August 14, 2017 (Arlington, Va.) – On Friday, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) had the opportunity to learn more about the process of creating fiberglass products during a tour of Smithfield, R.I.-based Fiberglass Fabricators, a longstanding member of the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA).
Fiberglass Fabricators manufactures a wide variety of water and wastewater treatment products. ACMA facilitated a tour of the company’s facility so Sen. Whitehouse could see these products in person and learn more about the company’s daily operations and challenges. All across America, ACMA is helping set up tours like these to expose more members of Congress to the benefits of composites and allow leaders at these companies to gain valuable time with their elected officials.
“Plant tours help build a group of educated Members of Congress who understand the challenges facing composites manufacturer. In turn, those Members of Congress can then be a group of champions for the industry on Capitol Hill,” said Tom Dobbins, ACMA President.
The tour came just weeks after Sen. Whitehouse, along with Rhode Island senator Jack Reed, Congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin announced a $125,000 federal grant awarded to Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) and the town of Bristol, R.I., to develop a composites industry cluster that is expected to support job creation and economic growth in the state. The state is home to the nation’s first offshore wind farm, which incorporates fiberglass in wind turbine blades to power the operation.
“Rhode Island’s composites industry is leading the way in manufacturing light, durable products,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “I was pleased to have a representative of the American Composites Manufacturers Association here to see firsthand the innovative products being made at Fiberglass Fabricators in Smithfield. Our local composites cluster is well-suited to meet changing industry demands and to continue growing.”
Sen. Whitehouse has been a strong advocate for the composites industry for years. Last year, he wrote a provision for the Water Resources Development Act directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the performance of composites and other innovative materials in water resources projects. The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) worked with members of both chambers to ensure the inclusion of that language was included in the final version of the legislation.
For more information on setting up a plant tour with your member of Congress, contact Brooke Wickham at bwickham@acmanet.org.
