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Senator Byrd

Leadership.      Character.      Commitment.

New Jobs, New Opportunities in West Virginia

In all walks of life, people are trying to save money. That fact is just as true for companies as it is for families trying to stretch their dollars a little further. Manufacturers are always in search of products and designs that can save money in production. Families are always looking for products that are more economical. One design approach promises benefits to both groups -- more durable, lighter-weight materials for manufacturers, and longer-lasting, more economical products for families.

That design approach is the use of composites. Composites blend raw materials and scientific applications to create entirely new materials to achieve a desired final product. And today, composites are breaking barriers in all sorts of industries.

Aerospace is one. The Boeing Corporation’s new 7E7 airliner is an exciting new plane. Set for takeoff next year, this jet seats more than 250 passengers; yet, it uses 20 percent less fuel than any other airplane of its size. How does it achieve that savings? Part of the answer is the composite technologies in its body and its wings. To make this new jet more economical than others in its class, Boeing turned to lightweight, highly durable carbon fiber composites and advanced aluminum alloys. For Boeing, these applications will likely result in more orders for this new plane. For airlines, the 7E7, because of its lighter weight and increased strength, will result in lower fuel costs and fewer maintenance costs. For passengers, the 7E7’s performance should mean lower ticket prices.

These advancements aren’t just happening elsewhere around the world. Progress is also taking place in our own state. Many highly innovative West Virginia companies are staking their claims in this global industry.

One such company is based in Harrison County, where FMW Composite Systems is producing airplane parts crucial to the next generation of fighter jets.

That new fleet has, at the core, two planes: the F-22 Raptor and the Joint Strike Fighter. The F-22 has an amazing design, unlike any fighter plane in use today. The Joint Strike Fighter is a fighter optimized for air-to-ground combat. This new jet will be used by the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. And both planes receive key components from FMW Composite Systems in Bridgeport.

FMW is the world’s exclusive manufacturer of titanium matrix composite (TMC). This product is strengthening the fighter aircraft while also reducing its weight. Lighter planes are more fuel efficient and more maneuverable. The Defense Department sees TMC as a key part for these top-of-the-line fighters.

But FMW’s work isn’t limited to the Defense Department. Soon, FMW’s work will be part of the Space Shuttle program. NASA has been working to modernize the shuttles and make them more efficient -- and turned to FMW for help. Right now, the shuttles currently use an aluminum platform weighing as much as 4,500 pounds to carry its scientific instruments and other payloads. But that platform is increasingly difficult to maneuver and, because of its weight, limits the overall carrying capacity of the space shuttle. It took four years of design, construction, and testing, but FMW has recently completed the 1,800-pound Super Lightweight Integrated Carrier, built of the same composite used in the Joint Strike Fighter. By shaving thousands of pounds off of the traditional pallet, NASA will be able to increase its payload capacity and improve the productivity of each flight.

Another West Virginia company is making great strides in composites technologies. Touchstone Research Laboratory started as a small operation in the basement of a Wheeling home in 1980. Today, it has grown to be one of West Virginia’s most dynamic, innovative companies, and has received national accolades for its work. The Ohio County company has patented several new composites, including its carbon foam product, nicknamed CFOAM, and its fiber-reinforced aluminum, called MetPreg.

MetPreg is the company’s latest innovation, and has broad potential for both military and commercial purposes. It can be used to build aerospace fuel tanks; the skins of aircraft; lightweight structures for automotive, rail, and other transportation applications; crane booms; tennis rackets; golf club shafts; and bicycle frames. The same product that one uses to ride around the block can be part of the fighter jets patrolling a battlefield.

In fact, MetPreg has attracted an amazing amount of attention from the federal government. The Missile Defense Agency is interested in the technology for use in systems to protect the United States from terrorist threats. The U.S. Army is interested in MetPreg for production of its Excalibur artillery shell and 120 millimeter mortar tube. The strength and weight properties of MetPreg makes it an attractive candidate for reinforcement of tailored aircraft wings. The Army is actively pursuing this application possibility. NASA designers believe that MetPreg can help to reduce costs and risks involved with future space projects.

FMW and Touchstone are just two West Virginia success stories, and in the coming years, I expect more companies will join their ranks in the composites industry.

One major challenge facing companies and entrepreneurs that want to break into the composites industry is skill. It is easy to understand why composites are attractive. The aerospace industry, for instance, is taking full advantage of carbon-fiber composites. Carbon fiber doesn’t rust and, because it is a much lighter material, can significantly increase fuel economy. But how to create these composites is not as simple. It requires well-trained minds to understand how various materials interact and then to shape them into specific applications.

That’s why the work at the Byrd Composites Technology and Training Center in Bridgeport is so vital. At this facility, headquartered at the Harrison-Marion Regional Airport, workers are able to receive specialized training and design assistance. The Composites Center also has developed a strategic partnership with NASA, giving it a leadership role in West Virginia’s growing aerospace and composites industrial base. This is a one-stop-shop for composites manufacturers; the center covers the latest in technical trends, process advancements, case histories and shop practices, as well as issues in quality control, safety and health, and regulatory standards.

In some respects, encouraging the composites industry in West Virginia is much like building a composite product itself. We must bring together all of the parts -- necessity, ingenuity, skill, creativity, training -- paying attention to the details and providing a positive environment in order to achieve the best results. If we do, the future of West Virginia will be brighter.

For decades, West Virginia’s economy has relied on the strength of our backs and our arms. In the decades to come, our economy will rely on the strength of our minds. We must continue to develop the brain power to fuel our economy. This demands a greater investment in science and mathematics in our schools. It also requires a stronger partnership between government and industry to identify the needs of this fast-developing field and prepare the workforce to meet those needs.

I am excited about the composites industry and its potential for our state. Add it to other cutting-edge fields, like biometrics and software development and defense manufacturing, along with a commitment to West Virginia’s core industries of energy and chemical production and steel. The resulting economy will be much like a composite: stronger and better than its individual components and ready to meet the challenges ahead.