Utah-based advanced composite materials manufacturer providing aerospace-grade materials for elite athletes
Utah's advanced technology ecosystem is combining aerospace, composite materials with elite sports in preparation for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Salt Lake City, October 28 (Reuters) / PRNewswire / -- 47G, USA Bobsled, Skeleton ( USABS ), Albany Engineered Composites, Hexcel, and Nammo Composite Solutions today announced the establishment of new partnerships to bring together advanced capabilities in materials, engineering, and manufacturing in order to support the development of the next generation of nose cones for American sleds. This collaboration was announced during the 47G annual Zero Gravity Summit event, which is part of Salt Lake City's Hard Tech Week.
This collaboration brings together athletes, engineers, manufacturers, and innovators to explore how technologies developed for some of the most demanding applications in the world can be applied to elite sports. It also demonstrates the depth of Utah’s hard-tech ecosystem, connecting companies with expertise in aerospace, advanced materials, manufacturing, and defense with athletes preparing for the world’s largest stage: the 2034 Winter Olympics.
"Such cooperation serves as a good reminder to us that innovation can come from unexpected places," said Lyndon Smith, President of Americas and Global Fibers at Albany Engineered Composites. "The advanced materials and technical expertise that support aerospace and defense can also open up new possibilities for elite sports. We are delighted to collaborate with USA Bobsled / Skeleton and our industry partners to see what we can achieve together."
At the core of this collaboration is the application of advanced composite materials technology to one of the sports that relies heavily on equipment. For USABS athletes, performance is often measured in hundredths of a second; therefore, the weight, strength, aerodynamics, and design of the bobsleigh are all key factors on the track. As part of this partnership, Albany will collaborate with USABS to manufacture the next generation of composite material bobsleighs to support American bobsleigh and luge athletes. Hexcel will provide expertise in advanced composite materials, while Nammo Composite Solutions will produce carbon fiber fairings for the team's two-person bobsleighs.
The technology that supports this collaboration is not limited to bobsleigh tracks alone. Advanced composite materials, with their high strength, durability, and lightweight properties, have become important materials for modern aerospace and defense applications, including aircraft, missiles, and unmanned systems. Albany, Hexcel, and Nammo have decades of experience in designing and manufacturing composite parts for some of the most demanding environments around the world, while the collaboration with USABS provides an opportunity to apply this expertise to elite sports. These companies, headquartered in Utah, are bringing their expertise in advanced materials and manufacturing from the aerospace and defense sectors into the development of high-performance bobsleigh technology.
"Advanced composite materials technology has driven transformation in the aerospace industry by helping engineers design components that are strong, lightweight, and capable of operating in some of the most demanding environments," said Jeff Daniel, Vice President of Business at Albany Engineered Composites. "Bringing this expertise to the bobsleigh project is an exciting opportunity to apply the experience we've gained in the aerospace field to completely different performance challenges. We are proud to collaborate with USA Bobsled / Skeleton to develop technologies that will support American bobsleigh and luge athletes on their journey towards 2034 and beyond."
At the time of this collaboration, Utah is preparing to host the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. USABS Athletes have already been training and competing at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, which has established a natural connection between the state's technological ecosystem and future bobsleigh competitions on its own snow tracks. For 47G, this collaboration represents an opportunity to prove that Utah's Olympic legacy can extend beyond just hosting world-class events. With advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, research, and technology companies throughout the state, Utah has formed an ecosystem that can bring together expertise from various industries.
“It took Utah decades to build an ecosystem where advanced manufacturing, aerospace, research, and entrepreneurship intersect,” said Aaron Starks, President and CEO of 47G. “Looking ahead to 2034, we not only have the opportunity to host some of the world’s best athletes, but also to showcase the technologies, companies, and talents that are shaping the future of performance and innovation.”
The collaboration was announced on October 28th at the 47G annual Zero Gravity Summit event held in Salt Lake City Salt Palace. The event is part of the Hard Tech Week initiative. As USA Bobsled / Skeleton athletes prepare for the 2034 Winter Olympics to be held locally, aerospace and advanced manufacturing expertise are finding new testing grounds on the bobsleigh tracks.
About 47G
47G is the fastest-growing deep tech, aerospace, and defense company organization in the United States. 47G represents over 230 members who are working together to build a nationally recognized ecosystem to accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation technologies. Want to learn more? Please visit 47G. org, follow their LinkedIn and X, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Regarding USA Bobsled / Skeleton
The USABS is the national governing body for bobsleigh and luge in the United States. The USABS promotes and develops these sports by recruiting, training, and supporting athletes from the moment they first come into contact with bobsleigh and luge until they compete in international top-tier events.
About Albany Engineered Composites
Albany Engineered Composites is a business unit of Albany International Corp (New York Stock Exchange ticker: AIN), which designs and manufactures advanced engineering composite components for commercial and military aircraft, missiles, as well as drones. Albany Engineered Composites combines advanced materials, engineering, and manufacturing expertise to develop solutions for some of the world's most demanding applications.
About Hexcel
Hexcel Corporation is a global leader in the field of advanced lightweight composite materials technology. The company provides innovative and high-performance material solutions that are lighter, stronger, and more resilient, shaping a world that can go further, be more intelligent, and more efficient. Its extensive and unparalleled product portfolio includes carbon fiber, special reinforced materials, prepregs, and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, honeycomb materials, resins, engineering core materials, and composite structures, which are applied in commercial aviation, defense and aerospace, as well as industrial fields.
About Nammo
Nammo Composite Solutions ( NCS ) is affiliated with Nammo, which is an international aerospace and defense company headquartered in Raufoss in Norway. Nammo employs over 4,000 people, has 27 production bases, and operates in 12 allied countries. It is one of the global leaders in the supply of special ammunition, shoulder-fired systems, and rocket engines. NCS applies the same manufacturing discipline to advanced composite material structures in the aerospace and defense sectors.
