What are the significant advantages of using fiberglass pultruded rods for parasols?
Belgian company Umbrosa (Roeselare) produces a range of outdoor umbrella and parasol systems for use on terraces and patios worldwide, in environments ranging from the seaside to the jungle. Its systems must be able to withstand long-term exposure to high wind speeds, salt water, rain and UV rays, which means they must be designed with durability in mind to stay in place for long periods of time without damage.
To improve the mechanical properties of its design, Umbrosa decided to use composite structural supports and hired composite solutions developer Exel Composites (Vantaa, Finland).
More specifically, Umbrosa chooses to use composite ribs in many of its parasol designs. Fiberglass ribs are made using pultrusion. According to Exel, the consistency of the composite ribs is ensured due to high fiber alignment and high fiber density. This is an important feature for Umbrosa as it prioritizes product quality and wants to design products that can be enjoyed intact for a long time.
“At Umbrosa, we manufacture products guided by three distinct product values: performance, sustainability and beauty,” explains Christophe Haemers, CEO and founder of Umbrosa. “These values are important because we want to make products that last forever.”
After weighing these requirements, it became clear to Umbrosa that composites could be the key to meeting all of its design requirements, so it hired Exel Composites to help design a solution.
"The main reason we turned to composites was its flexibility and ability to allow the structure to withstand wind loads, as this is the biggest challenge we face with umbrellas," said Umbrosa product development manager Pieter Willemyns. "Composites give the frame a chance to withstand wind loads. . Additionally, the stiffness of composites is important for the ribs of our umbrellas because they keep the canopy open for long periods of time. Composites give us the balance we need between flexibility and stiffness.”
Exel Composites supplies Umbrosa with a variety of fiberglass composite poles that are resistant to corrosion, rot, rust, UV, and have a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), making them ideal for extended outdoor use.
Since that first meeting, Umbrosa has maintained a close working relationship with Exel’s R&D team, which means that whenever a new design is considered, Umbrosa can consult with the Exel team at the earliest opportunity to fully optimize the composite design.
“Working with Exel means we can rely on the supplier’s technical expertise,” Willemyns added. “We need its technical expertise and advice on how best to combine composite materials to the point where it effectively becomes a co-designer on some of our products.”
Exel Composites combines a local manufacturing footprint with the expertise of a global company to ensure efficient sales support and technical consultation are always available. It works with customers in more than 50 countries and can leverage this experience to help design custom composite solutions that address all business operational challenges and deliver long-term results.
