The lightweight nonwovens manufactured by Technical Fibre Products (TFP) will play a key part in enhancing the composite fabrication of the next generation of CCM Hockey sticks.

CCM Hockey, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, is one of the largest ice hockey equipment manufacturers in the world, supplying high quality sticks, skates and other hockey equipment to North America’s National Hockey League (NHL).

Its sporting goods have delivered the necessary performance to help create many NHL champions over the last 80 years. The next generation of CCM sticks, featuring TFP veil, are engineered to deliver industry leading performance and strength.

The lightweight glass veil from TFP’s Optiveil range fulfils a number of functions in the advanced composite structure of the sticks. Primarily used for manufacturing efficiency, it has an even fibre distribution that provides a low-tack surface on the uncured parts and a high quality surface finish after moulding. The high porosity of the veil also minimises microporosity.

These technical benefits are typical of our Optiveil range, which is specifically designed for use in composites. It is widely used as a surfacing veil and when incorporated at the surface of the composite consistently delivers a high quality surface finish with micro crack suppression.

In addition, when incorporated in either the interlaminar or surface regions, the veil serves as a flow media, reducing porosity, part weight and scrap.

The nonwovens of TFP, which is headquartered in Burneside, UK, are used to enhance composite fabrication and performance in a wide range of advanced sporting goods such as bicycle frames, skis and snowboards, tennis racquets, kayak paddles, archery materials and fishing rods.

www.tfpglobal.com