News

“It all started in a small garage with some friends who wanted to build lighter and better skis.” – Sounds cliché but this really was the beginning of Bcomp. The real birth of Bcomp as a young startup happened in 2011 in Fribourg though. Venturelab and Innosuisse provided Bcomp with the most valuable support tools for the company’s early-stage phase and the foundation was quickly followed by a win at the IMD Startup Competition. This first year already set the tone for the action-packed decade that was to follow. Early years Within the first year of Bcomp’s foundation ampliTex™ natural fibre reinforcements and the lightweight, high-performance core material for skis and snowboards – the bCores™ – were officially launched. The revolutionary and patented powerRibs™ technology was launched shortly after in 2013 and these three technologies still form the core of Bcomp’s sustainable lightweighting solutions to this date. The first five years of Bcomp were dominated by extensive research and development efforts. Year after year the team gained more knowledge and expertise of the complex natural fibre materials and applied these findings to our technologies. bCores™ were hitting the snowsports market with perfect timing for the rise of the freeride and freetouring wave and many of the big names in skiing launched lightweight high-performance freeride skis with bCores™ inside. 2016 marked a special point as more than 30 different brands presented skis with bCores™ at the annual ISPO in Munich in the year of Bcomp’s 5th birthday. This special year was topped off with Bcomp winning the 2016 Swiss Economic Award at the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF). A journey of collaboration From the very beginning, Bcomp put an emphasis on company culture and the humans that make everything happen. The team consists of dedicated and passionate individuals from different backgrounds, nationalities, and ages, sharing the drive to create better technologies for a cleaner future. The company’s motto – play naturally smart – is not just a phrase but something which people at Bcomp actively live from day to day. The whole team at Bcomp values their freedom, leisure, sports, and hobbies as well as family time, and having fun plays a crucial role in the creativity and performance of every team member. Everyone at Bcomp shares the goal to play a role in the ongoing revolution towards cleaner mobility and we put all our efforts, passion, and energy into creating high performance solutions from sustainable materials. Bringing the latest innovations to the market requires a smart approach. This is why from the very beginning we have worked closely with leading universities, research institutes and laboratories. Going even further, we have always sought out collaborations with our suppliers and customers and built long lasting and very deep relationships that are based on a set of shared values and trust. Upping the pace The second half of Bcomp’s lifetime started with a bang in the form of entering the motorsport market. Partnerships and collaborations with the Electric GT racing series for bodyworks, Automobiles Gillet for their Vertigo that participated in 2018’s Pikes Peak race and with DAB Motors for their unique “ALTER” Yamaha Yard Built project bike set the pace and were early signs of the momentum that Bcomp was about to pick up. With more than 12 customer development projects together with automotive OEMs, 2018 marked yet another milestone in Bcomp’s journey to shaping the future of mobility. Winning the JEC Innovation Award for Future of Composites in Transportation together with Persico Automotive as well as the Don Burgoon Most Innovative New Motorsport Product 2018 at the World Motorsport Symposium showed the growing team at Bcomp once more that they were on the right track. Sustainable lightweighting in many forms By 2019 hundreds of cars were racing with ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ natural fibre bodywork in 16 racing series worldwide and together with Porsche Motorsport, Bcomp was a finalist for another JEC Innovation Award with natural fibre bodywork parts made in small series production. In the framework of the European Space Agency’s Clean Space program the world’s first natural fibre reinforced satellite panel was developed by Bcomp and ESA while ampliTex™ flax fibre reinforcements also started to enter the marine industry – beautifully showcased in the form of the stunning Flax 27 made by Greenboats. 2020 continued to demonstrate the versatility of Bcomp’s sustainable lightweighting technologies with the inauguration of a record-breaking bio-composite bridge near Ritsumasyl in the Netherlands. After becoming a member of the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions in 2019, ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ technologies became part of Solar Impulse’s 1000 Solutions in 2020. Start of a new chapter The partnership with electric performance car brand Polestar announced in early 2020 marked the start of a new chapter for sustainable interior panels for large scale automotive. Natural fibres are also continuing their penetration of the sports-, motorsports- and marine sectors. McLaren Racing’s natural fibre F1 seat, Porsche’s full natural fibre body kit on the Cayman 718 GT4 CS MR and Baltic Yacht’s Café Racer 68 are all prime examples of how far Bcomp has come in the last 10 years. With all this, it is only fitting that after these successful years Bcomp just renewed and reinforced its commitment to the location in Fribourg by building its first production line here. The town of Fribourg and its surroundings are quickly becoming a hub for innovation, know-how, and forward-looking companies. With the new production site and the headquarters in Fribourg, Bcomp is contributing to the local job market, ensuring that young people from the area can find challenging positions with an impact and that valuable know-how is concentrated in this area of Switzerland. At the same time, we have benefitted from the tremendous support we have been receiving from the Fribourg Development Agency throughout all these years. Looking back on the past 10 years has us more than excited for what is yet to come. It has been a wild ride to where we are now, and we are far from slowing down anytime soon. The next ten years will see us apply everything we have learned about sustainable lightweighting from the sports and motorsports sectors to help the mobility sector reduce its climate impact.  Make sure to tag along for the next round as we will push even harder towards a circular economy.

Not quite the year we had expected, but still one of the most exciting years for sustainable lightweighting and for Bcomp. We have had the great pleasure to work with fantastic brands, from the sports- and motorsports sectors to automotive and marine – and a few others as well. With this, a big thanks to everyone we collaborate with: customers and suppliers, organisations and institutes, interns, employees and other stakeholders. This journey is one of collaboration. Here are a few highlights of 2020: First natural fibre F1 seat with McLaren Racing McLaren Racing announced the collaboration with Bcomp to develop F1's first natural fibre composite racing seat. “The original carbon fibre seat design was reverse-engineered by Bcomp, and then we optimised and manufactured the new design. The seat was run in pre-season testing without any problems and we hope to be racing with Bcomp flax seats in the near future,” explains McLaren F1 Principal Composites Engineer Steve Foster.           Previous Next Read more... Polestar Precept – sustainability, performance and luxury Polestar launched the Precept, built using innovative and sustainable materials including our ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ to cut weight and reduce the amount of plastic in interior panels. This combination of performance, sustainability and design is a key moment in the future of mobility. Later in 2020, Polestar announced that Precept will be a production model. More info: Polestar takes sustainability seriously Polestar and Bcomp Kindred spirits: Bcomp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-0NhW_JIdk&list=PLKtExnP2_3W50DqAvM3l5V4LN8ZKXfcV_ Full natural fibre body kit for the Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 CS MR Porsche Motorsports teamed up with Bcomp, Manthey Racing and the Four Motors racing team to produce a full natural fibre body kit for the Cayman 718 GT4 CS MR. The body kit reduces the CO2 footprint and the risk for sharp shattering while providing viable end of life options and high cost efficiency. Four Motors will continue to race the kit in 2021, following the successful debut at the 24h Nürburgring race.         Previous Next Read more... Baltic 68 Café Racer - sustainable luxury day sailer Baltic Yachts, one of the leading makers of luxury yachts and at the forefront of sustainable innovation in the marine sector, has developed a new yacht, the Baltic 68 Café Racer. Built with sustainability in mind, not only is most of its hull made of natural flax fibre ampliTex™, but also parts the interior where flax is accompanied by other materials such as textile, wicker or paper cord for a simple design with attitude.       Previous Next Read more... First natural fibre satellite panel with the European Space Agency (ESA) The first natural fibre reinforced satellite panel, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) together with RUAG Space, IRS Stuttgart and Bcomp. Part of the ESA’s Clean Space initiative, this project demonstrates the exceptional versatility of Bcomp’s proprietary powerRibs™ and ampliTex™ natural fibre technologies, even in the most extreme conditions and environment.       Previous Next Read more... First natural fibre crash box with YCOM Successful first crash test of a natural fibre Front Impact Absorbing Structure (FIAS) built in ampliTex™ by advanced technology expert YCOM. With a reduced CO2 footprint, viable end of life options, and the absence of sharp debris in a crash scenario, this opens new areas of use, not only for bodywork but also for structural parts.       Previous Next Read more... CAPiTA snowboards using fusion tape - the best of two worlds CAPiTA has been handcrafting high performance snowboards for 20 years. Driven by innovation and performance they selected ampliTex™ fusion tape for the top models of their new 20/21 range - a hybrid weave of flax and carbon fibres, giving the rider the “pop” of carbon fibres and the outstanding damping properties of flax fibres.       Previous Next Read more... ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ in body panels of the Volta Zero from Volta Trucks The world's first 16-tonne all-electric vehicle designed for freight deliveries in urban centres, was built by Volta Trucks using ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ body panels to reduce weight sustainably. With a holistic approach to the development of this Volta Zero, “Volta Trucks wants to spearhead the rapid change in large commercial vehicles, from outdated diesel to clean and safe technological solutions” says Carl-Magnus Norden, Founder of Volta Trucks.       Previous Next Read more... The DTM announces Bcomp as technical partner for sustainable lightweighting The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) has opened its technical regulations to include natural fibres for mandatory parts, thus reducing environmental impact and improving safety aspects vs. carbon fibres. The DTM shoebox is made using ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ for a lightweight, high performance sustainable part.       Previous Next Read more... Melker of Sweden uses ampliTex™ for kayaks and paddles Melker of Sweden has the goal of creating innovative outdoor products with a low environmental impact, without sacrificing performance and design. Today they use Bcomp's ampliTex™ range to create beautiful kayaks and paddles that are light, durable, and stiff with high damping properties. More info: Melker of Sweden kayaks Presenting the Melker Arkö           Previous Next

Switzerland is well known for craftsmanship, precision engineering and technological innovation. It is also home to the Geneva Motor Show, one of the world’s most prestigious events on the automotive calendar. Despite this we have yet to see a thoroughbred, Swiss-made Hypercar. As a proud Swiss company ourselves we are delighted to be working with Benoit Morand, Eric Boullier, and the team at Morand Cars. The Swiss-based manufacturer is developing a fully electric Hypercar and also a hybrid version, due for production in 2023. With Eric and Benoit’s background, combined with the support of a core team of leading Swiss innovators, designers and high-tech manufacturers including SECH, EPFL, Ateliers Clément SA and Starrag, Morand clearly has the experience, drive and resource to pull off this exciting project. Bcomp’s natural fibre technology is an ideal solution for this track-focused hypercar, with its emphasis on performance, luxury and sustainability. Natural fibre composites will be used for the external bodywork of the Morand Hypercar as well as throughout the interior. Rendering of the Morand Hypercar - ©Morand Cars “We are excited to be part of the first Swiss hypercar and to work with such leading profiles from the motorsport world” says Per Mårtensson, Bcomp CSO. He continues “The Morand vision to create a sustainable, Swiss hypercar using the latest technologies is very much aligned with both macro trends and our beliefs at Bcomp – that sustainability is an integral part of performance.”  “As we develop the Morand Hypercar we are enjoying the opportunity to work with Swiss companies at the top of their field. Bcomp is a true leader not just in their field but as a trailblazer bringing sustainable solutions to high-performance applications,” says Eric Boullier, co-founder Morand Cars. “We have a shared outlook and goal, to lead the way in sustainable performance.” As government’s around the world push to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, we are all now witnessing the most significant shift in technology in the history of the automotive industry. The powertrain however is only one piece of the puzzle. While the appetite for high performance vehicles has not reduced, we are seeing sustainability becoming an increasingly important aspect for customers. Discerning customers are now looking to see how brands are building sustainability into the entire vehicle ecosystem including materials used in the car. Bcomp natural fibre composites can match the performance of traditional carbon fibre while offering a 75% reduction in CO2 footprint and won’t end up in landfills as carbon fibre composites often do. Our recent project with YCOM to manufacture and test a motorsport crash-box structure using natural fibre composites has shown that safety is not compromised by the adoption of this more sustainable alternative. This is true even for structural applications, offering interesting possibilities for the future.  Our recent collaboration with a Formula One team to develop the sport’s first natural fibre composite racing seat has shown that even in the most competitive environments, sustainability and enlightened thinking has a place - an ethos that is at the heart of Morand’s Hypercar programme. With more than 2000 bhp and a top speed of over 400 km/h the Morand Hypercar will offer stunning performance alongside its sustainable credentials.  Hypercars have long been the embodiment of extreme engineering, ruthlessly pursuing performance in search of ultimate lap times, power output and acceleration figures. What we are seeing now is a shift to bring the Hypercar into the 21st Century, delivering all of the performance, passion and driver engagement while embracing cutting-edge technology for customers who understand our vital role as stewards of the planet. We are delighted to be working with Morand on this exciting project. Learn more: www.morand-cars.com