What is the Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Award?

In recognition of the valuable contributions within the composites manufacturing industry, the Composites Manufacturing Tech Group, which is part of SME's Plastics, Composites & Coatings Community, developed two technical awards to acknowledge the valuable roles that both large and small manufacturers play within the industry. The awards are given out during SME's annual Composites Manufacturing event.

The awards are presented annually to one large company and one small company that have demonstrated "excellence in the field of advanced composites manufacturing." This is an international award, and the competition is open and unrestricted to all companies that manufacture products from advanced composite materials. These annual awards recognize those companies that have demonstrated dedication and ongoing contribution to further advance the design and development of technology used in the manufacturing of advanced composites.

Each award will showcase those companies that have excelled in manufacturing products made from advanced composite materials. That excellence will include developing an innovative way via tooling and/or manufacturing process techniques, which will help manufacture future products made from these materials; or have shown accelerated growth by providing superior service, quality or cost reduction initiatives. The award recipients will have demonstrated all of the initiatives that have helped advance the overall composite manufacturing industry.

How is the Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Award winner chosen?

The Composites Manufacturing Tech Group members solicit specific information from each nominee. A distinguished panel of judges — manufacturing engineers, CEOs, industry consultants, OEMs and other composites manufacturing professionals — evaluate the nominees based on this information. The judging committee will select the final honorees based on these judgments.

Who are the judges?

The judges are experts within the composites industry, outstanding engineers, technologists and entrepreneurs working in top universities and companies around the world. The list of judges will change each year and is published with the announcement of the award winner.

Does the award winner have to be from the United States?

No. The nominees can come from innovative startups, small established companies, large upper-tier suppliers or OEMs from around the world. We encourage nominations from organizations of all types.

Who should I list as references?

These should be advisors, supervisors, coworkers or colleagues at other institutions who are familiar with the nominee’s work and who are able to describe the work and its importance. These people should be willing and able to complete the nomination form (including all categories) in support of the nominee.

What are you looking for in the nominee description?

This should be a brief, capsule summary of the composite manufacturing contributions for which you believe the nominee deserves recognition, including an explanation of its impact, both within the nominee’s industry and in the wider world in general.