Composites have been used historically in competitive sailing and nautical sports, but their application extends to many other sectors, notably in automotive, aeronautics, construction, renewables and defence, amongst others, and the Brittany region of France has developed unique know-how to meet these performance needs.
Bernard Biger - Chantiers de l'Atlantique
‘Made in Brittany‘ on show at JEC World 2020
At JEC World 2020, 12 Brittany-based players will be presenting their innovations in the Brittany pavillion (Hall 6, Booth R72).
The regional composites industry is shaped by Brittany's environment and maritime history. Lighter parts, robustness, functionalisation, respect for the environment and eco-design are essential elements in customer specifications.
To design the materials of tomorrow, composites professionals must excel in producing small series on a profitable business model, whilst remaining competitive at the international level. The sector must also constantly adapt to keeping these technologies transferable.
Among the innovations on display at JEC World 2020, visitors will be able to discover SOLID SAIL 2.0 – a collaborative project bringing sevon Breton players together 7 Breton sector players as a network for a rigid sail project backed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique.
Tested for more than a year, SOLID SAIL 2.0 is a 100 per cent composite, high-performance, foldable sail intended to propel new zero-energy sailing ships.
From a technological point of view, SOLID SAIL 2.0 combines safety, efficiency and longevity, and meets an energy transition challenge for international shipping, which must drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over the coming years.
Brittany intends to raise the profile of this know-how and these unique skills. For this reason, the sector has been mobilised since 2015 to take part and exhibit at the JEC World composites trade fair.