Hexcel Corporation has announced the successful transition of its winter sports industry production to the new HexPly Nature bio-derived product range. This significant move includes the full conversion of HexPly M78.1-LT prepregs to the more sustainable HexPly Nature version, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and innovation.

Since the early 1970s, when it manufactured the first composite skis at industrial scale, Hexcel has been a trusted partner to the winter sports industry. Hexcel supplies a comprehensive portfolio of products, including HexPly prepregs, Polyspeed laminates, and Modipur polyurethanes, to industry leaders such as Elan, Fischer, Kästle, Stöckli, Tecnica Group (Blizzard and Nordica brands), and Völkl.

A member of The Winter Sports Sustainability Network (WSN), Hexcel has long been at the forefront of environmental sustainability efforts in the industry. HexPly Nature Range is the result of a multi-year development initiative, during which Hexcel collaborated closely with its customers to ensure the new bio-derived prepregs met the rigorous OEM qualification and production standards while maintaining exceptional performance on the slopes, the company said in a press release.

“At Tecnica Group, we pride ourselves on delivering high-performance skis that meet the rigorous demands of our customers and the environment,” said Alberto Zanatta, chairman of Tecnica Group. “Partnering with Hexcel to incorporate its Nature range of bio-derived prepregs into our series production process has been seamless. Hexcel’s advanced composite technology and commitment to sustainability have enabled us to transition smoothly without compromising the performance or consistency of our skis in series production and out on the mountain. This choice is perfectly compliant to the Action Plan for carbon footprint reduction and products’ circularity the Group is taking towards a more sustainable future.”

The HexPly Nature Range version of M78.1-LT prepreg offers the same high quality and consistency as its predecessor, as well as rapid curing, robust handling, and outstanding adhesion to aluminum, wood, and thermoplastics. Hexcel provides a variety of HexPly M78.1 standard products, from lightweight fleeces for bonding to heavier weight glass fiber reinforcements, tailored to ensure an excellent cost/performance ratio. Additionally, Hexcel has developed superior carbon fibre-based prepregs for high-performance ski applications.