The Vision of the Fjords is a premium sightseeing vessel designed from the ground up to enhance passenger`s sightseeing experience and reduce the vessels environmental footprint. The catamaran is 42 meter long, 15 metres wide and built in lightweight carbon fibre composite. The vessel is classed by DNVGL and certified for 400 passengers.

The winner was announced during the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, where both the operator and yard representatives were present at the ceremony.

The voting panel at the awards said that the ship is truly innovative, with efficient diesel propulsion for long distance transfer and electric propulsion for quiet and pollution-free sightseeing in the beautiful UNESCO-listed Norwegian fjords. The design of the vessel itself, a catamaran with a carbon-fibre hull and the modern passenger facilities adds to the overall feeling that this is something completely new.

With a slender hull designed by Paradis Nautica, equipped with a hybrid propulsion system developed by Mancraft, the new build can reach a top speed of 19 knots. The propulsion control and automation system is delivered by Marcontrol, the battery system by ZM/LG, while drives and power management system are delivered by ABB.

The exterior design is inspired by a twisting mountain road and gives the passengers freedom to walk around the ship while enjoying the scenery. Inside, the vessel has passenger accommodations on two decks, featuring large panoramic windows, seating in a variety of configurations and a large refreshment kiosk on the main deck.

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The boat was manufactured by family run shipyard Brodrane Aa, a specialists in carbon-fibre vessels. Founded in 1947 the company switched to using composite materials in the 1970’s and were the first to create a GRP-sandwich vessel to be approved by DNV. In 2002 Brødrene Aa launched the worlds first commercial passenger vessel made from carbon fibre and has led to a new era of shipbuilding for the company.

The ferry will use its diesel engine to reach the start of the UNESCO heritage area whilst cruising at around 20 knots. Once at the entrance the boat will switch to battery mode, decreasing speed to 8 knots to reduce energy usage and comply with speed limits.

The lightweight carbon fibre construction allows the battery-powered boat to navigate its route through the UNESCO heritage on a single charge. The diesel engine can be used to either power or charge the batteries on the boat and the company have built hydro-electric charging stations in Flam and Gudvangen where the ferry can get its batteries fully charged in around 20 minutes.

The operator hopes to start commercial operations with the vessel in a month and are already thinking about ordering a sister ship, with the ultimate goal to replace all of its diesel-powered vehicles with completely quiet and non-polluting ones.

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Saertex will pay NOK 115 million for the transaction plus any net change in equity in fourth quarter 2013, for equity and internal long-term debt. The total cash effect for Hexagon Composites is estimated to be approximately the same. The transaction is estimated to give a small profit (from book value) after transaction costs. A long-term external debt in Hexagon Devold’s subsidiary in Lithuania of NOK 16.8 million will be transferred to the new owner.

Saertex is a market leader in multiaxial fabrics with main markets in wind energy, aerospace, civil engineering, automotive and shipbuilding. The company is privately owned with a turnover of EUR 250 million. Their head-quarters are located in Saerbeck, Germany, with production facilities in Germany, France, Portugal, US, Brazil, South Africa, India and China. SAERTEX will keep Devold AMT as a parallel brand and continue present operations in Lithuania, US and Norway.

Senior Vice President Tore J. Fjell said on the deal;

We are very satisfied that the transaction with Saertex is concluded. Saertex is one of the leading players in the multiaxial fabrics industry and the transaction will give Hexagon Devold and its employees a strong industrial owner. The transaction will enable Hexagon Composites to focus on its core business areas within the strongly growing high pressure and LPG-cylinder segments.

Hexagon Devold had turnover during the first three quarters of 2013 of NOK 133 million, EBIT of NOK 4.9 million, assets of NOK 206 million and liabilities of NOK 194 million. The company has 125 employees.

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These negotiations have now been finalised with the signing of a binding sales and supply agreement after which the German industrial group VTC Partners GmbH will acquire Vestas’ two machining units and four casting units, including approx. 1,000 employees in Norway, Sweden, Germany, China and Denmark. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals from relevant authorities in China. VTC is the owner of the Silbitz Group a leading German-based casting group with an existing and proven supplier relationship with Vestas.

Vestas’ main priority in the divestment of its machining and casting units is to increase the flexibility of Vestas’ supply chain and to secure a buyer that will ensure supply at the required quality and offer reduced and competitive prices for casted components going forward. Finally, the divestment confirms Vestas’ strategy to further concentrate on the core competences of its business.

Jean-Marc Lechêne, Executive Vice President and COO of Vestas Wind Systems A/S said;

The divestment of our machining and casting units is part of the plan to improve our capacity utilisation and to become a more asset-light and scalable company, in outsourcing our machining and casting units, it was important to take the time to find the right partner in order for both parties to benefit from the industrial synergies. VTC will continue to operate with the same high Vestas standards in relation to quality, reliability and safety and I am pleased to say that we consider VTC to be the right partner in all these aspects.

The transaction has been agreed at a sales price of EUR 1 plus an earn-out element for Vestas of up to EUR 25m. The divestment price implies a further write-down of approx EUR 50m consisting of approx EUR 20m in assets held for sale and approx EUR 30m in net current assets, which will be included in special items in the third quarter of 2013.

It is expected that the divestment will lower Vestas’ costs for casted components by around EUR 30m over the next two years. Due to the additional utilisation that can be brought to the factories under VTC ownership, further cost benefits can be expected in the longer term. The flexible nature of the supply agreement that has been signed as part of the transaction further adds to Vestas’ cost structure becoming more scalable.

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The RenWind project’s objective is to develop environmentally friendly and cost-efficient high performance no emission vinyl hybrid resin systems for production of windmill blades.

The funds are to be used on external tests and research work. Equivalent amount of work will have to be performed by Reichhold internally. Partnerships have been formed with several renowned institutes like SINTEF Materials and Chemistry (MC) and DTU Wind Energy, Section for Composites and Materials Mechanics (Former Risø National Laboratory).

SINTEF MC is an institute in the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. The Institute offers a high level of expertise in the fields of materials science and nanotechnology, applied chemistry and bio-technology. They collaborate closely with industry in the development of advanced materials, products, processes and tools.

Wind energy is set to continue to be one of the strongest growth sectors for composite materials in the coming years. By introducing vinyl hybrid systems with low or no VOC emission, Reichhold aim to provide sustainable materials which can contribute to the growth of wind energy by offering more cost-efficient solutions compared to currently used materials, like epoxy.

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The Board of Hexagon Composites ASA has discussed the situation and future prospects for the North American market. Against the background of these growth opportunities and Hexagon Lincoln’s market-leading position, the Board has decided in principle to invest in a further increase in capacity in Lincoln. The planned production line is expected to once again double the production capacity for CNG cylinders for the bus and truck market compared with the second half of 2013. This corresponds to four times the capacity in 2012. The new production line is expected to be operational towards the end of 2014.

Initial calculations indicate an investment of around NOK 150 million. This investment will give Hexagon Lincoln an automated and dedicated production line aimed specifically at the production of pressure cylinders for larger vehicles.

Tore J. Fjell, CEO of Hexagon Composites said;

Because of the great market potential for pressure cylinders for larger vehicles in the USA, we wish to take the lead with essential investments so that we can meet customer needs. We wish to establish an automated and cost-effective production line, so as to achieve the greatest possible competitive effect. We are therefore pleased that the Board has taken this decision in principle.

The Board of Hexagon Composites has also approved a bond issue to finance this investment and other possible investments linked to development of the high-pressure area. DNB Markets and Swedbank First Securities are appointed joint lead managers in connection with the issuance of bonds.

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The opening ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region Mr. Valery Shantsev, Deputy Head of Mission at the Norwegian Embassy Mr. Bård Ivar Svendsen, Chairman of Autocomponent Mr. Yuriy Belyaev, Chairman of Hexagon Composites Mr. Knut Flakk, together with other representatives from the authorities, owners and customers.

Rugasco was formed in 2012 as a joint venture between Hexagon Composites ASA and Autocomponent, a large Russian manufacturer of plastic parts for the automotive and construction industry. The plant has a capacity to produce 200,000 LPG cylinders annually. The establishment has initially created 25 positions in Nizhny Novgorod.

Mr. Knut Flakk, Chairman of Hexagon Composites.

The opening of the plant in Nizhny Novgorod marks a new era in the development of composite cylinders in the Russian market. The establishment of the plant is a result of successful cooperation between Russia, Sweden and Norway

The automated production line has been transferred from Hexagon’s subsidiary Composite Scandinavia AB in Sweden which was closed down in 2012.

Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of natural gas and has implemented a policy to better utilise its natural gas resources domestically. The opening of the LPG cylinder plant is therefore seen as very positive by the Russian authorities. It is also expected that this will generate sales of Hexagon’s high-pressure composite cylinders for storage and transportation of natural gas to the Russian market.

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Starting from the 4th March 2013, Hexagon will emerge as a unified group with Ragasco, Lincoln Composites, Hexagon Raufoss and Devold AMT continuing as strong sub brands in the new identity.

The new visual identity has been based on the group’s previous identity and logo symbol, the hexagon. The solid and distinct hexagon is motivated by the company’s history, unique technology expertise and leading market position.

The Hexagon symbol is made up of lines that form 60 degree angles. This is the way fibre is both knit and wound and provides a reinforcing effect on the composite products we manufacture. This is precisely what makes the symbol so important for our identity.

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A new carbon fibre electric motorcycle was unveiled over the weekend, The Roskva is a 94hp machine and was created by a bunch of talented engineering students from the University of Life Science in Oslo, Norway.

This bike has an all carbon fibre frame, bodywork and wheels which weighs in at less than 25kgs. The lightweight machine is powered by a 94HP motor which delivers a top speed of about 112MPH and a maximum range of 62 miles.

For more pictures and information on this project you can visit the website.

Photos Via: Roskva Electric Flickr

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Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Lincoln Composites, Hexagon Composites has been awarded a new contract to supply 55 lightweight Titan transport modules to SC Group in Thailand. This represents the largest single Titan contract to date for Hexagon Composites worldwide.

SC Group is an integrated logistics services in Thailand. The Thai state-owned oil and gas company PTT Public Company Limited has recently contracted SC Group to transport CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) using the lightweight Titan transport modules.

The contract will generate strong activity in Lincoln Composites for Q3 2012.

On a global scale, Thailand represents the largest market for road transportation of natural gas from pipeline-connected mother stations to NGV fuelling daughter stations. Over 1,500 steel trailers presently operate in the country. With its significantly lighter weight and substantially larger transport capacity, the Titan has proven to reduce fuel consumption by more than 60% compared with conventional steel trailer technology.

The Titan tank is based around a Filament wound epoxy-carbon fibre composites shell with a Polyurethane coating applied to the outer surface to enhance the abrasion and scuff resistance of the container, as well as acts as a moisture protection layer. The tank is designed to transport compressed natural gas, hydrogen, nitrogen and helium and can be mounted to a ISO 1496 shipping container. The module weighs 14,500 kg unpressurised and can be transported via rail, truck or ship.

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