Tougher than Nails

by Brett Filby on 14 Sep 2006 In February 2005, the young British yachting sensation Ellen MacArthur crossed the line in the Aussie manufactured 75 foot Trimaran B & Q Castorama, slashing over a day and half off the record for the fastest solo journey around the world.

It was an amazing achievement in itself, being able to complete a circumnavigation solo, but even more impressive was the speed maintained that allowed her to eclipse the previous around the world record. The success of this solo challenge hinged on the ability to maintain the incredible balance of speed and safety.

The successful boat design needed equally outstanding construction technology.

An Australian company, Brisbane based ATL Composites supplied all the structural components for this sensational 75-foot trimaran which was built at Boatspeed Performance Sailcraft at Somersby on the NSW Central Coast.

Arnie Duckworth, the pioneer of ATL Composites, originally worked with the Gougeon Brothers' building ice boats in the USA. They promoted their WEST SYSTEM® Brand epoxy to other builders and to customers who wanted to use the epoxy for building and repairing their own boats.

As ATL Composites company director Lorraine Duckworth explains, 'In 1974 he (Arnie Duckworth) moved to New Zealand and discovered that there was a large boat building business happening down under.’

She adds, ‘they were using epoxy resins in New Zealand but Arnie didn’t feel that the resins were as good as WEST SYSTEM®.

‘He contacted the Gougeon's in the USA to request a manufacturing license to make WEST SYSTEM® locally. With their support he started ATL in 1977. Twelve months later he took on a business partner, Chris Timms, an industrial chemist and a very competitive Tornado sailor, who later went on to win a Gold medal in the LA Olympics in that class.

‘So they began manufacturing WEST SYSTEM® brand locally and quickly overtook the local epoxy market. There were so many boat builders in Auckland that business just grew rapidly.‘

‘At the time New Zealand was becoming a world leader in the boat building technology. The next logical step of course was to expand over the Tasman and open an office in Sydney.’

Lorraine explains, ‘we opened in Brookvale in Sydney in 1980. Initially that was primarily in WEST SYSTEM® and that was in the days when John McConaghy built wooden boats, so they were big customers of ours. Then business grew in Australia. Arnie moved over here and was managing the Australian company. Chris stayed in New Zealand and was managing the New Zealand company.

'Then we developed DuraKore strip planking and Duflex composite panels and that was all through 1980 and 1990s.

‘A lot of fun projects. For example there was a very fast racing boat called Buckle Up, and a little racing trimaran called Riverside Oaks. They were all built with DuraKore.

The success of all the epoxy products meant the naturally, obvious next step was to begin actual manufacture here in Australia.

Lorraine continues; ‘in 1989 we decided we wanted to formulate it here to reduce costs at all levels. We looked at trying to get a facility big enough to do that in the Brookvale region, but they were all too expensive and so we looked at what other state would have good potential for growth and that was Queensland, so we moved.

‘Since moving the company, it has continued to grow and build an excellent relationship with the majority of leading boat builders in Australia. A major component of the boat manufacturing industry, like most others, is labour and materials cost and we can make a major impact on this area.‘

ATL has been able to address many aspects that affect this area.

As Lorraine explains, 'DuFLEX has been a great product for us. It is time and materials saving, they don’t have any wastage.

‘The weight of the panel is guaranteed. It is more controlled. Easier for manufacturers to quote because they know exactly how much it is going to cost. Through the years we have constantly updated the formulation for all the resins and we are continually developing different epoxies. Toughened epoxies, products you can use with a high temperature cure, now all commonplace in the high tech marine industry.’

Over the years, as the boating industry has become more advanced, the boat builders have continued to ask for more higher performance products, which is just fine for ATL Composites.

The demand for epoxy panels is not unique to the marine industry, with ATL composite structures now common in other construction and manufacturing areas.

The automotive industry has become a major user of ATL composite products, with local bus, truck, train and motor-home manufactures all now discovering the advantages of using a very light, particularly strong structure, that is 'tougher than nails'.

The Performance car racing industry, is a major idustry sector that understands the benefits of composites. ATL has supplied resins and structures for use by Dick Johnson’s V8 Super Car Racing Team, for body kits and other components.

The export future looks very bright for this company with their long-standing involvement in the Southeast Asia region continuing to expand.
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ATL Composites Pty Ltd

PO Box 2349
Southport Qld 4215 Australia

t: (+61) 07 5563 1222
f: (+61) 07 5563 1585

e: lorraine@atlcomposites.com
www.atlcomposites.com
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WEST SYSTEM, KINETIX, Techniglue,
Duratec, DuraKore, DuFLEX, Airtech,
Baltek, Airex, Corecell