...GULFPORT, Miss. – If you compiled a list of innovative companies in
South Mississippi, 40-year-old Seemann Composites Inc. would be included.
It created a now widely used composite fabrication system, but it didn’t stop
there.
...Today the company is developing cutting-edge composite parts for the
Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. It builds a half-dozen already, and now it’s
got its sights set on developing composite parts for another line of submarines,
said Bill Seemann, president of Seemann Composites.
...Innovation is so important to Seemann Composites that “Excellence through
Innovation” is part of the company’s logo. To a large extent, finding a better
way is what led to where the company is today.
Nationwide trend
...Seemann Composites is an example of a growing nationwide trend: Small
businesses are playing an increasing role in the nation’s innovative work.
True, small business innovation is still dwarfed by big business, but the
percentage of work is trending towards the smaller guys, according to the
National Science Foundation.
...Small business are devoting large shares of com¬pany revenues to research
and development, and employing large numbers of scientists and engineers
relative to total company employment, according to NSF. In fact, data for the
smallest category within the small-business group suggests an even greater
pattern of emphasis on R&D than larger small businesses.
...The reason? Smaller companies don’t have the organizational barriers that
often impede risk taking at larger companies. They end up producing many of
the radical innovations that lead to groundbreaking new products and even
new industries, according to NSF. As a result, subcontractors end up being
key innovation centers for the nation’s prime defense contractors, especially
in an age where tight budgets put pressure on big company R&D dollars. And
as the Pentagon begins to tighten its budget, the trend is likely to continue.
Finding a cost-effective, reliable, innovative company is crucial.
Remaining small
...While the story about the business that starts in a garage and became a
monster – Apple and Google are often cited – the less known story is about
the ones that started small, remained relatively small yet continue to innovate.
Seemann Composites is just such a company.
...The company, originally a small boat builder, is today a highly specialized
developer and builder of components for the defense industry. Its military
products, which account for virtually all of its work, can be found on land, sea
and in the air.
...But it was one innovation years ago that really distinguished the company.
In the simplest terms, Seemann developed a molding process that allows for
the fabrication of much larger pieces from composite materials than the
traditional hand-lay method. In the 1990s, Seemann developed and patented a
vacuum infusion method called SCRIMP, Seemann Composites Resin
Infusion Molding Process. It’s now used worldwide today to fabricate
everything from pleasure boats to aircraft structures.
Seemann today
...SCI, with just over 110 workers, sits on 15 acres along Gulfport’s Bernard
Bayou Industrial Seaway. With 400 feet of Gulf-access waterway, it can ship
large products anywhere in the world. It has over 100,000 square feet of
manufacturing and office space in two buildings and several million dollars
worth of state-of-the-art equipment.
...Customers include a variety of organizations in the Navy and Army, as well
as NASA. Its commercial customer list is a who’s who of the defense
industry, and includes Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman,
General Dynamics, Raytheon, Textron and Materials Sciences.
...Its work has earned the company a wall of awards, including the 2001
Presidents Award from the Composites Fabricators Association, the NASA-
TGIR award in 2002, a Silver Supplier Award in 2002 from Northrop
Grumman Electronic Systems and a Supplier Innovation Award the same year
from Boeing Phantom Works.
...The largest chunk of its work today is devoted to the Virginia-class sub
project. It’s developing composite components to replace the metal ones on
the subs as both a cost-cutting measure and to improve performance.
Vendors, in fact, are responsible for about a third of the cost of a Virginia
class sub.
...Seemann said the company hasn’t just worked with the Navy. It worked
with the Army to develop a carbon fiber assault bridge. One has already been
tested and another is ready for testing. Seemann also built carbon fiber inlet
ducts for the U-2 spy plane.
...Seemann sees even greater opportunities for using composites. He thinks
there are a lot of opportunities in the defense field that have not been fully
exploited. The aerospace industry is one that is moving into heavier uses of
composites. Boeing’s Dreamliner is just one example, and Airbus is also using
a lot of composites.
...And Seemann plans to keep his operation right where it is. He likes being in
South Mississippi because of the mild climate and “the availability of eager-to-
learn workers is a big thing,” said Seemann. – David Tortorano
October 2010
South Mississippi, 40-year-old Seemann Composites Inc. would be included.
It created a now widely used composite fabrication system, but it didn’t stop
there.
...Today the company is developing cutting-edge composite parts for the
Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. It builds a half-dozen already, and now it’s
got its sights set on developing composite parts for another line of submarines,
said Bill Seemann, president of Seemann Composites.
...Innovation is so important to Seemann Composites that “Excellence through
Innovation” is part of the company’s logo. To a large extent, finding a better
way is what led to where the company is today.
Nationwide trend
...Seemann Composites is an example of a growing nationwide trend: Small
businesses are playing an increasing role in the nation’s innovative work.
True, small business innovation is still dwarfed by big business, but the
percentage of work is trending towards the smaller guys, according to the
National Science Foundation.
...Small business are devoting large shares of com¬pany revenues to research
and development, and employing large numbers of scientists and engineers
relative to total company employment, according to NSF. In fact, data for the
smallest category within the small-business group suggests an even greater
pattern of emphasis on R&D than larger small businesses.
...The reason? Smaller companies don’t have the organizational barriers that
often impede risk taking at larger companies. They end up producing many of
the radical innovations that lead to groundbreaking new products and even
new industries, according to NSF. As a result, subcontractors end up being
key innovation centers for the nation’s prime defense contractors, especially
in an age where tight budgets put pressure on big company R&D dollars. And
as the Pentagon begins to tighten its budget, the trend is likely to continue.
Finding a cost-effective, reliable, innovative company is crucial.
Remaining small
...While the story about the business that starts in a garage and became a
monster – Apple and Google are often cited – the less known story is about
the ones that started small, remained relatively small yet continue to innovate.
Seemann Composites is just such a company.
...The company, originally a small boat builder, is today a highly specialized
developer and builder of components for the defense industry. Its military
products, which account for virtually all of its work, can be found on land, sea
and in the air.
...But it was one innovation years ago that really distinguished the company.
In the simplest terms, Seemann developed a molding process that allows for
the fabrication of much larger pieces from composite materials than the
traditional hand-lay method. In the 1990s, Seemann developed and patented a
vacuum infusion method called SCRIMP, Seemann Composites Resin
Infusion Molding Process. It’s now used worldwide today to fabricate
everything from pleasure boats to aircraft structures.
Seemann today
...SCI, with just over 110 workers, sits on 15 acres along Gulfport’s Bernard
Bayou Industrial Seaway. With 400 feet of Gulf-access waterway, it can ship
large products anywhere in the world. It has over 100,000 square feet of
manufacturing and office space in two buildings and several million dollars
worth of state-of-the-art equipment.
...Customers include a variety of organizations in the Navy and Army, as well
as NASA. Its commercial customer list is a who’s who of the defense
industry, and includes Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman,
General Dynamics, Raytheon, Textron and Materials Sciences.
...Its work has earned the company a wall of awards, including the 2001
Presidents Award from the Composites Fabricators Association, the NASA-
TGIR award in 2002, a Silver Supplier Award in 2002 from Northrop
Grumman Electronic Systems and a Supplier Innovation Award the same year
from Boeing Phantom Works.
...The largest chunk of its work today is devoted to the Virginia-class sub
project. It’s developing composite components to replace the metal ones on
the subs as both a cost-cutting measure and to improve performance.
Vendors, in fact, are responsible for about a third of the cost of a Virginia
class sub.
...Seemann said the company hasn’t just worked with the Navy. It worked
with the Army to develop a carbon fiber assault bridge. One has already been
tested and another is ready for testing. Seemann also built carbon fiber inlet
ducts for the U-2 spy plane.
...Seemann sees even greater opportunities for using composites. He thinks
there are a lot of opportunities in the defense field that have not been fully
exploited. The aerospace industry is one that is moving into heavier uses of
composites. Boeing’s Dreamliner is just one example, and Airbus is also using
a lot of composites.
...And Seemann plans to keep his operation right where it is. He likes being in
South Mississippi because of the mild climate and “the availability of eager-to-
learn workers is a big thing,” said Seemann. – David Tortorano
October 2010
Advanced materials
When the big boys depend on little guy
When the big boys depend on little guy
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