WebCore has continuously improved tycor – its signature product - since it debuted in 2005.

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WebCore Technologies made its mark in 2005 when it introduced TYCOR fiber reinforced cores (FRC) – a high-performance composite core material that provides sandwich structural solutions for the wind energy, transportation, marine, industrial, infrastructure and defense markets. Four years later, the company still is the leading manufacturer of this type of product because it has implemented efficient manufacturing processes to make it better and reduce cost, Vice President of Business Development Dr. Rob Banerjee says.   

Along with a better manufacturing process, the Miamisburg, Ohio, company began to design and produce TYCOR for the wind power generation industry last year. The material is used for wind turbine blades, he explains. “We have several improvements in the making now that are even more cost-effective,” he adds.    

WebCore was founded in 1991 to develop a low-cost, high-strength core material that centered on their patented fiber reinforced core (FRC) technology. TYCOR is the company’s main line of products which include several standard and custom designed products.    

The product initially was used for large building roof structures and more recently for composite bridge decks, rail cars, truck bodies, military shelters and ship structures, he says.    

The company decided to enter the wind industry in 2006 because of the growing market, Banerjee explains. That growth is led by the U.S. Department of Energy, whose goal is to have 20 percent of the nation’s energy be wind-powered by 2030. “Last year, 45 percent of new energy came from wind, so we think wind energy is going to experience robust growth,” he says. “With the new administration’s pro-wind policies, we feel very good about the future,” he adds.   

WebCore exhibited at the 2008 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition in Houston and will again exhibit in this year’s conference in Chicago.    

“It is where we expect to meet with our current and prospective customers and new suppliers and policymakers,” he says. “It’s definitely a major event in the wind industry and a great way to stay in touch with the market trends. Keeping in touch with the customers and suppliers is very important.”

Innovative Culture
WebCore has worked with research laboratories such as the Air Force Research Lab in the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “WebCore’s [FRC] technology was privately developed and received validation through the Air Force, NASA and Navy funding under the Small Business Innovation Research program,” the company says.   

“With the founding principle of developing a highly engineered core material from readily available, low-cost commodity products, WebCore has established itself as the leading supplier of fiber-reinforced core materials in the composites market by providing a valuable solution,” it continues.   

WebCore has built the company based on a culture of innovation, Banerjee says. “Our primary competition is balsa wood, which is imported mainly from Ecuador,” he says. “Our product is highly engineered and enable the blade manufacturers to save weight and cost while ensuring a reliable supply of core materials.”   

The DOE and the state of Ohio have recognized the company for its innovation, he adds. The state recently awarded WebCore with the Advanced Energy Program Grant – a $1 million grant to be used to improve product and manufacturing processes for the next generation products for the wind energy market. The grant funding will be used to qualify TYCOR for new blade applications, obtain GL certification and add manufacturing capacity.   

Quality is also important to WebCore and it plans to demonstrate that by becoming ISO certified in 2009, Banerjee adds. “We have a dedicated quality team and a good quality system, but we want to get formal certification,” he says. “In wind industry, we need to produce high-quality products, so the certification is very important.”

Maintaining A Strong Team
WebCore grew rapidly last year, Banerjee says. “We had planned to grow even larger this year, but the recent economic downturn forced us to scale back our growth,” he says. “We had to lay off some people in the first quarter, however, we have continued our product development and sales momentum. We expect to be near 2008 level at the end this year, which is not so bad given the general state of the economy, and we hope to start growing again in 2010.”   

The company is focused on being a reliable supplier, and the key to that is maintaining strong design, engineering and manufacturing teams. “We have a strong team that works hand-in-hand with our customers and suppliers to optimize our products and bring the best value to our customers,” he says. “We have to be very creative and innovative.”  

WebCore has 30 employees, and the company describes its workforce as “highly resourceful, innovative professionals with significant knowledge and experience.”   

Banerjee stresses that its work force is the company’s most valuable resource. “They feel a sense of pride working here,” he says. “We are giving our employees and stakeholders something to feel good about. It’s more than a job; we are contributing to the economic development of the community and help protect the environment.   

“We have a management team that has complementary talents in business management, manufacturing, sales and business development, engineering and innovation,” he continues. “We have maintained that team for a long time. We have a low turnover rate because employees feel good about working at WebCore.