The 2025 Composites Manufacturing Awards honorees will receive their awards during the AeroDef Manufacturing event, April 8 - 10 in Detroit, Michigan.
Jud Hall Composites Manufacturing Award
The J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award honors the late Judge H. Hall (1931-85) for his dedication to making the former Composites Manufacturing Association of SME (CMA/SME) an established group within the composites manufacturing industry, and for his contributions to the development of composites technology. Hall was issued U.S. Patent 3962394 — “Method for molding fiber reinforced composite tube” in June 1976. Previously, he was a member of the technical staff, TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, California, and chair of the former CMA/SME.
The award is presented annually to an individual who has contributed to the composites manufacturing or tooling technology through leadership, technical developments, patents or educational activities. It recognizes excellence in the development or improvement of processes, tooling and applications, as well as achievements in composites research, education and technology transfer. The J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award celebrates innovation in solving issues related to production and applications development, and acknowledges significant contributions that reduce costs and waste streams, and improves quality and efficiency.
Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Awards
In recognition of the valuable contributions within the composites manufacturing industry, SME offers a technical award to acknowledge the valuable roles manufacturers play within the industry.
The award is presented to one small and one large company that has demonstrated "excellence in the field of advanced composites manufacturing." This is an international award, and the competition is open and unrestricted to all companies that manufacture products from advanced composite materials. This annual award recognizes those companies that have demonstrated dedication and ongoing contribution to further advance the design and development of technology used in the manufacturing of advanced composites.
Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award
Established in 2023, SME’s Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award recognizes an individual who has led or actively supported and participated in advancing manufacturing technology into or near production or who has had a significant impact on composite part manufacturing. The award is intended to focus on emerging leaders in Composites Manufacturing with interest in helping others.
This internationally eligible award spans the composites manufacturing industry, including aerospace and automotive component manufacturing, fabrication, layup, curing, automation, and inspection, etc.. We are searching for individuals whose superb technical work holds great promise to shape the next decades and that are interested in contributing to the industrial community. Winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry. As the name suggests, the award recognizes early career achievements that show great promise or that have been implemented or deployed in a commercial/industrial production environment rather than research investigative work.