IBEX 2023: Avient Featuring Innovative Materials for Boatbuilders, Offering Lightweighting and Production Efficiency

September 25, 2023

Hammerhead™ Marine Composite Panels from Avient remove weight and streamline production in marine manufacturing. 

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CLEVELAND – September 25, 2023 – Avient Corporation announced today it will feature Hammerhead™ Marine Composite Panels at the upcoming International Boat Builders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX). With more than 50% weight savings compared to plywood, these continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite sandwich panels offer boat manufacturers a lighter, more efficient alternative to traditional marine construction materials.

Beyond weight reduction, Hammerhead panels can improve installation and labor productivity with the ability to replace typical wood, hand lay-up, and vacuum-assisted processes with a consolidated, ready-to-install panel. Applications range from structural to cosmetic in bulkheads, decking, ceilings, hatches, covers, cabinetry, fittings, transoms, and stringers.  

Hammerhead Marine Composite Panels are made from continuous glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic face sheets and polyester foam cores. This configuration provides unique characteristics, such as strong adhesive properties that can improve bonding to various structural materials and to coatings and surface films for increased design flexibility compared to traditional boat building and assembly methods. Resistant to moisture degradation and rot, they can withstand harsh marine conditions. Panels are available in various thicknesses and core densities, customized to specific uses and applications.  

“We developed Hammerhead panels as an alternative to marine plywood and other materials to help boat builders solve a variety of manufacturing challenges, like reducing VOC exposure and improving labor and installation times,” said Mike Mosley, general manager, Advanced Composites at Avient. “We look forward to exhibiting in Tampa and showcasing our unique and innovative products to the IBEX community.”  

In addition to Hammerhead Marine Composite Panels, Avient will highlight Polystrand™ continuous fiber reinforced unidirectional tapes and multi-axial laminates at its IBEX booth 1248 in the Composites Pavilion, October 3-5 in Tampa, Florida.

About Avient

Avient Corporation provides specialized and sustainable material solutions that transform customer challenges into opportunities, bringing new products to life for a better world.

Examples include:   

• Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, enables unmatched levels of performance and protection for end-use applications, including ballistic personal protection, marine and sustainable infrastructure, and outdoor sports  
• Unique technologies that improve the recyclability of products and enable recycled content to be incorporated, thus advancing a more circular economy    
• Light-weighting solutions that replace heavier traditional materials like metal, glass and wood, which can improve fuel efficiency in all modes of transportation and reduce carbon footprint  
• Sustainable infrastructure solutions that increase energy efficiency, renewable energy, natural resource conservation and fiber optic / 5G network accessibility    

Avient is certified ACC Responsible Care®, a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and certified Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit www.avient.com.    

To access Avient’s news library online, please visit www.avient.com/news.    

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Media contact
Nicole DeChant
Avient Corporation
nicole.dechant@avient.com