James Cropper Advanced Materials makes changes to innovation leadership
On June 4, James Cropper Advanced Materials (Schenectady, N.Y., U.S.), a global nonwoven and electrochemical solutions company, announced changes to its innovation leadership. Dr. David Hodgson has commenced a new role as a strategic advisor and Dr. Mandy Clement has been appointed as innovation director.
Dr. Mandy Clement.
Clement, who joins the company’s senior leadership team, will lead the innovation strategy to accelerate the development of sustainable, high-performance materials that challenge convention and enable next-generation composite and energy technologies.
With a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, and more than 17 years at the company, she has extensive knowledge and expertise of James Cropper’s materials and applications and has been instrumental in the development and successful commercialization of both new products and technology platforms.
A distinguished leader in her field, Clement is a chartered chemist and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2020, the Society’s highest level of membership, in recognition of her significant contribution to industrial chemistry and commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists.
“Mandy has a proven ability to connect technical insight with commercial opportunity and has been a driving force in shaping our innovation pipeline and steering our technology strategy,” says Andy Walton, managing director of James Cropper. “Her leadership will be fundamental to advancing our innovation strategy and accelerating growth in key markets.”
In the role of strategic advisor, Dr. David Hodgson will continue to lend his deep industry knowledge and experience to support the company’s evolution in targeted growth segments, complementing the innovation-led approach championed by Clement and the broader leadership team.
Plyable technical leadership appoints to support AI-driven tooling platform scaling
Plyable Ltd. (Oxfordshire, U.K.) has appointed two industry experts: Alan Purves as technical director and Will Goss as engineering sales consultant. This decisive move reinforces Plyable’s leadership team and accelerates its mission to optimize composite tooling procurement with its design manufacturing software.
“We’re not just a composites company; we’re a tech company that happens to operate in the composites space,” states Mark Runciman, CEO of Plyable. “To realize the full potential of that platform, we are investing in technical leadership that can guide customers through complex challenges and ensure the delivery matches the promise.”
Alan Purves, Plyable technical director.
With nearly 30 years of extensive experience across automotive, aerospace, defense, medical and marine applications, Purves is a passionate advocate for sustainable composite production. His career includes leading complex projects at BAE Systems, developing composite armor at Permali, Class A body panel development and manufacturing at Gurit and delivering advanced tooling systems for premium automotive OEMs. As technical director, he will focus on shaping Plyable’s technical strategy, driving advanced customer engagement and ensuring the company’s engineering services are seamlessly integrated with its AI platform.
“My role is to ensure it [Plyable’s AI platform] stays technically robust and precisely tailored to the real needs of engineers and manufacturers,” says Purves.
Bringing more than two decades of commercial and operational leadership in the demanding F1, motorsport and aerospace industries, Goss is renowned for his commitment to client service and building strong relationships. His extensive background includes senior roles at Addev Materials Aerospace, Evtec Superlight and Composite Products Ltd, where he consistently drove business growth, program delivery and operational excellence. As an engineering sales consultant, he will focus on scaling the customer journey, building strategic partnerships and ensuring commercial operations are aligned with the platform’s rapid growth.
Goss notes that his “priority is ensuring every customer interaction reflects the intelligence and efficiency of the platform behind it.”
Sui Generis International appoints sales director
Jonathan Howard, Suis Generis International sales director.
Sui Generis International (Colchester, U.K.), manufacturer of glass fiber- and fiber-reinforced (GFRP, FRP) composite solutions, announced the appointment of Jonathan Howard as its new sales director on June 17. Howard joins the business with more than 8 years of expertise in the composites infrastructure sector and a strong track record of driving strategic growth and sustainable innovation.
Howard’s career to date has been focused on the expansion and adoption of GFRP products across domestic and international markets. His work has consistently centered around developing sector-specific solutions for the rail, construction and wider infrastructure industries — placing composite materials at the heart of low-carbon, future-fit project delivery.
With a commercially astute and technically informed approach, Howard has played a pivotal role in increasing awareness and specification of GFRP as a credible alternative to traditional materials such as steel, concrete and timber. Through close collaboration with contractors, designers and asset owners, he has advanced the use of composites in line with modern performance expectations and ever-tightening sustainability targets.
At Sui Generis, he will lead the sales strategy for the company’s GFRP access, safety and structural systems. He will also work to strengthen the company’s established product lines, including access platforms, anti-slip products, spill containment systems and custom engineered solutions.
“I’m excited to join a business with such a strong manufacturing foundation and reputation for quality,” says Howard. “Sui Generis has a fantastic platform from which to accelerate its role in infrastructure and industrial markets, and I look forward to working with the team to unlock further value for our customers.”
Howard is widely respected in the composites industry for his no-nonsense, collaborative approach to sales and problem-solving. He is also chair of the Composites UK Construction and Infrastructure Group, where he advocates for the broader integration of GFRP in modern construction practices. Through this leadership role and his broader industry involvement, Howard continues to champion the role of composites in supporting decarbonization and improving asset longevity within the built environment.
Hall Spars welcomes general manager
Andre Crawford, Hall Spars general manager.
Hall Spars (Breskens, Netherlands), a carbon fiber spar manufacturer for more than 40 years, announces the appointment of Andre Crawford as its new general manager, effective June 23, 2025.
A seasoned engineer and production leader, Crawford brings nearly two decades of hands-on experience in advanced composites, manufacturing process improvement and team leadership. He began his career as a design engineer at Southern Spars. Now, he returns to the North Technology Group (NTG) to lead Southern Spars’ sister company, Hall Spars.
“His engineering background, operational insight and passion for quality align perfectly with Hall Spars’ values and our vision for the brand,” says NTG Mast Group president James Austin.
Crawford’s resume includes senior roles in mast and rig production as well as management experience at the UK Ministry of Defence. He has led teams in both R&D and production settings, with a sharp focus on quality control, process efficiency and composites manufacturing.
With Hall Spars’ mandrel-molding process and aerospace-grade carbon curing autoclave now under his leadership, Crawford’s appointment strengthens Hall Spars’ position as a technical expert for clients seeking the balance between performance, ease of use and on-board comfort.
“An innovator in composite rigs, Hall Spars is a brand which deservedly has a lot of prestige attached to it,” Crawford says. “I’m excited to lead a team so committed to excellence, and to help support sailors of all kinds — from cruisers, to racers, to somewhere in between.”
Carbitex brings on VP of U.S. sales
Carbitex (Kennewick, Wash., U.S.) has appointed Jen Hanna to the newly created role of VP of sales for the U.S. market.
Hanna brings more than 12 years of experience in advanced materials and textile innovation, most recently as the director of Innegra sales at Quantum Materials LLC, and previously as president at Innegra Technologies. Her path into materials innovation began with her background in sports — as a former LPGA professional golfer and NCAA Division I golf coach — combined with her degree in health and exercise science from Furman University. This athletic foundation sparked her curiosity about product development and performance optimization through materials innovation.
Jen Hanna, Carbitex VP of sales.
“Jen has the rare, firsthand experience in successfully bringing new advanced materials to market,” says Junus Khan, president and founder of Carbitex. “It’s a challenge that demands curiosity, deep understanding and drive. I’m honored and excited to have her join Carbitex as we continue accelerating our growth.”
based in Greer, South Carolina, Hanna will lead U.S. sales and brand partner relations, joining global VP of sales Filippo Sarto to drive Carbitex’s continued expansion.
“Joining Carbitex is an opportunity to pursue everything I love — sports, competition, technology and the relentless pursuit of performance through innovation,” says Hanna. “The way materials can optimize performance — especially in sports — is something I’ve always been fascinated by.”
In her entrepreneurial pursuits outside of materials innovation, Hanna owns two locations of luxury dog boarding facilities and founded a nonprofit dog rescue organization that trains therapy dogs.
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