AGY (Aiken, S.C.), a global producer of glass fiber yarns and high-strength glass fiber reinforcements, announced on Nov. 20 that it has increased production capacity of its S-2 Glass fiber products by another 20 percent in response to continued and robust demand for composite armor systems in U.S. military vehicles.

"This increase is in addition to the 50 percent increase we already announced earlier this year following the completion of our new manufacturing facility in Aiken, South Carolina," said Drew Walker, AGY vice president of sales and marketing. "We have already shipped a record amount of S-2 Glass fiber products in 2008, far exceeding previous records set in 2005, 2006 and 2007."

Fueling the demand for S-2 Glass fiber products are programs currently underway to provide U.S. forces in Iraq and, increasingly, in Afghanistan, with armored vehicles that provide state-of-the-art protection against roadside bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and explosively formed projectiles (EFPs). Walker said that S-2 Glass composite armor systems, which have proven highly successful in protecting military vehicles such as the Humvee (High-Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle) and MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected) vehicles, are now being directed into smaller, more agile versions of the MRAP.

AGY offers  S-2 Glass fiber products that are compatible with epoxies, polyesters, vinyl esters, rubber, and many thermoplastic resins.