Major R&D Lab Expansion Enhances New Product Development Efforts

El Monte, California – 25 September 2002

Realizing the importance of R&D as an integral part of a strategy to maintain a technical leadership position in the aerospace industry, the M.C. Gill Corporation, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of advanced composites, consistently reinvests 6% of annual revenues in new product development. As part of this ongoing commitment to Research and Development, the Corporation recently remodeled nearly 10,000 square feet of laboratory space to allow for expansion of an advanced Analytical Lab. This new facility houses the state-of the-art analytical equipment required to expedite product development, optimize processing parameters and ensure the quality of incoming raw materials. The expansion involved the purchase of additional test equipment including mechanical test machines that are fully computer controlled and integrated into the central R&D database. The significant investment in this facility provides chemists with enhanced analytical capabilities. Some of the concepts for future product development currently supported by R&D include: Advanced Resin Formulation – Tougher resin systems for enhanced in-service durability. Faster curing resins for reduced processing time. Ultra Light Weight Honeycomb and Advanced Composite Panels – Offering weight reduction for next generation military and commercial aircraft. Alternative Aramid Honeycomb – A lower cost alternative to traditional aramid materials. Ultra Robust, Next Generation Cargo Floor Panel Design – To address the most severe in-service conditions with particular emphasis on abrasion resistance. Noise Attenuation – Development work sponsored through the Merwyn C. Gill Foundation Composites Center at the University of Southern California. When it comes to M.C. Gill Corporation’s valued customers, the goal is to consistently offer high quality, competitively priced products that provide innovative solutions for the most challenging applications. In doing so, the company often rely on customers’ valuable input, including in-service test evaluations to confirm a products’ durability. With a thorough knowledge of the customers’ exacting specifications, M.C. Gill Corporation has developed hundreds of proprietary designs that, in many cases, became industry standards.