe new u k based Automotive facility. The two-day press event wasarranged to launch the facility to Gurit’s target automotive and tradepress and highlight the benefits of carbon composites in automotivedesign. The first day of the tour started with an introduction and tourof the Gurit (u k ) plant followed by presentations and interactivedisplays on the benefits of composites in car design given by bothMartin Starkey, Managing Director Automotive, and the esteemedAutomotive Designer, Peter Stevens. The journalists were then treatedto a sail across the Solent from Yarmouth to Lymington in a Jeanneau45.2, followed by an intimate dinner party hosted by Gurit andPeter Stevens in the Stanwell House hotel, Lymington. The agendaMBPV successful on its record hunts p, the marine business of Gurit, are proud to be part of the compositeengineering team for the Maxi Trimaran Banque Populaire v(m b p v ), the 40 metre by 23 metre boat. On Sunday August 2, 2009,this boat – engineered for a record hunt/s h a p e Nr 4 – beat the historicwest to east transatlantic record and secured the fastest24 hour run time, breaking the previous record by a staggering 12hours, 32 minutes and 6 seconds. Congratulations to Skipper PascalBidégorry and his sailing team, the architects v p l p and all the m b p vteam. During the race, which began in New York on July, 30, 2009 at22h 47m and which concluded at Lizard Point off Cornwall, at 16h13mn 13s (French time) on August 2, skipper Pascal Bidégorry andhis eleven person crew on board the m b p v also set a new 24hrrecord of travelling 908 miles at an impressive average speed of 37,8Gurit achieved remarkable rankings in a number of categories. Forinstance, Gurit (Tianjin) is reported to have the lowest personnel turnoverof all factories in the area. In addition, Gurit’s outstanding recordof having had only three minor accidents since its opening two yearsago was also mentioned. Last but not least, it was noted with thanksthat the staff of Gurit (Tianjin) generously donated more than 20,000r m b to the Sichuan earthquake fund. Our picture shows Phil Harnettreceiving the award from Mr Li Yong, the Secretary of Party LeadershipGroup.Gurit (Tianjin) receivesISO 14001 certificationGurit (Tianjin) is pleased to announce that the company has beenawarded the iso 14001 certification for its Environmental ManagementSystems. Human Resources Manager Christina Yin (in redblouse) who is also responsible for e h&s at Gurit (Tianjin) had coordinatedthe process for the independent audit made by Det NorskeVeritas.continued the following day with a v i p tour around the Aston Martinplant in Gaydon in which the guests viewed how the new technologycarbon body panels are fitted to the d b s Coupé and d b s Volante –the two models that feature Gurit made Class a carbon car bodyparts – and how they integrate alongside more established body technologies,such as aluminium.knots. Franck Cammas on Groupama 3 also set off to beat his ownrecord just under 3 hours earlier, but then finishing eleven minutesafter m b p v . From the outset of the boat’s development, the worldleadingFrench multihull naval architects v p l p, who designed m b p v ,had ambitions for the boat to become the largest and fastest offshoresailing trimaran on the water. They aimed to challenge andbeat all existing offshore sailing records, and utilized advanced compositematerials and the 20 years of experience of s p in conjunctionwith h d s to develop the boat structure which would go onto achievethis in triumphant style.Governor of the Bank of EnglandVisits Gurit (UK)Gurit (u k ) had the pleasure of welcoming Mervyn King, Governor ofthe Bank of England, to its premises on June 19, 2009. The Governorvisited Gurit and other companies on the Isle of Wight to get a firsthandpicture of the economic environment within the region. As Governorof the Bank of England, Mervyn Allister King holds the mostsenior position in the Bank of England. The Governor is also Chairmanof the Monetary Policy Committee, with a major role in guidingGurit (u k ) empfing im Sommer den Governor der Bank of England undorganisierte eine Tour für die Automobilpresse. Gurit (Tianjin) ist nun i s o14001-zertifiziert und wurde unlängst als beispielhafter Arbeitgeberausgezeichnet. 今 年 夏 天 , 固 瑞 特 ( 英 国 ) 接 待 了 英 国 银 行 行 长 的 来访 , 并 且 成 功 地 举 办 了 一 场 汽 车 之 旅 活 动 。 随 着 自 行 车 价 格 的 降低 , 固 瑞 特 英 国 公 司 越 来 越 多 的 同 事 选 择 骑 自 行 车 上 下 班 。 固 瑞 特天 津 ) 已 通 过 ISO14001 的 认 证 , 并 且 最 近 被 评 为 优 秀 经 理 人 。04 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 05

Markets: TransportationIt is rocket science!Die Nutzlastverkleidungen der europäischenAriane 5 und Teile der amerikanischen AtlasRaketen werden bei Ruag Space mit Gurit-Prepregs hergestellt.欧 洲 阿 丽 亚 娜 5 号 火 箭 和 美 国 阿 特 拉 斯 火 箭的 有 效 载 荷 装 置 部 分 所 使 用 的 材 料 是 固 瑞特 公 司 生 产 的 预 浸 料 。Gurit high-performance composites have contributed to bringing numerous satellitessafely into orbit. Satellites are carried into space by launch vehicles – rockets mostpeople would say. The valuable cargo is installed at the top of the launcher under thepayload fairing, which shelters the satellites before and during the start and on theflight through the atmosphere from thermal, aerodynamic and acoustic effects andprovides the launcher with an aerodynamically optimized shape.The world’s first compositepayload fairingsThe first payload fairing engineered and designed by r u a g Spacewas for the European a r i a n e 1 launcher, which made its successfuldebut on December 24, 1979. While the first fairing generationswere based on classical aircraft technology, i.e. aluminum construction,r u a g Space introduced in 1988 the world’s first fairing in compositetechnology based on aluminum honeycomb cores with carbon-fibre-reinforcedface sheets. Ever since, r u a g Space uses Guritcarbon and combined carbon/glass prepregs to build about 10 payloadfairings per year. «Let’s take the example of an a r i a n e 5 rocket»,says Paul Loeliger, Head of Production at r u a g s pa c e , on a tourthrough the fascinating production site at Zürich/Switzerland. «Eachof these payload fairings is made up of a number of smaller shell elements.The tip of the rocket consists of two 180° ogives while thenext lower section is made up of four ogive 90° sections. The lastsection is then made up of cylindrical extension panels. The finishedelements are then shipped to r u a g in Emmen, near Lucerne, wherethey are combined into two fairing halves.»In two minutes through the atmosphere«The payload fairing is jettisoned as soon as the launcher has leftthe atmosphere at a height of about 120 km. This altitude is typicallyreached in about 2 minutes of flight,» says Hendrik Thielemann,Head of Communications at r u a g Space. «That flight, however, isnot an easy ride. Shooting up through the atmosphere, the pressureimpact on the payload fairing is enormous and the temperature atthe tip of the launcher easily reaches 600 centigrades.» This is whythe fairings are also protected by a layer of special cork material thatburns off during the flight. By burning, the flames take the heat energyaway and protect the complex structural portion of the fairing.The fairing elements are produced in air-conditioned buildings. Thedifferent layers of shell elements – i.e. the inner face sheet of compositelaminates, the honeycomb core, and the outer face sheet aswell as the thermal protection are laid up onto specially designedmoulds. The entire set-up is then processed in a gigantic autoclavecapable of curing elements of 4 meters in diameter and 6 meters inlength. As one may imagine, pressure greatly varies from the launchplatform to orbit. Numerous valves control the pressure and makesure the satellite remains well protected inside. «After the curingprocess in the autoclave, the shell elements are outfitted with thenecessary inserts and interface equipment for the bespoke missionin our machining department,» explained Paul Loeliger continuingthe tour. Valves, holes and doors of varying sizes to access the satelliteonce the fairing is mounted on the rocket, interfaces to the launchtable mast and connections for on-ground payload cooling, and allsorts of wiring are added to the elements.Advantages of compositesover traditional material«Building the fairings in composite sandwich technology has numerousadvantages,» explains Paul Loeliger. «High-end composites notonly reduce the overall weight of the payload fairing to some 2.7 tonsbut also allowed new attractive structural specifications combininglow mass and high stiffness. The ogive shaped fairing significantlyreduces the aerodynamic drag and increases the launcher’s payloadcapacity.» At Emmen, the fairing halves are then also painted witha special coating to prevent electrostatic charging and provide thenecessary protection against solar heating until launch. «Not onlyheat and pressure is taken into consideration. Noise, too, is a seriousissue,» says Mr. Thielemann. «The noise of the engines reflectedupwards on the launch table, the atmospheric friction and thetransonic phase could seriously harm a satellite. This is why acousticelements are mounted on the inside of the fairings.»On the rocket, the two halves are connected by means of the verticalseparation system. The horizontal separation system fastens thefairings to the rocket itself. Triggered by the onboard computer atthe proper flight altitude, the pyrotechnical elements of the separationsystems are ignited, and the fairing halves are jettisoned.They disintegrate and fall back to earth. As Arianespace launches itsrockets from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana,where the proximity to the equator gives a significant advantage forthe launch, the jettisoned fairings fall into the Atlantic Ocean. Uponimpact, they disintegrate even more and sink to the ground, andapparently positively contribute to the local coral reef building.«So the Gurit materials are actually only used to protect the satellitesduring two minutes?» s h a p e asked. «True, but they are key in providingexactly that high-performance protection,» said Paul Loeliger.«Composites technology is Rocket Science! Even the slightest materialdeviations matter. Using composites, we have materials at handwith unique physical characteristics that are able to handle extremepressure, enormous spans of temperature and are at the same timevery light.»How does r u a g qualify cooperation with Gurit? «Well, we are a verydemanding customer. Material characteristics are to be very precisealready in aircraft technology. But space technology is many timesmore demanding. Deviations of a hundredth of a millimeter equal atrip around the globe in this context. We rely on suppliers who live upto these tremendous standards, and I hope that Gurit continues tosupply the high quality of materials we are getting today.»Unparalleled 100% mission successMore than 190 payload fairings have been commissioned for Europeanand u s -American launch vehicles. To date, all r u a g Spacepayload fairings built in a variety of sizes and configurations havean unrivalled 100% mission success. This qualifies r u a g Space asone of the world’s leading suppliers of payload fairings for launchers.Currently, fairings are produced for the European a r i a n e 5, the LockheedMartin Atlas v-500 launch vehicles and the small Europeanlauncher vega.08 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 09

Interview with Robin PriceA broader perspectiveof purchasingMaterials and services bought make up for a big portion of Gurit’s cost base.«Worldclass»purchasing plays an essential role in Gurit’s overall operations improvementscheme. s h a p e spoke with Chief Purchasing Officer Robin Price – a tell-tale name!TechTalkCATIA reduces designand development timeDer Wechsel zur c a d -Software c at i aerleichtert die Zusammenarbeit zwischenGurit und Autobauern.CAD 制 图 软 件 CATIA 的 采 用 , 大 大 促进 了 与 汽 车 客 户 之 间 的 合 作 。It’s nine months since you joined Gurit as Chief PurchasingOfficer. What changes have you made?I was lucky to join a team that was already implementing many facetsof good purchasing practice, so I haven’t had to start from zero.The first thing I’ve done is to structure the way we analyse our purchasinginformation, and now we are able to give all the Gurit businessesa complete cost report each month and, more importantly,a cost forecast for the next 12 months. We call it the «PurchasingRadar». The next stage has been to extend our focus. Traditionally,Group Purchasing has concentrated on raw materials only. They arecertainly the most important costs for us to manage, but there arealso significant costs to control in other areas. I’ve split our wholespend into five categories, each managed by a category manager:Chemicals, Production Consumables, Reinforcements, Indirect Materials,and Services. I’ve just appointed Julie Lavers as categorymanager for services. Initially, she will concentrate on managing ourexpenditure on freight, but she will then move on to other areas ofnon-raw material spend. Each category manager is responsible forworking with me to develop strategies for each commodity withintheir categories. We then select the right set of suppliers to help usto achieve goals within each strategy. The supply base should bedynamic. We expect constant improvement from suppliers and supplierdevelopment is something that we will emphasise more. Somesuppliers will not make the grade, allowing us to introduce newsuppliers. Our customers are very demanding of us, and we have tobe equally demanding of our suppliers.You’ve just introduced a new global purchasing policy.Why was that?Every site spends money with suppliers. My team – currently nine ofus located in the u k – manage the major share, but some non-rawmaterial spends are too small to centralise and will continue to berun locally using the global processes outlined in the new policy. Thepolicy sets some standards to ensure that Gurit gets best value at allthe sites. The Group Purchasing team will work more closely withthe sites and provide commercial expertise as necessary.What effect does the global recession have uponyour purchasing activities?The economic climate is bad for everyone. However, we are seen asan attractive customer by our suppliers because of the good mixof industries we serve. Our target markets all promise considerablegrowth – if not this year, at least in the mid-term. And we are recog-nized as materials specialists at the forefront of technology. This issomething our suppliers like, and they take pride in being part of ourextended team.I think your aim is to produce a world-class purchasingorganisation. Are you there yet?We’re getting better, and we look to improve even more. «Worldclass» is always a destination on the horizon and no matter howmuch we improve there is always scope for further improvement.We recently sent out a questionnaire to key people within Gurit. Thefeedback was that we’re on the right track in many areas, but there’splenty of ways for us to increase our impact on the business. Part ofthat will come from communication. Many people still think that purchasingis just about price. There’s so much more we can do to addvalue to our end customers, and we will only do that by talking moreto the business teams in Gurit to learn about our customers’ needs,and to give feedback on what we’ve learned about the market fromour suppliers.What about communication «up-stream»?Very important. The key phrases here are «reducing supply risk» and,as previously mentioned, «supplier development». We like to workas closely as possible with our suppliers. We provide them withfeedback on their performance and try wherever possible to helpthem improve their own processes. Secure supplies and consistentquality is essential for us. Seamless supplies, multiple sourcing andaccurate news flow and communication allow us to reduce ourinventory levels. This gives us a benefit, but one that we balance aspart of our overall management of risk. If our suppliers improve qualityconsistency, reduce wastage and reach higher output levels, it isgood for both of us – supplier and purchaser. We have, for example,some ongoing «six-sigma» work with some of our sourcing partners,which are very promising.So after your first nine months are you still enjoying it?Absolutely – no question about it! Every day is different and thereare the great people I work with both within our company and at oursuppliers.Gurit wurde auch in der Materialbeschaffung deutlich internationaler undkompetitiver.固 瑞 特 公 司 在 原 材 料 开 发 方 面 的 成 就 已 变 得 日 趋 国 际 化 及 具 竞 争 力 。The Gurit Automotive team had first been using an entry-level c a d tool. They havenow made the switch to c at i a. Sharing design information with o e m s using thesame data format greatly facilitates cooperation.Advising customers on composite-specific design matters for theircomponents is a key part of Gurit’s offering as a tier 1 automotivesupplier. Small changes in edge condition or draft angles can havea significant impact on a composite component’s manufacturabilityand price. Effective use of c a d , both as an analysis tool and a meansof communication between design teams, underpins this process.Once the component geometry is finalised, c a d work on tooling conceptsbegins. This is largely an iterative process with inputs from thecustomer, from Gurit engineers and the toolmaker’s own designteam. Historically, Gurit had worked with an easy-to-use and relativelyinexpensive entry-level system as its primary 3d c a d system.«We used this system to develop the design of the production toolsfor the current Aston Martin d b s coupé,» says Martin Starkey, ManagingDirector of Gurit Automotive. Interim designs are frequentlyexchanged and modified by all parties prior to final design sign-off.«With time, it became obvious, that our system did not fully fulfillall the requirements for day to day tasks in the demanding automotiveenvironment. Especially the creation of files for data exchangeresulted in abnormally large files impeding cross communicationbetween Gurit and its partners.»Communicating in CATIaTwo c a d systems are pre-eminent in the automotive industry:i-d e a s was largely driven by the Ford Motor Company, merged withthe Unigraphics n x series of c a d systems and continues to be usedat Ford and other companies. c at i a Version 4 and Version 5 havebeen adopted by a large number of automotive o e m s and are rapidlybecoming a de facto standard for automotive design. Communicatingin c at i a native file formats is a condition of becoming a tier 1supplier for many o e m s. Gurit has therefore opted for c at i a v5. «Oursystem went live in November 2008 with onsite support and trainingin its fundamental operation,» Alan Purves, Account EngineeringDesign Manager remembered. Further, automotive-specific advancedtraining took place at the supplier in April 2009. The hugevariety of c at i a modules offers scope to integrate other processesand gain further improvements in productivity, for example programmingof c n c cutter paths for future projects could be accomplishedfrom within c at i a using the Machining Workbench. A key part of thedevelopment of c at i a has been to integrate composites manufacturingand design operations, and the Composites Workbench allowsply shapes to be generated, developed and cut from within a c at i aenvironment.Speeding up design and developmenttime for Aston Martin’s DBS VolanteAfter completion of the basic training course, B-surface tool designwork was undertaken for Gurit’s involvement in the Aston Martind b s Volante project, and the value of the investment in c at i a andassociated training rapidly became clear: Using the former 3d packagefor the d b s Coupé had taken approximately 50 man hours. Usingc at i a v5, a similar task for d b s Volante took just nine man hours.Tool design for the d b s Volante model represented a significant progressionfor Gurit as the global leading carbon fibre parts supplier.«Through further development across all our processes and deploymentof powerful tools such as c at i a, the time taken from designfreeze to parts production has effectively been halved,» concludedMartin Starkey.10 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 11

Markets: Wind EnergyKeep them turningWind energy is still a relatively juvenile industry. Wind turbines are not only erectedanew, they also need regular maintenance work to keep them turning. What is more,the ones installed in the 1980s are slowly aging. This opens the door for an ever morespecialized after-market service industry. Gurit has a special product offering targetingthe composite needs of this growing market.time, service costs form a smaller percentage of the overall costs asthe average size of wind turbines rise. The European Wind EnergyAssociation cites that 1.2 to 1.5 eurocents per kWh of wind powerproduced over the total lifetime of a turbine can be attributed tooperation and maintenance. Similar figures have been produced bythe Danish Wind Industry Association who state that the yearly maintenancecosts are typically 1.5% to 2% of original installed wind turbinegenerator cost. For a 1.5 m w wind turbine, costing Euro 1.2 m,this equates to Euro 24,000/year.Blade repairs are typically performed by the Wind Turbine Generatoro e m s or the blade builders in the warranty period. The warrantyperiod is typically 2– 5 years depending on customer, and most bladerepairs during this period involve using the original blade materialsand repair procedures defined by the o e m s.Outside the warranty period the blade repairs become the responsibilityof the wind farm operator and the repairs can involve the use ofmaterials that were not originally used in the blade build and therepairs can be performed by sub contract repair companies.Several industry surveys have studied the outlook of the wind energyafter market recently: With the aging of wind farms, they conclude,the opportunity for after-market service providers is bound to grow.Currently, the global wind turbine maintenance, repair and overhaulservice market is estimated to grow from u s d 3.9 billion today toover u s d 9 billion by 2013, including work done on wind turbineblades, generators, gear boxes and other turbine components. Thisequates to an 18% annual growth rate. With easily over 20% increaseper year, industry analysts expect to see the biggest growth in NorthAmerica and China where the wind energy capacity is believed toImagine a car driving at 260 km/h for about 20 years along a windbatteredsea shore. What would that car possibly look like? The tipsof wind turbine blades cut at about that speed through the air and aredesigned to last 20 years. Twenty years is commonly believed to bethe average life expectancy of a wind turbine on land, off-shore it willprobably be more like 25 years as winds are less turbulent there.Typical blade repair workThe blade production market is characterised by rapid technical advances,global blade manufacturing/assembly sites, new entrantsand the fast introduction of new larger blades. These market trends,combined with environmental considerations, inevitably lead to bladerepairs which fall into three categories:1. Manufacturing issuesa. Fibre waviness and laminate overlapsb. Bad bonds, delaminations and voidsc. Quality issues that relate to a batch of blades;resin/adhesive issues or errors in blade processing2. Transport damagea. Damage on the trailing edge due to movementof the transport securing strapsb. Accidental damage from transport/installation;damage caused by fork lifts or cranes.3. Environmental damagea. Leading edge erosionb. Trailing edge splitsc. Lightening strikes – Scorching and blade tip splitsThe most common repairs are related to lightning strikes. Windturbines are designed to take lightning strikes and are typically protectedby a strong copper wire surfacing at regular intervals in theblade and especially at the tip of the blade where lightning strikesoccur most frequently. If a lightning bolt is too big to be absorbed bythe rod, the excess heat at the point of entry bursts the compositesurrounding the copper wire.Blade damage is not easy to detect; often it is a change in the soundfrom one of the blades that signals a change in its aerodynamics.Composite specialists then clean out the damaged section and laydown new layers of fibre fabric, resin and gelcoats for smoothsurface – not unlike repairing the hull of a boat, except for the factthat this work is usually done in airy heights.Regular servicing of blades is a key element in reducing downtimeand gaining the optimum power output from the wind turbine generator.As an example, Wind Energy Services in the US claim thatleading edge erosion on blades can result in a 5%–10% power lossper blade.The advent of a growing service industryWithin the last 10 years, the installed wind energy capacity rose fromabout 7 g w worldwide to well over 120 g w today. All these turbinesneed to be serviced. Service costs certainly depend on the location,on the type of turbine, on its age and size. It is fair to expect maintenancecosts to rise along with the age of the equipment. At the same14 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 15

grow above average in the next five years, while this market is expectedto grow at some 14% in Europe. Currently, maintenance,repair and complete overhaul and replacement costs contribute between20 to 25% of expenditures in the global wind turbine market,research papers say.With the wide range of wind energy participants ranging from largepower utility, to manufacturers and niche players, the industry specialistsreckon that there is a true need for a structured and reliableservice business model to meet the needs of this after-market. Upto today, the after-market has been dominated by the Original EquipmentManufacturers. As the market matures and the demand forspecialized after-market services outgrows the existing capacity,independent third-party service providers are expected to fill thisrising demand gap. Gurit is ready to supply them with a comprehensivecomposite blade repair system.Gurit Wind Turbine Blade Repair SystemsCategory Product Description Mix ratioresin:hardener(by volume)WetLaminatingAmpreg 21Low viscosity wetlaminating systemwith range of hardenerspeedsInfusion PRIME 20LV Low viscosity infusionsystem with good cureprogression & hightoughness at ambientonly cure. Range ofhardener speedsAdhesives Spabond 340LV High strength & toughnessstructural adhesivewith range of hardenerspeedsSpabond 730Fast curing structuraladhesive. Gels in 10 minutes,solid in 2 hours &full properties achievedovernightApplication100:38 Structural repairs toblade shells100:31 Structural repairs toblade shells & injectioninto voids100:50 Trailing edge splits damagedue to lightningstrikes, delaminations& bad bonds100:100 Small repairs/splits ontrailing edge sectionsFillers 15 Min Spot filler Fast curing spot filler 100:100 Filling & fairing of leadingedge and defectson blade surfaceGelcoatSP8682 withSP7856 hardener& SP7857accelerator3 component UV stableEpoxy GelcoatTargeted Market Approach in the USGurit and Composites One have joined together to offer a speciallydeveloped range of blade repair materials for the North AmericanWind Energy market. These competitively priced products are specificallydesigned for repair, possess the appropriate approval by g land/or o e m s, and are available to all developed wind resource statesin the u s at very short lead times. Alongside this specifically designedservice, Composites One and Gurit are also launching a productselection guide that will detail the range of materials used torepair the most commonly found damage to in service blades. Theguide contains detailed guides to repairing infield blades, as well asrecommended materials. Compiled by Gurit and Composites One,the guide is based upon the combined experience of the two companieswho have supplied materials and technology into the windenergy market for 15 years.100:37.7:upto 3.5Repair of topcoat usedon prepreg bladesproduced by Vestas &GamesaAvailabilitySmall 1.33kg packs up to1000kg IBCs3.9kg packs to 1000kg IBC400ml cartridges up to200kg drums400ml cartridges1kg resin & hardenerup to 24kg resin + 24kghardener.1.6kg packsGurit produces a range of products for blade repairs. These products have been used by a number of Wind Turbine Generator o e m s fororiginal blade builds but are supplied in small, more user friendly packs for in-field blade repairs. The range of repair materials offered by Guritare suitable for both structural and blade surface repairs on epoxy infused and prepreg blades.Die Wartung von Windturbinen ist ein wachsender Markt, den Gurit miteinem speziellen Produktpaket gezielt angeht.对 风 力 涡 轮 机 的 维 护 是 一 个 朝 阳 的 行 业 , 固 瑞 特 公 司 致 力 于 该 项 特别 材 料 的 研 发 。Interview with Rudolf HadornSticking to strategicpriorities2009 is a year of global recession. Recovery comes slower and more gradually thananticipated. shape wanted to know from ceo Rudolf Hadorn how Gurit was copingwith the current challenges.What does Gurit need most in challenging times like these?Three things, I would say: A clear strategic goal, discipline in execution,besides, of course, the financial means to safely stay in business.Let me put that into perspective: Some of our customers witnessrather substantial sales reductions this year versus 2008. Andthis clearly affects Gurit, too. Yet, while we are suffering from lowersales and declining capacity utilizations, we adjust our cost baseas best as we can to protect our profitability and the solidity of ourbalance sheet. And we stay focused on the implementation of ourlong-term strategy.What about Gurit’s capacity utilization?Two years ago, Gurit invested into the global expansion of its productioncapabilities – based on the growth projections expected for thecoming years at that time. Last year, our production capacities werenot fully loaded. In the first half of 2009, sales to our target marketsdeclined by 12% based on constant currency translation rates. Whilethe situation in our European works is just about satisfactory, theloading of our prepreg works in Canada is disappointing, and in Chinawe also have considerable reserves in prepreg, while we are full inour foam expansion and kitting activities. While we believe that theidle capacity will be beneficial in the next upturn, the task now is touse the low capacity utilization for retrofit programs, targeted machineryupgrades and for additional employee training. We want tobe in the best shape possible when markets recover.Where exactly is Gurit investing right now?We have just about doubled our foam kitting capability in China withthe purchase of two new 5-axis routers to kit Corecell foam this fall.And in Europe, we have launched a targeted retrofit program for ourprepreg machines. 2009 will not see massive capital expenditures,but wisely targeted and effective investments in line with our longtermstrategy.What are the major strategic objectives?For the whole Gurit Group, we certainly want to be in the best shapeand ready for the next upswing. Therefore we continue to invest inour product development and aim to expand our addressable markets.Looking at the various target markets, our strategy can be summarizedas follows: In Wind Energy, we want to be recognized as theleading materials and technology partner for all wind rotor bladesmanufacturing technologies. We have considerably strengthenedour Wind Energy marketing and sales force for North America andthe Nordic countries in Europe. Apart from prepreg we are thus alsostrengthening our presence in formulated products and especially incore products. The acquisition of a majority stake in the companyChina Techno Foam in Tsingdao also has to be seen in that context:We want to extend our foam presence in China with locally sourced,locally produced core materials for the Chinese market. Moving ourproduction as close as possible to our customers is another strategicthrust. As China will be one of the major growth markets for WindEnergy, we are also installing some of our capacities for resin formulationat Gurit (Tianjin).In Transportation, we want to maintain our leadership position in aircraftinteriors materials in Europe and leverage this know-how intoother interesting markets such as Rail. We are again supplying materialsfor a next generation of high-speed trains in China. Last butnot least, we want to bring our Automotive business up to a nextlevel. In the second half of this year we will start supplying Class-Acarbon car body parts to a second premium car maker. We hope toturn the broad interest we see in the market for this technology intoreal sales figures when the economy picks up again.In Marine – a very difficult market for the time being – we work hardand successfully on expanding our customer base. We have expandedour marketing efforts especially in the Nordic and the Mediterraneanboat market with Italy being a special focal point. In addition,we want to penetrate that market deeper with newly developedmaterials such as M-Foam and comprehensive materials and technologypackages for high-end production boat builders. The newcontract with Nautor/Swan is an important step in that direction.Klar auf die mittelfristige Strategie ausgerichtet,meistert Gurit die Herausforderungen derRezession.采 访 Hadorn 以 中 期 战 略 为 重 点 , 固 瑞 特 公司 迎 接 并 对 抗 全 球 经 济 衰 退 的 挑 战 。16 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 17

Markets: Marines p beliefert Nautor in den nächsten Jahren mit einemumfassenden Produkt- und Engineering-Paket.在 今 后 的 几 年 ,SP 会 为 Nautor 公 司 提 供 全 面 的产 品 及 技 术 服 务 。s p has gained a three-year exclusive supply agreement with Nautor who builds theworld renowned Swan range of sail boats ranging from 40 –130 feet. All newly designedSwans will be built in Gurit’s patented s p r i n t ® technology, Corecell structural foamcore, and Spabond structural adhesives. s p will also be contracted for the structuralengineering for all future boats.Turn-key materials andservices packageNautor has a long and illustrious history as a quality production boatbuilder that specialises in performance driven, ocean-going, luxurysailing yachts. Although Nautor has been a very valuable customer tos p for well over a decade, they have in the past utilised various manufacturingmethods with non-s p products. The last eight years hasseen the Finnish company expand their manufacturing techniquesand push boundaries with the use of s p’s materials and technology.As a result, the most sophisticated Nautor yachts produced to datewill be launched later this year – the full s p r i n t ® carbon epoxy highperformance Swan 60 and 80. Paul Riley, Marine Sales Account Manager,explains how Nautor and s p have shared a close working partnershipand forged significant technical developments throughoutthe project. «Nautor was the first marine company to adopt s p r i n t ®technology in the production of a large structure and this was appliedin the manufacture of the Swan 45 and 601 ranges. The lightweightdecks on this full bred racer cruiser provided practical productionexperience for s p and allowed the s p r i n t ® range to be refined to increaserobustness, and flexibility in fabric and resin selection. The45’s production process also initiated the introduction of tack films forwork on vertical surfaces. In turn, Nautor’s commitment to the projecthas seen the company make considerable investment in newproduction facilities, including a 100 foot computer controlled curingoven which facilitates precise temperature control throughout thecuring process,» Paul Riley explained. On completion, the Swan 45performed beautifully and consistently achieved good results on therace course.Production boats built like one-off yachtsNautor was obviously keen to capitalise on the successful performanceof this first s p r i n t ® production boat, and the concept of theNautor 601 was born and latterly the new 60 and 80. The designhouse of German Frers and the engineering expertise of SP’s structuralengineering team were called upon with the aim of producinga superior performance yacht, normally only associated with customone-off builds, yet produced as a series production boat. From a productionperspective, the vessel must be uncomplicated to constructwithout compromising the values Nautor customers expect: superiorquality of interior comfort and stylish fit-out, all combined with impressiveracing performance. This brief called for the use of stateof-the-artmaterials, innovative manufacturing processes, combinedwith an intelligent approach to engineering.Production ProcessingWith the one-design concept, every aspect of the build of the boatmust be repeatable. s p r i n t ® with its fixed resin content, fibre weightsand pre-catalysed resin systems means accurate weight and laminatethickness can be produced consistently in a simple process withthe opportunity for error removed. A prototype was not produced forthe Swan 60 project, so each boat in the series, including the first,had to be exact and delivered at the correct weight with no marginfor error as future modifications could not be made.With a team of eight men, the inner skin of the 60 was then laid. Thiswhole process took only three and a half days before applying thevacuum bag and curing – an extremely rapid laminating time by ordinarystandards. The inclusion of extra resin within the s p r i n t ® materialto facilitate core bonding resulted in further time-savings in whatwould normally be a very time consuming process of priming the core,or the use of glue films, on either side of the core material. Not onlywas the procedure extremely time-efficient but it was also very clean,completely eradicating the need for any wet systems and the associateddrawbacks. Good standards and continuous improvement ofHealth and Safety practices are a very important issue for Nautorwho continuously strives to improve the environment forits operators.All the internal structure, bulkheads, transverse, longitudinal beams,keel box and engine mounting structure were produced separately infemale moulds. The Swan 60’s bulkheads and internal frames areconstructed with flanges so they can be sited and bonded into placewith high strength structural adhesives – again minimising wet laminatingprocesses and reducing man-hours and labour costs considerably.On s p’s technical team’s recommendation, the structure wasbonded into the hull using a combination of s p’s Spabond 345, 340lvand 130 adhesives.Reliable and predictable materialWorking with s p r i n t ® and female moulds also means the laminatethickness is extremely predictable and repeatable. This combinedwith a consistent surface finish allows certain tolerances to beachieved, enabling the secondary bonding of the internal structure tobe a relatively simple process. The need to compensate for miscalculationsthat can result in the filling of large gaps or cutting of laminatesis also removed.«Once we became familiar with the process, s p r i n t ® has proven tobe a reliable and predictable material, as well as saving valuable manhours.It also enables you to accurately predict final weights andproperties of laminates which makes boatbuilding much easier.» MrKjell Vesto, Nautor’s Technical Director commented, «We are able torepeatedly produce laminates with very low void contents, correctfibre to resin ratios and predict mechanical properties – exactly whata reputable boat builder needs!»20 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 21

Being GuritGurit Website Now Available in ChineseIn order to enhance and develop our business in China, Gurit hascreated a dedicated Chinese website www.gurit.cn. Being already aprime Wind Energy market for Gurit, China also offers great opportunitiesfor our Transportation and Marine products. The website waslaunched in time to support Gurit’s presence at China Compositesin September 2009. The Chinese website is a condensed versionof the main website summarizing all current, existing materialsand information. The gurit.cn website covers all main market areasand associated products including Wind Energy, Aerospace, Rail,Automotive and Marine. The website has been fully translated intoChinese and will further enhance and strengthen our customer baseand product offering.Get on your bikes!Gurit (u k ) has various initiatives to keep employees in shape: theonsite gym is used by many colleagues over lunch-time and afterwork. Others keep fit swimming at Gurnard Pines, the local leisureclub. The easiest available daily fitness training, however, is to ridethe bike to work. «Gurit not only linked its site to the public cycle pathThe Gurit Code of ConductApart from hard facts and financial information, topics like Corporate Governance,Social Responsibility and Business Ethics increasingly become investment criteriaand areas of general interest. The Board and Management of Gurit have signed offon the Gurit Code of Conduct – a comprehensive Guide of business principles applicablethroughout the Group.Gurit IR website contentranks 25th out of 500The websites of all Swiss companies listed on s i x Swiss Exchangeare annually being analysed in terms of investor relevant content.Since 2007, the communication bachelor students of h w z , the ZürichUniversity of Applied Sciences, have rated the websites of the publiclylisted companies using a pre-defined list of criteria. Gurit endedex aequo on rank 25 together with Allreal, Baloise, Comet, Logitechand Swisscom. The 10 best rated websites were analyzed a secondtime by an independent jury consisting of analysts, financial on-linejournalists, on-line specialists and faculty. Georg Fischer’s websitescored highest, followed by Credit Suisse and Roche.network on the Isle of Wight, we also have special bicycle offers forour employees,» says John Frogatt who eagerly advocates the «Geton your bikes» intiative or the car sharing scheme to relieve somespace in the car park. «We offer a great selection of bikes at a considerablediscount.» Working together with a local bicycle and sportsshop, Avocet Sports, Gurit can provide its employees – and families –with cycles at some 30% discounts. Some 30 bicycles have alreadybeen sold in the context of this programme. s h a p e spoke with WarwickLauder, Design Engineer, who recently got an 18-speed mountainbike through the «Get on your bikes» plan. «I think it is a greatinitiative, promoting true green transportation to and from Gurit,and I would like to congratulate John on that brilliant idea. It certainlygot me on my bike. I live about 4 miles from Gurit, accessible by thelovely bike path that runs beside the Medina River. This is really avery nice ride to work.» And Warwick does not limit his bicycle rideto nice and sunny days. «This summer I have been riding to workreally every day along that bike path. The shower and gym facilitiesat Gurit (u k ) allow you to ride into work – whatever weather condition.I usually hit the gym when I get to Gurit in the morning anyway,then refresh myself before I start my working day.»Die Gurit Website ist nun auch auf Chinesischaufgeschaltet. Preislich attraktive Fahrräder überzeugenimmer mehr Gurit-Mitarbeitende zur Arbeit zu radeln.固 瑞 特 网 站 已 经 开 通 了 中 文 。The core activities of Gurit today were formed both organically and bya series of acquisitions over the last decade. Growing into a singleorganization, we developed a set of values, called «Values4Success»and discussed in earlier editions of s h a p e. They are based on a mutualunderstanding of our personal values such as trust, respect, honesty,loyalty and integrity. The «Values4Success» provide a frameworkto guide our daily actions and the way we respond to difficultdecisions.• Customers – our priority• Renewal through innovation• Profit through empowerment• Success through peoplein accordance with the lawWhile we conduct business within the framework of «Values4Success»,our business conduct also must be strictly in accordance withnational and international law and many additional rules and regulations.As the social and economic environment is changing at an everfaster pace, we want to uphold the strengths of Gurit. Establishingclear guidelines which integrate our continuously growing set of standardsis an essential step in that direction. The Gurit Code of Conductsets out those same standards of conduct that our employees havealways applied using good common sense and is designed to helpdeal with ethical and legal compliance in our day-to-day work andapplies to the entire Gurit Group. We will therefore ask senior Guritstaff to study and sign the Gurit Code of Conduct and share anddiscuss this Code with all colleagues.shared, discussed and publiclymade AvailableThe Gurit Code of Conduct is not only shared and regularly discussedwith each and every employee in the context of the yearly appraisals,but also made publicly available on our website www.gurit.comSpecial chapters are dedicated to our full compliance with the law,our information procedures, our environment, health and safety policy,our business ethics rules, our employee and customer relationspolicies and – last but not least – compliance.Gurit is determined to adhere to the Gurit Code of Conduct and expectsall employees – and where applicable also all external partieswe work with – to fully comply with the Code.Der Gurit Code of Conduct vereint die für Gurit undalle Gurit-Mitarbeitenden relevanten Verhaltensgrundsätzein einem einheitlichen Dokument.行 为 守 则 : 固 瑞 特 公 司 的 行 为 守 则 通 过 一 本 手册 整 合 了 所 有 组 织 相 关 的 准 则 , 标 准 及 员 工 行为 规 范 。22 shapeThe Gurit Magazine 05_2009 23

GURIT AGENDA 2009⁄2010Gurit will showcase its wide range of material packages, solutionsand technologies at a trade show near you.The Gurit teams look forward to meeting you and introducing youto the latest in advanced composites at the following shows:» 3rd International Tidal Energy Summit 2009, London10 – 11 November 2009» METS 2009, Amsterdam17 – 19 November 2009» JEC Composites Show, Paris13 – 15 April 2010Schaffhauserstrasse 339CH - 8050 Zürich/OerlikonSwitzerlandwww.gurit.com