Taking high tech to the playing field, stage, water, and beyond.
While plastics and composites have been broadening horizons in the Business-to-Business (B2B) product segments, one area that continues to grow quickly is the Business to Consumer (B2C) product segment. Composites are taking the time-tested materials of steel, aluminum, wood and simple plastics out back for an overhaul.
Local companies with ties to the SE MN Composites Cluster like PlastiCert (http://www.portofwinona.com/wp-content/uploads/Minnesotas_Composites_Cluster.pdf) include Miken Sports http://www.mikensports.com/ , makers of composite softball and baseball bats. Also, Coda Bow http://www.codabow.com/ who has brought technology to an age old craft and is producing bows from composites rather than wood. Stringed instrument players from Carnegie Hall to your local high school use them. Trek bicycles made with composites are used in professional races around the world and in your own neighborhood.
Advances continue to be made in using the technology behind composites and advanced design to help make sporting and leisure products safer, more effective and performance enhancing.
PlastiCert has been a part of this improvement cycle as well. Northbar Tackle has been making saltwater fishing lures for many years and as demand for their “Bottledarter” lure grew, they could not keep up with demand. That was due to it being hand crafted from wood at that point. PlastiCert assisted Northbar in converting the movement and action of the original wooden lure into a two-piece plastic lure that could take production to a new level. While their initial testing results were very positive, the pictures on their website show that the public is pleased as well. http://northbartackle.com/
Football helmets, skateboards, snow skis, more and more composites are being used to both enhance performance AND enhance safety. Have a product you would like to enhance, give us a call.
More articles you might like:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Check it out!