Message from the ACMA President & CEO

Springtime in Washington, D.C., can be quite beautiful. As I write this, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and the city is alive with activity. The historic10-day Artemis II lunar flight splashed down, and its record-breaking journey provided a nice counterbalance to the increasing wariness about the Iran war.  

Recently, I spent a day in Dayton, Ohio, touring ACMA member facilities. The insights I gleaned on this tour are consistent with data from the ACMA 2Q26 Pulse of the Industry Survey and the Lucintel U.S. Composites Monthly Market Insights Report,  both of which are ACMA member benefits.

Concerns about raw material inputs for composite fabricators remain top of mind. Tight inventories of styrene and other resin inputs have been causing price pressures and are worrying manufacturers. Despite this concern, the Pulse of the Industry Survey found the majority of respondents see manufacture inputs in the stable range. There is a trend downward for perceptions of inventory to be the “right amount” for vinyl ester, unsaturated polyester resin, epoxy and glass fiber. For example, perception of product lead time being stable is 68% for glass fiber reinforcements, a decline for the second time since 4Q25 from 85%.

The shifting sands of the economy, supply chain and government policy have made for a challenging year for accurate forecasts. There continue to be bright spots for the those that serve the electrical and data center markets along with construction and infrastructure. Confidence remains high in those sectors.

I asked each company I visited how long they see the data center building boom to continue and heard responses from 5 to 10 years. Although, most opinions are that it is hard to see this market ever going totally cold. It is exciting to see the range of applications for composites in data centers and the emerging trend for direct-to-chip liquid cooling and how that can be an opportunity for our industry. Positive government policies will be critical to keep the momentum in each of these markets.

ACMA will have two events nearly back-to-back to help you get a handle on the latest developments and increase your forecasting certainty – the Thermoplastic Composites Conference, May 19-21, 2026, in San Diego and ACMA’s Composites 2026 Fly-In, June 9-11, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Both events will give you a solid grounding on the latest trends and excellent networking opportunities. Importantly, the Composites Fly-In will provide you with the chance to let Congress and the Administration know what is critical for your business.

Congress is readying to have another reconciliation bill, and the Trump Administration is considering a new round of tariffs under its Section 301 authority to replace the IEEPA tariffs that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. We will end the Fly-In with two tracks on future opportunities for composites in the built environment or defense market. I hope to see you at one or both of these events.