Car parts and prototypes – housings – cabs – consoles – cladding panels – bathrooms – doors – leisure equipment – street furniture – ticket machines
CAR
GRP Laminates worked with prestige car maker Bentley and an innovative team of engineering students at the University College London, to build a one-off experimental solar car. The vehicle was designed by the UCL team, for the 10th World Solar Challenge, a gruelling 3,000 mile race across Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide.
The students and their tutor visited the GRP facility to understand the processes involved and to collaborate with our composite moulding experts to identify which materials and processes will perform best in the extreme conditions of the challenge. An epoxy resin system with a carbon skin and foam core was selected, for its significant weight and strength advantages.
GRP Laminates moulded the upper body shell of the car, into which the solar ‘engine’ panels will be fitted, and the internal structure of the vehicle, with Bentley providing the undercarriage. Following assembly of the car at the GRP Laminates facility in the Isle of Wight, it was taken to UCL for final fit-out and trials.
DOORS
Piper Group is one of the South East of England’s leading manufacturers and installers of windows, doors and conservatories to domestic, trade and commercial customers. The company has an excellent reputation for quality, service and ‘fits first time’ installation that demands an exceptionally high standard from its supply chain.
GRP Laminates won the contract to supply composite moulded door skins for the company’s Armourdoor range, despite competition from manufacturers in Turkey, India and the Far East. One key factor in winning the work was our capacity to produce the right volume to the right quality using the latest RTM process.
Ray Kemp, Purchasing Manager at Piper explains: “We were buying from China until we found GRP Laminates. There are cost factors involved in UK manufacturing, but these are outweighed by the convenience and flexibility of dealing more locally. We can manage our stock more flexibly and serve our customers more easily and efficiently.”
Technically, the results have been good, and being more local meant that the inevitable teething problems could be resolved very easily. A dedicated Piper production line at our factory now produces around 120-150 door skins a week in two designs and a range of seven colours. Working with a UK-based producer has made quality control simpler and greatly reduced the risk and cost of shipping. It also enables us to collaborate closely on future product developments.
Enclosure
Bespoke GRP enclosures for a wide range of equipment in public spaces can provide weather and vandalism protection, additional security and an opportunity for branding and advertising space.
GRP Laminates have developed a fibreglass moulded cover for carpark ticket machines, working with a UK company that has since been bought out by the global security and access company Alfia, part of the Stanley Group.
Prospect Road, Cowes
Isle of Wight PO31 7AD
T 01983 200 988
F 01983 200 995
E enquiries@grplaminates.com