Composites Weekly

On this episode, Harrison Langley, CEO of MDLR Brands, joins the podcast to discuss their core technology: LiteSIP®, a proprietary, ultra-lightweight panel system made from fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) skins bonded to high-performance foam cores.

Their panels deliver unmatched strength, insulation, and resilience, outperforming traditional SIPs, wood framing, and metal panels.

You can learn more at https://www.litesip.com.

IACMI CEO Chad Duty joins the podcast to discuss their big event next week in Dayton, OH. The IACMI Members Meeting will celebrate a decade of innovation and a future of impact as it brings together top leaders in composites, manufacturing, and workforce development.

Attendees will dive into groundbreaking research, discover the latest DOE-funded technical projects, and see how IACMI workforce programs are scaling up to meet industry needs.

You can learn more by visiting https://iacmi.org/event/2025-members-meeting.

Dan Neumann joins the podcast to discuss last week's Composites Fly-In in Washington DC. This event provided a unique setting for members of our industry to meet with Members of Congress and agency leadership and educate them on the capabilities of composite materials.

On this episode, Justin Hamilton of Hexcel will share some of the latest news regarding their partnership with JetZero to qualify composite materials for a new "all-wing" design aircraft demonstrator. They are advancing this partnership through the FAA's Fueling Aviation's Sustainable Transition (FAST) program, qualifying composite materials for JetZero's all-wing design aircraft development program.

The Z4 is the world's first all-wing design commercial airplane. This design produces greater lift and reduces drag, resulting in up to 50% better fuel efficiency than comparably sized tube & wing aircraft.

This week, Mark Stiving joins us on the podcast. Mark is the author of the recent book Selling Value: How to Win More Deals at Higher Prices.

In the last 25 years, Mark has consulted, trained and/or coached hundreds of companies, including Cisco, Procter and Gamble, Grimes Aerospace, Splunk, and Crowdstrike. Today, he works regularly with PE firms, helping their portfolio companies increase profits and drive valuation by learning how to price, package, communicate, and sell value.

Mark's passion is teaching the power of pricing. He evangelizes pricing at major conferences and has conducted over 400 days of corporate training around the globe. Mark's Price class maintains a net promoter score (NPS) of 81, higher than Apple's. His podcast, Impact Pricing, maintains a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts.

You can learn more about him by visiting https://impactpricing.com/markstiving.

On this episode, Kyle Jordan and Steve Kane join the podcast to discuss some updates on SpaceTEC® Partners' new Florida training facility and its role in preparing the next generation of composite technicians. Kyle is the director of certifications for the ACMA and Steve is the executive director of SpaceTEC® Partners.

SpaceTEC® Partners offers Aerospace, Aviation, and Advanced Manufacturing skills validation for the U.S. defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing sectors, certifying technicians employed in civil, defense, and commercial organizations worldwide.

You can learn more by visiting https://spacetec.us.

On this episode, Professor Shu Yang and Alicia Ng of the University of Pennsylvania join me on the podcast to discuss their latest research work. Their team has successfully developed a cutting-edge method to 3D print cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs), opening the door to dynamic, color-changing materials that can respond to mechanical stress.

This work paves the way for groundbreaking applications in smart sensing, displays, and robotics. At the heart of this advancement are CLCEs – soft, rubbery materials capable of changing color when subjected to mechanical stress.

Shu Yang is a materials scientist and Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Alicia Ng is a Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and is the lead author of this study.

You can learn more by visiting https://shuyang.seas.upenn.edu.

On this episode, Dr. Davood Askari joins the podcast. Davood, an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Wichita State University, leads a research team that has created a breakthrough nanocomposite material. Engineered to significantly enhance the strength, durability, multifunctionality, and performance of lightweight structures, this innovation has broad applications across industries.

Their patent-pending technology offers a scalable solution to one of the most persistent challenges in composite design: strengthening weak interlaminar bonds.

On this epiosde, Patrick Egan joins me on the podcast. Patrick is a drone expert with over 25 years of experience in unmanned aircraft and systems, including data collection, safety, RDT&E operations, and systems training course development.

We'll be discussing some recent news of Cummings Aerospace's new 3D printed, Hellhound S3 turbojet-powered kamikaze drone, which is said to fly faster than 375 mph.

On this episode, John Kehoe of Boaz Partners joins the podcast to talk about their specialized approach to finding qualified candidates for their clients.

Boaz Partners is an executive recruitment firm providing companies in the composites and advanced materials industry with custom recruiting solutions.

Their partners and consultants have extensive experience working in a broad array of functional areas and have also developed unique expertise in recruiting for these types of firms and roles.