Composite island

A recent tour of the Isle of Wight hosted by the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership (IWEP) and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) emphasised the extent to which this picturesque island off England's central south coast has become a hub of composites activity. Firms such as Gurit, Vestas Blades, GKN Aerospace and B-N Composites, plus a number of boat builders and marine equipment manufacturers, together constitute an important composites nexus and major pillar of the island's economy. George Marsh went along.