DEARBORN, Michigan, June 8, 2011 – The Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ Composites Manufacturing Tech Group - part of its Plastics, Composites & Coatings Community - presented the 2011 J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award at SME’s Composites Manufacturing 2011 Conference & Exhibits event held April 12-14, 2011 at the Dayton Convention Center, Dayton, Ohio.

The award recognizes achievement in excellence in the development or improvement of processes, tooling and applications, as well as achievements in composites research, education and technology transfer. It celebrates innovation in solving issues related to production and applications development and acknowledges significant contributions that reduce costs and waste streams and improve quality and efficiency.

This year’s award recipient is John D. Russell, D.Sc., program manager, defense-wide manufacturing science and technology, AFRL/RXMT, Wright Patterson Air Force Base. In his roles as program manager Dr. Russell is responsible for executing an annual portfolio of nearly $20 million to mature cross-cutting defense manufacturing needs and to stimulate early development of manufacturing processes and enterprise business practices concurrent with S&T development.

Also presented at the Composites Manufacturing event was the 2011 Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Awards. This new award is given to one large and one small company who have excelled in manufacturing products made from advanced composite materials. Winners have either developed an innovative way via tooling and/or manufacturing process techniques to help manufacture future products made from these materials, or have shown accelerated growth by providing superior service, quality or cost reduction initiatives that have helped advance the composite manufacturing industry over all.

The 2011 recipients of this award are:

Callaway Golf, Carlsbad, Calif. - Callaway Golf won the award in the large company division in recognition of their “Forged Composites” manufacturing process technique developed for the RAZR Hawk golf driver product line.

Royal Engineered Composites, Minden, Neb. - Royal Engineered Composites received the small company division award in recognition of its dynamic growth and manufacturing capabilities in the composites industry.

About the Composites Manufacturing Tech Group:
The Composites Manufacturing Tech Group provides a forum for members to connect, learn and develop educational resources in composite materials, tooling, processing, post-fabrication, joining and assembly, finishing and composite repair. To learn more, visit www.sme.org/compositesmfg.

About the J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award:
The award is named in honor of the late J.H. “Jud” Hall for his dedication to making the former Composites Manufacturing Association of SME (CMA/SME) an established group within the composites manufacturing industry as well as his contributions to the development of composites technology. For more information, go to www.sme.org/hallaward.

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About SME:
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its many programs, events, magazines, publications and online training division, Tooling U, SME connects manufacturing practitioners to each other, to the latest technologies and to the most up-to-date manufacturing processes. SME has members around the world and is supported by a network of chapters and technical communities. A 501(c)3 organization, SME is a leader in manufacturing workforce development issues, working with industry, academic and government partners to support the current and future skilled workforce.

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Media Contact:
Lori Ann Dick, APR
Society of Manufacturing Engineers
313.425.3187
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