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CompositesWorld Digital Demo Highlights Vectorply Reinforcements & Technical Services

Phenix City, AL – Vectorply Corporation is an engineering-driven company with a strong focus on helping customers drive innovative ideas from concept to creation. A recent Digital Demo published by CompositesWorld highlights the unique combination of custom reinforcement fabrics and expert technical service that gives customers the ability to meet ambitious goals with confidence in their laminate and production process.

Vectorply Vice President of Composite Engineering Trevor Gundberg explains the wide variety of fabric combinations that are engineered by fiber choice, ply architecture, and added veils, backings, and cores. In addition, Vectorply’s suite of technical services including on-site technical audits, VectorLam laminate analysis and design, and in-house testing capabilities are described in detail. This combination of products and services allows customers to gain a competitive advantage in their market by creating higher quality products that are validated for performance and production efficiency before fabrication begins.

To view the Digital Demo, visit the link below:

Optimized fiber reinforcements, fabrics, NCFs

Virtual CAMX and IBEX trade shows offer new opportunities

Phenix City, AL – Like many other things, in-person trade shows in 2020 look a lot different than usual. Due to the global pandemic, live gatherings have been replaced by virtual events to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19. Two prominent shows in the composites industry, The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) and The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), have announced their transition to a virtual format offering new opportunities for networking and education.

CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America for products, solutions, networking, and advanced industry thinking. This year the show has been re-titled, “A New CAMX for a New Time” and scheduled for Monday, September 21 – Thursday, September 24 (See CAMX Schedule HERE). As a yearly exhibitor at CAMX, Vectorply will once again participate as a virtual exhibitor at the 2020 show. Visitors who register for CAMX 2020 will be able to schedule meetings with our sales and engineering teams, view our products, and learn more about our company and capabilities. Those interested in attending CAMX are invited to register for a free exhibit hall pass as our guest via the link at the top of our home page.

The following week, IBEX will take place virtually from Tuesday, September 29 to Friday, October 2 (See IBEX Schedule HERE). IBEX is North America’s leading technical boat-building showcase which delivers a unique forum where the marine industry can do business, share ideas, and accelerate new product development. As a leading supplier to the marine market, Vectorply will also be virtually available for meetings and discussions, and will have a sample of fabric variety available for viewing.

Although we won’t be able to visit in-person this year, we invite you to join us virtually at these two important composites industry trade shows!

Vectorply receives IBBI Supplier of the Year, John Sisson Innovation Awards

St. Charles, MO. – On Tuesday, March 5th Vectorply Corporation received a pair of prestigious awards at the Independent Boat Builders, Inc. (IBBI) Conference in St. Charles, MO. The composite reinforcement supplier was awarded the John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award, followed by a selection as an IBBI Supplier of the Year.

The John “Walkabout” Sisson Innovation Award is an honor chosen by the 19 members of the IBBI for a creative or unconventional new product to the marine industry. The namesake for the award, John Sisson, spent 20 years at Malibu Boats where he developed close friendships with several members of Vectorply’s team, including Vice President of Sales Tamir Levy.

“I am ecstatic for the entire Vectorply family to receive the 2019 John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award from the IBBI,” said Levy. “The IBBI members are some of the most innovative boat builders in the industry and for them to bestow this award on Vectorply means so much. John “Walkabout” Sisson was a dear friend of mine who holds a very special place in my heart.  Vectorply is honored to receive this award in his memory.”

Members of Vectorply’s sales, engineering and marketing team receive the John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award and Supplier of the Year Award from IBBI President Tom Broy.

Tom Broy, President of the IBBI said that Sisson was continuously innovating and was a key decision maker in the IBBI’s decision to move to Vectorply as the group’s primary knit supplier.

“IBBI feels like our fifteen-year relationship with Vectorply is the model for a successful partnership.  John Sisson was a founding member of the IBBI Technical Committee during his time at Malibu Boats. He did a lot of testing for the group and was very influential in our group’s decision to partner with Vectorply based on product performance,” Broy said.

“This would have meant a lot to John to see Vectorply win this Innovation Award.  We are glad to honor his memory by awarding Vectorply as the 2019 John “Walkabout” Sisson Memorial Innovation Award winner.”

Vectorply’s award-winning submission highlighted a new line of consumable solutions known as VectorFusion Consumables. The VectorFusion Consumable line currently consists of three labor and cost-saving products: VectorVac PS58-6, VectorFeed PS58, and VectorFeed PE4. These vacuum and feed lines are each unique, but all have the common goal of making a simpler, easily repeatable process to increase infusion efficiency. The incorporation of VectorFusion Consumable products allows companies to enjoy all the benefits of vacuum infusion processing while reducing known challenges.

“Our motto at Vectorply when it comes to innovation is to not create a product in hopes that someone will buy it, but rather, engineer a product based on a need,” according to Levy. “Whether the goal is stiffness, strength, weight or cost, working cohesively with our customers is what breads innovation.”

In addition to the innovation award, Vectorply was also selected as an IBBI Supplier of the Year. Winners of the Supplier of the Year were selected based on survey results highlighting several key categories including product quality, on-time delivery, and technical service.

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POSITION FILLED – Manufacturing Engineer Job Posting

Purpose:

Design, modify, and improve Vectorply’s manufacturing machinery, systems and processes. Will work with in-house and commercial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs. This position will take a lead and be very hands-on in the maintenance PM program as the company continues to develop and improve its performance.

This person will be a responsible for modifying and developing manufacturing machinery and the processes to give the customer the more challenging composites they are demanding.

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering or equivalent degree and/or experience
5-10 years’ experience in a manufacturing plant setting working in Maintenance, Production, and/or Process engineering roles

A passion for machinery and process improvement with a mechanical focus

Knowledge:

Production and Processing – Knowledge of production processes in general, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing effective and efficient manufacturing. Experience in textiles or other composites would be a plus.

Skills:

Basic Skills

  • Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Social Skills

  • Coordination – Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
  • Instructing – Teaching others how to do something.
  • Negotiation – Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Persuasion – Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Technical Skills

  • Complex Problem-Solving – Identifying complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions in the production processes.
  • Equipment Maintenance – Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operations Analysis – Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Quality Control Analysis – Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Repairing – Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Technology Design – Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
  • Troubleshooting – Determining causes of operating errors and deciding how to correct it.

Tasks

  • Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes on a daily basis.
  • Provide technical expertise and hands-on support related to manufacturing and production machinery operation.
  • Incorporate new methods and processes to improve existing operations and efficiency.
  • Design, install, or troubleshoot manufacturing equipment to improve the product to the customer.
  • Determine root causes of failures using known methods and recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods.
  • Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks.
  • Train production personnel in new or existing methods.
  • Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve products or reduce costs using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts.
  • Purchase equipment, materials, or parts.
  • Design layout of equipment or workspaces to achieve maximum efficiency.
  • Communicate manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, or other information to facilitate production processes.
  • Evaluate manufactured products according to specifications and quality standards.
  • Design testing methods and test finished products or process capabilities to establish standards or validate process requirements.
  • Estimate costs, production times, or staffing requirements for new designs.
  • Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures.
  • Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness.

Interested candidates should send their resumes to employ@vectorply.com