Composite Support & Solutions (CSSI) recently received the Tibbett’s award from the Small Business Administration for a 118-ft communications tower installed by the Air Force at the Hanscom, Mass. Air Force base. The tower reportedly was fabricated by CSSI using Ashland Derakane^™ vinyl ester resin designed for pultrusion. Clement Hiel, Ph.D., founder and president, received the award at a ceremony at the White House on January 10.

The prototype tower created by CSSI was made completely of composite materials. It reportedly used fastener-less joining technology where individual components, such as the lattice cross members, “snapped” together during the assembly process without the need for metallic bolts. CSSI selected Derakane because of its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.

“CSSI’s snap-join approach is an enabling technology for the fabrication of modular composites,” said Joe Fox of Ashland. “There is great interest these days in lightweight, easy-to-assemble, easy-to-disassemble materials, and as such, this award-winning technology should spur widespread interest in the automotive, aerospace, and building and construction industries.”

For more information, visit www.ashland.com.