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VCAMM & MAI Carbon sign MoU at JEC Singapore

11 Jul '13

3 min read

In an effort to promote global collaboration in the development of the Carbon Fibre Composite market, The Victorian Centre of Advanced Materials Manufacturing (VCAMM) from Melbourne, Australia and MAI Carbon from Augsburg, Germany signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the JEC Composites Show in Singapore.

The MoU outlines their plans to work together to expand their relationship, as well as explore ways to improve international collaboration to meet the global challenges for the mass production of carbon fibre composites. VCAMM was represented by its CEO, Mr Brad Dunstan while Professor Klaus Drechsler signed on behalf of MAI Carbon.

“MAI Carbon commends Australia, and our new friend VCAMM in particular, for their impressive vision and efforts to develop an Australian Carbon Fibre Composite Precinct to help in playing a role in meeting the global challenge of the mass production of carbon fibre composites ,” said Rainer Kehrle, Managing Director of MAI Carbon.

“MAI Carbon and its members are eager to find ways to collaborate and to match the commitment of VCAMM and it’s partners are showing to the development of a flourishing carbon fibre composite manufacturing industry.”

The MOU between VCAMM and MAI Carbon lays out plans for collaborations and partnerships focused on delivering international collaborations between industry and the research community.

VCAMM and MAI Carbon will work together to provide German and Australian companies with expanded access to information about potential opportunities, create information exchanges focused on how to meet the challenges of the mass production of carbon fibre composites, and support a joint effort to better market available opportunities for their partners across the globe. The partnership will extend to promotional activities such as international joint projects and forums.

“The cooperation between MAI Carbon and VCAMM is an important milestone in the effort to meet the challenges to the industry for the mass production of carbon fibre composites.

We pursued an agreement with MAI Carbon as they are well known as one of the most effective and trusted composite clusters in Europe and we feel that their cluster will add great value to the formation of our sister precinct in Australia.

Our shared vision for creating high value jobs for our respective countries in this rapidly growing industry sector makes collaboration with MAI Carbon easy” said CEO of VCAMM, Brad Dunstan.

“Improving international collaboration and connections is critical to all companies operating in the composite industry” said Professor Drechsler, Chairman of MAI Carbon. “There are many challenges to be met to ensure a wide uptake of carbon fibre composites in mainstream manufacturing and only through establishing a global network can we hope to bring together the critical mass of industry and researchers needed to tackle this challenge head on” he went on to say.

“The MAI Carbon and VCAMM networks are critical pieces of this global jigsaw and I am glad that we have been able to formalize the connection between these organisations here at JEC Singapore today. We look forward to working with VCAMM and their partners on ensuring that our companies and research partners are engaged and active in this process were appropriate”.

Also present at the MoU signing ceremony was the German Deputy Chief of Mission to Singapore Mr. Jens Janik, and the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Philip Green.

VCAMM