JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #60 - Special JEC Asia - October 2010 - 3

EDITORIAL
No60 October 2010

47th year
President and CEO/Publisher:
Frédérique Mutel mutel@jeccomposites.com

Editor-in-chief: Frédéric Reux
Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 11 reux@jeccomposites.com

Who will take the lead in the Asian composite market?
Over the past decade, we’ve seen the composite industry undergo a complete reconfiguration in Asia. Let’s remember, at the end of the twentieth century – just ten years ago – only a handful of large American, European or Japanese companies reigned over a multitude of small emerging local businesses. Then the sector started to become organized at all levels along the value chain for each segment, including raw material producers, semi-product manufacturers and processors. Now, just as it happened previously in North America and Europe, large national groups are emerging in Asia. These devote large R&D budgets to all of their business lines, especially in thermoplastic resins, new-generation carbon and glass fibres, and natural reinforcements, which are this new century’s buoyant segments. There is still a dense industrial fabric of small processors all over Asia. However, for all the reasons we are well acquainted with, one thing is certain: market concentration will come about and some businesses will disappear.

Technical editor: Franck Glowacz
Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 04 glowacz@jeccomposites.com

Technical topics: Pierre Lissac
info@jeccomposites.com

Copy-editor & Graphic designer:
Antoine Morel morel@jeccomposites.com Marylène Pinault pinault@jeccomposites.com

Advertising manager:
Judith Blacker Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 74 blacker@jeccomposites.com

Circulation & partnership manager:
press@jeccomposites.com Sandrine Dumarquez dumarquez@jeccomposites.com

Subscriptions:
www.jecmagazine.com Fax: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 19 Tel: +33 (0)1 58 36 15 08 dumarquez@jeccomposites.com

Needs in the Asian composite market
With Asia in a phase of rapid development, the composite industry there is also growing at a brisk pace. Asia already accounts for 29% of the global market in terms of value (18 billion euros) and for 38% of the volume. Environmental and energy requirements, as well as the search for ever lighter, stronger materials, are contributing to the emergence of composite materials. Consequently, some are predicting that by 2015, this part of the world could account for as much as 50% of the global composite market. Production methods are also undergoing massive changes. Companies are moving towards heavier automation of composite parts manufacturing, using technologies that are increasingly mechanized. The automation rate in Europe and the United States, for example, is now 84%, compared to 69% for Asia. So there is still a fair amount of room for improvement, and opportunities for suppliers of automation machinery and advanced processes are numerous. And most of these suppliers are European or American.

Marketing/Communication:
Patrice Sinthon, sinthon@jeccomposites.com

Printing: SPEI - Pulnoy (54), France Legal registration:
ISSN 1639-965X Dépôt légal : 4e trimestre 2010

Photos & illustrations:
All rights reserved, unless mentioned. JEC Composites Magazine is published by JEC.

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Player interdependence
If you need corroboration of this, look at JEC Asia 2010. For its third session, JEC Asia is attracting companies from 25 countries. This year, some additional major players have decided to join this dynamic platform, where major Asian projects are discussed. The participation of a number of equipment and machinery suppliers will reinforce Europe’s presence. The first Innovative International Composites Summit (IICS) will be held at the same time, and there, at least a hundred speakers will present the solutions they have developed for Asian markets. JEC Asia is proof that the development of the Asian market is in fact one of the biggest economic opportunities of the past 60 years.

Total Average Qualified Circulation: 30,117 copies
(17,594 Print circulation and 12,523 Electronic circulation) (BPA June statement 2010)

Frédérique Mutel President & CEO

No60 October 2010 / jec composites magazine

http://www.jecmagazine.com http://www.jeccomposites.com http://www.jeccomposites.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #60 - Special JEC Asia - October 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #60 - Special JEC Asia - October 2010