700306Second Generation Structural Composites (SGSC)ClosedGRD Proof of MarketInnovate UKIntegrated Materials Technology Ltd. (IMT) has been involved in research into advanced composite materials since 1983 and possesses leading edge expertise in the areas of engineering/chemistry of new composite materials and their associated manufacturing process technology. Such lightweight composites are vital for many advanced engineering applications, but market growth is being held back by the high cost and low productivity of the manufacturing process. Accordingly, the market, currently dominated by thermoset materials, has a renewed interest in thermoplastic technology, which can potentially deliver significant processing benefits. IMT’s concept concerns new technology for producing aligned-fibre thermoplastic-matrix composites and has the dual aims of 1) achieving a stepwise reduction in manufacturing cost by fully automating the production of semi-finished material and 2) overcoming the shaping problems inherent in aligned continuous-fibre materials, which limit their applicability and increase the cost of parts fabrication. The resulting materials will be suitable for conversion into a wide variety of product forms by continuous fusion processes. This market research project comprises three main elements: 1. A relatively light-touch investigation of the potential uses for the envisaged thermoplastic materials, the processes available for their conversion into conforming parts and their applications in end-user markets. 2. A prioritisation of these markets, based on their potential for generating early revenues. 3. A more in-depth look at three to five of these prioritised markets with early revenue potential, in order to gauge their size, barriers to entry, development time-scales and predicted market trends. This information will be used to prepare an outline strategy for further technical development, raising finance where needed, entering the related markets and projections of their revenue potential.