When U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development Jay Williams was the mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, he faced the challenge there of growing a town that relied heavily on the steel industry at a time when that industry was facing collapse.

Similarly, Bristol's once thriving boatbuilding industry fell on hard times during a collapsed economy, and is trying to battle back by applying composite technologies used in boat manufacturing to aerospace, military and architectural uses. Recently, Mr. Williams visited Bristol to get a firsthand look at the re-emerging industry, touring Hall Spars and Rigging on Broadcommon Road along with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. David Cicilline.

More than 150 people, including federal, state and local political leaders, as well as local industry innovators gathered at Hall Spars April 8, where Wendy Mackie of the RI Marine Trade Association moderated a round table discussion to showcase the efforts of the Rhode Island Composites Alliance and encourage federal and state officials to support those efforts.

“There isn’t a better time or place to have this discussion,” Mr. Williams said, referring to the group assembled on the manufacturing floor of Hall Spars. “This is the greatest Renaissance the country has seen in manufacturing since the 1990s.”

The growth and expanse of the composites industry is particularly significant in Bristol, Warren and Portsmouth, where several companies are looking at new uses for composite technology.

Rich O’Meara, owner and president of Core Composites on Tupelo Street, illustrated the expanse in composite products: “If it rolls, floats or flies it will be made out of composites,” he said. Those products, “as well as buildings and bridges are going to get lighter,” he said referring composite material replacing concrete and steel.

“This area is ahead of the rest of the country,” Mr. O’Meara said of the local composite industry.

While recognizing the need for “complicated, but doable” engineering to write code that will translate steel, concrete and wood specifications to composite material, he also emphasized the “political will and influence” that will help the local industry continue its success.

To give local companies a louder voice and greater visibility, several stakeholders, including companies, organizations and educational entities formed the RI Composites Alliance nearly a year ago. The alliance aims to help individual companies work more collaboratively, and share projects and construction techniques to compete in the global market.

“There are so many needs out there but people don’t know how to connect,” Mr. O’Meara said.

State Rep. Ken Marshall said the RI Alliance helps make those connections, bringing businesses together with one voice. He noted that Hall Spars and Rigging is just one of the composite companies that re-tooled its manufacturing efforts in response to the decline in high end boat sales to sustain its business.

“What’s really important to recognize is that this 21st Century technology has been happening here for a decade or more,” Mr. Marshall said of the composites industry. “We need to go after and any all opportunities that will not only benefit the state of Rhode Island, but that will benefit these industries. There is no end to the possibilities of what composites can be used for.”

The federal government is interested in exploring the industry's possibilities. Mr. Williams noted that, through his office, $150 million is invested “across the country” to help business growth. Bristol companies hope Mr. Williams’ visit to Bristol will improve the chances that Rhode Island composite companies will get those federal funds that will help them gain the resources and workforce they need to bring about a resurgence in manufacturing.

Among those taking part in the discussion were Eric Hall of Hall Spars, Leon Garoufalis of Composites One, Layne Mayer of Crawford High Performance Composites, Pete Levesque of Hall Composites and Matt Dunham of Clear Carbon and Components, all of whom have ties to Bristol.