Russian prepregs could supplant imports, shipbuilders believe

Products by Prepreg-SKM, a Russian company, can successfully compete with imports, specialists at Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in Northwest Russia concluded following a series of rigorous tests, Composite Holding Co., the parent firm for Prepreg-SKM.

Prepreg-SKM focuses on carbon and glass fiber based technical fabrics and prepregs, and is believed to be able to supply more than $6m worth of polymer composites currently imported into Russia each year.

At Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard, they conducted comparative tests for products by Finland’s Ahlstrom and Russia’s Prepreg-SKM. New composite materials based on Prepreg’s carbon fiber fabrics were also tested. According to Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard CEO Vladimir Seredokho, the Russian products “showed very good results.”

Currently, ship hulls the Russian shipyard produces “are made from imported materials to a great extent.”