Celebrating Women in Science: Advancing the Next Chapter of Composite Materials

At James Cropper Advanced Materials, innovation isn’t a single moment, it’s a journey shaped by curiosity, collaboration, and a deep understanding of fibre and materials science.

The Next Chapter of Advanced Materials. Built Together.

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDGWS), we celebrate the women whose scientific and technical contributions have been central to creating a new capability for the composites industry. Their work embodies this year’s theme, “Unpacking STEM Careers: Her Voice in Science,” demonstrating how women’s perspectives, leadership and problem‑solving are advancing the next generation of materials technology.

Our new technology platform has drawn on decades of nonwovens knowledge and experience, developed through close collaboration across innovation, technology, materials science and commercial teams. This has been a truly cross‑functional effort, with many colleagues across the business playing a vital role.

A Team Built on Expertise

As part of that wider programme of work, and in recognition of IDWGS, we are proud to highlight some of the women who contributed at different stages of development:

Mandy Clement, Innovation Director
Emma Matthews, C‑NPD Lead
Charlotte Scott‑Parker, C‑NPD Scientist
Lauren Wolstencroft, Head of Marketing
Kelly Bell, Compliance Lead
Martha Anderson‑Taylor, C‑NPD Scientist

Together, they guided the process from early‑stage research through to industrial validation, translating advanced material science into a scalable solution for composite manufacturers.

From Insight to Industrial Reality

The team’s work has centred on taking established strengths in advanced nonwovens and reimagining them for composite applications, a process requiring scientific rigour, iterative testing and close integration with manufacturing requirements.

Emma Matthews

C-NPD Lead

“ This work has been about taking what we know from years of nonwovens expertise and applying it in a new way. Developing a new capability means building confidence at every stage, from lab experiments and material characterisation through to scalable processes that work in an industrial setting. Seeing that progression, and knowing it creates real value for composite manufacturers, is very rewarding.”

What began with lab-scale experimentation has grown into a fully validated platform, shaped through continuous refinement and collaboration across technical, operational and innovation teams. ”

Emma Matthews

C-NPD Lead

James Cropper has been pioneering fibre and materials science for more than 180 years. This new platform extends that heritage, transforming long‑established expertise into a technology designed specifically for the future of composites.

Building on 180 Years of Science

The project also reflects the broader purpose of IDWGS: showcasing the impact women make across STEM. The blend of scientific depth, technical skill and strategic leadership within the team has directly influenced this capability’s development, demonstrating the power of “her voice in science.”

BE THE FIRST TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT

A New Capability – Coming Soon

Our new platform technology for the composites sector will launch later this month — a capability built from science, shaped through collaboration and validated at industrial scale.
Join us at JEC World, 10–12 March, in Hall 5 N40 for the full reveal.
And don’t miss Innovation Director Dr Mandy Clement in conversation with Dale Brosius on 12 March at 10:30, as they explore what it really takes to scale recycled carbon fibre (rCF) into high‑performance composite applications.

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