Formula 1 showcase car demonstrates future materials, manufacturing capabilities
JEC World 2025: SHD Composite Materials and KS Composites are exhibiting the collaboratively developed Sustainability Showcase Car, highlighting a commitment to low environmental impact composite solutions.
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Source | KS Composites/SHD Composite Materials
SHD Composite Materials (SHD, Sleaford, U.K.) is highlighting the company’s increasing global scale and enhanced portfolio of low-impact prepreg solutions.
On display at SHD’s booth is the collaborative “Sustainability Showcase Car,” developed and manufactured together with KS Composites (Leicestershire, U.K.). Simulating a Formula 1 car, it highlights 10 individual advanced material solutions in order to demonstrate how prepregs can be tailored to deliver high-performance with reduced environmental impact, featuring everything from recycled and natural fiber architectures to healable resin formulations.
Sustainability is at the heart of both company’s strategies. SHD’s commitment — demonstrated via its ever-growing range of bio-based resins, extended out-life chemistry, and recycled and natural fibers — is to ensure it considers the environmental impact associated with all activities and take action to mitigate and reduce this impact.
SHD’s expanding bio-product range have been used across the Showcase Car, for example. MTB350, a novel 30% bio-based epoxy, delivers a versatile component system with good baseline mechanical properties. Optimized for natural fiber reinforcements like flax, SHD says it provides improved handling and improved wet-out during manufacturing. An out-life of at least 6 months at 20˚C eliminates the need for frozen storage and shipping, further reducing its carbon footprint.
Another system is PS200. Almost 100% bio-based, it is derived from food waste byproducts. It offers resistance to extreme heat, making it well suited for use in battery boxes designed to contain thermal runaway events. SHD has conducted a comprehensive cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment to fully understand the material’s carbon footprint, from raw material sourcing to dispatched product.
This year also marks SHD and KS Composites’ 15th and 40th anniversaries, respectively.
Visit SHD and KS at Booth H52 in Hall 5.
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