James Cropper and Carbon Fiber Recycling win CAMX Unsurpassed Innovation Award for UNIMAT™ Aligned Nonwovens

James Cropper Advanced Materials and Carbon Fiber Recycling (CFR) are delighted to announce that UNIMAT™ has won the CAMX 2026 Unsurpassed Innovation Award, recognising breakthrough technologies that advance the composites and advanced materials industry.

The award recognises the companies’ collaboration to create a scalable pathway for transforming recycled carbon fibre into high-value composite reinforcement for demanding applications, helping address one of the composites industry’s key challenges: increasing the use of recycled carbon fibre without compromising performance or manufacturability.

Developed through the collaboration between Carbon Fiber Recycling‘s recycled carbon fibre expertise and James Cropper’s proprietary VECTIS™ fibre alignment technology, UNIMAT™ is a highly aligned discontinuous carbon fibre reinforcement produced from recycled and post-industrial carbon fibre feedstocks. By combining fibre alignment of up to 95% with the conformability of a nonwoven architecture, the technology enables manufacturers to incorporate recycled carbon fibre into performance-driven composite applications while supporting industrial-scale production.

The CAMX Unsurpassed Innovation Award celebrates products and technologies that demonstrate exceptional innovation, commercial viability and industry impact. It highlights breakthroughs with the distinct potential to significantly change market outlooks, open new or emerging markets, or advance the advanced materials and composites industry. The award is widely regarded as one of the composites industry’s most prestigious recognitions.

Tom Sharrock

Head of Sales

“ We're delighted that UNIMAT™ has been recognised with the CAMX Unsurpassed Innovation Award. The award reflects years of work across technical, operational and commercial teams, as well as the value of collaboration across the composite supply chain.

The industry continues to seek new ways to improve material efficiency and increase the use of recycled carbon fibre without compromising performance or manufacturability. The award reinforces the significant potential of aligned nonwoven technologies to help address those challenges. ”

Tom Sharrock

Head of Sales

UNIMAT™ has attracted growing interest across aerospace, automotive, sporting goods and industrial composite markets, where manufacturers are seeking solutions that support both performance and sustainability objectives.

The award was presented during CAMX 2026, North America’s largest composites and advanced materials event, held in Atlanta, Georgia.

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UNIMAT™ Unidirectional Nonwovens

UNIMAT is the range of highly aligned, discontinuous fibre materials created by James Cropper's VECTIS technology. These materials combine directional performance and mechanical integrity with conformability and handling ease. This makes UNIMAT an ideal alternative to UD tapes for demanding composite applications, enabling greater design freedom, manufacturing efficiency, and sustainability.

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