We Need You More Than Ever

We kick off this member renewal season with a promise:

Your dues fund activities that are vital to the industrys
long-term growth.
Composites are superior to traditional materials in many
ways, but the industry still hasnt achieved widespread
acceptance and adoption in many markets. There are
challenges the industry faces that only an active and
powerful association can successfully address, including:
regulatory and legislative threats; employee education and
manufacturing best practices, and market growth. ACMA
is the leader in composites education, advocacy and
market development.
ACMAs primary source of funding is the dues you pay. The
association works on a number of fronts to promote your
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Making connections at ACMAs annual COMPOSITES event.

Active in Government Affairs

ACMAs Government Affairs Committee
works on the local, state and national
levels to protect the composites industry
from infeasible regulation. Here are
just a few of the regulatory issues that
your membership dues helped ACMA
address in the past year:
Combustible Dust ACMA developed a compliance
program to help members address combustible dust
standards. ACMA submitted comments on OSHAs
combustible dust rulemaking and argued for feasible
and flexible requirements that address actual hazards.
Fire Standard OSHA agreed that composites industry
employers who complied with an NFPA fire safety
standard would not be cited for failing to comply with a
much more expensive OSHA regulation.

VOC Limits Ohio EPA agreed to replace a strict and

infeasible hourly limit on VOC emissions with an approach based on the flexible use of pollution prevention
controls, making it easier for composites manufacturers to locate and run their businesses in the state.
New Emissions Factors ACMA argued that revisions
to EPAs emission factor system should allow
continued use of factors promulgated as National
Standards, such as the UEF factors.
Styrene Classification ACMA is battling the
National Toxicology Program (NTP) to revise their
unfounded preliminary ruling that styrene is a likely
carcinogen. The proposed reclassification is based
on bad science and could put many companies out of
business. Fighting this issue is our greatest challenge
and we need additional resources to rollback the NTP
ruling and protect our industry.

www.acmanet.org

Congressional Staffers Ask Questions about Composites

ACMA is committed to having a constant presence on
Capitol Hill. In addition to its annual Lobby Day Fly-In,
ACMA members and staff have hosted educational events
specifically for congressional representatives and their
staffers. During these events, ACMA members had the
opportunity to field questions about composites materials
and explain the differences between composites and
traditional materials such as steel and concrete.
ACMA facilitates events like these to promote members
legislative and regulatory interests. For instance, members
of ACMAs Government Affairs Committee alerted representatives to the harm that unreasonable and unfounded
regulatory action would cause the industry. Members of
ACMAs Transportation Structures Council encouraged
representatives to support language in a transportation reauthorization bill that would require states to use life-cycle
costing for construction of transportation structures.
ACMAs tireless work in Congress has resulted in the
formation of a Composites Caucus, a recognized bipartisan group of 26 representatives co-chaired by
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA).
The caucus is a vehicle for Congress to work with ACMA
and the composites industry on policies and regulations
that affect the industry.

Being heard on Capitol Hill. Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) meets

ACMA member Lowell Miles.

As an ACMA member, your dues support these crucial

advocacy efforts. Even if you cant attend these events in
person, your membership helps the association positively
affect legislative and regulatory outcomes. Visit www.
acmanet.org to learn more.

One OSHA Citation You Wont Get

Over the years, OSHA inspectors have cited many
composite industry employers for failure to comply
with the agencys standard for flammable liquid spray.
Unfortunately, the OSHA requirements are designed
to protect against the hazards of spray painting,
which is much more hazardous than composite spray
operations. Among other requirements, the OSHA
standard requires spray booths that meet certain
design and operational criteria that are not feasible for
all but the smallest composite products.
Because of the advocacy conducted by ACMA and its
members on behalf of the composites industry, OSHA

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recently agreed that

composites plants do
not need to comply
with the costly OSHA
spray paint regulation provided that they are in full
compliance with the provisions of NFPA 33, a more
feasible and affordable standard developed by the
National Fire Protection Association.
Thanks to ACMA, you no longer have to worry about
an unfair citation to your manufacturing plant because
of this work. OSHA changed its position in favor of the
composites industry.

New Training Programs

Develop More Certified
Composites Technicians

As the composites industry evolves, one of its

challenges is training and retaining quality employees.
ACMAs Certified Composites Technician (CCT) program
promotes industry professionalism by educating new
and seasoned employees on manufacturing best
practices, new technologies and management tactics.
The CCT program is the gold standard for composites
employee training.
In addition to updating its popular Open Molding CCT
materials, ACMA launched two new, much-needed
closed molding curriculums: CCT-Vacuum Infusion
Process (VIP) and CCT-Light RTM, providing training
to meet the growing needs of the industry. This year,
more than 345 people became CCTs and more than
4,000 composites professionals are now certified a
testament that ACMAs role in educating the industry is
as vital as ever.

Composites in the Code: A Success Story

One of ACMAs most powerful strengths is the range of
markets and processes represented by its members.
Under the umbrella of the Composites Growth Initiative,
members create and join groups that serve their particular
interest areas. Each group works on projects designed to
advance its interests.
Photo courtesy of William Kreysler & Associates

When ACMA members work together in these groups, they

are paving the way for acceptance and adoption by end
user markets. Adoption by engineers and specifiers on a
greater scale means more business opportunities for the
industry as a whole.
Last year, ACMAs Architectural Division won a major
victory by getting fiberglass reinforced polymer written into
the International Building Code (IBC), which is published
by the International Code Council (ICC).
Architects, engineers and even state governments rely
on the IBC as the model code. Even though FRP had been
used on buildings for years, it was only on a case-bycase basis because it was not a listed material in the IBC.
Architectural Division members initiated the changes that
were ultimately included in the ICC, which will encourage
architects to specify composites in buildings.
No single company could do this on its own, but ACMA
members who work together see tangible results. In
addition to the Architectural Division, ACMA groups
include the Automotive Composites Alliance, Corrosion

Breaking new ground with composites house.

Control Division, Fiberglass Gratings Manufacturers

Council, International Cast Polymer Alliance, Pultrusion
Industry Council, Transportation Structures Council, Resin
Suppliers Council and more.
When you join or renew as an ACMA Member, you have the
opportunity to join these special interest groups or start
one for companies like yours to meet like-minded peers
and promote your cause.

www.acmanet.org

Bet on COMPOSITES
In Las Vegas, where slot machines can turn a lucky quarter
into millions, one thing is for sure: A little change goes a
long way. ACMA embraced the change that your businesses
face during its annual COMPOSITES conference and
exhibition, the largest composites event in North America.
Member participants received discounted registration and
exhibition fees at the three-day event, held this year at
Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Member involvement also was
key to planning and producing a successful show that saw
an 18 percent increase in attendance.
Among the highlights at COMPOSITES 2010 were exciting
general sessions featuring an economic outlook for the

2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaking to composites industry.

composites industry and a keynote speech from Mitt

Romney, former Massachusetts Governor and 2008
presidential candidate. The schedule also included
breakout education sessions and technical paper
presentations, with an increased focus on growth markets
and high performance; environmental and energy topics;
and regulatory and legislative issues.

Brisk business at COMPOSITES 2010 in Las Vegas.

We Need You More Than Ever

continued from page 1

industrys well-being, but without your financial support,

ACMA couldnt continue many of the programs that protect
and grow the industry. There is an equally long list of
worthwhile projects that we look forward to tackling with
continued member support.
This year, more than ever, ACMA needs your help. This
newsletter illustrates some of ACMAs biggest accomplishments during the past year. Youll see that your dues are
going to a good cause, and youll learn about the major
initiatives ACMA has planned going forward.
Thank you in advance for your contribution to the industrys
prosperity.

www.acmanet.org

An Emerging Markets Panel featured expert panelists

from the wind energy, automotive, infrastructure and
military sectors who discussed the role composites play in
these markets and their expectations for using composites
in the future. New this year were six new networking
receptions targeted for attendees interested in emerging
markets, pultrusion, infrastructure/corrosion, building/
construction/architecture, international, and cast polymer.

ACMA Membership

For more information

contact ACMAs
Membership Department at
703.525.0511 or
membership@acmanet.org