// Fibreglass resin supplies · Wingfield, Adelaide

Polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy and gelcoat systems, and how to work out which one your job needs. We have laminated with all of them at our Adelaide factory since 1999. Tell us the job and we will point you at the right product, or take the work on ourselves.

// Why buy from a manufacturer

Fibre Composites has been laminating in Wingfield since 1999. Every product on this page is a material our own workshop uses in vacuum infusion, resin transfer moulding and hand lay-up, so the advice comes from people who mix it, cure it, sand it and stand behind the finished part.

That matters most when a job sits at the edge of a product’s range. A tank going into chemical service, a laminate that has to hold its shape at temperature, or a repair where new material has to bond to something already in the ground. Tell us the application and we will point you at the right system, and where to buy it, rather than the nearest drum.

// Types of resins we work with

Fibreglass resin comes in four families that do the bulk of composite work in Australia, each with its own catalysts, fillers and release agents. Here is what separates them.

The general purpose workhorse for laminating. Cost effective, easy to work with, and suited to most moulded and flat panel jobs.

General purpose and isophthalic grades · Hand lay-up and spray applications · MEKP catalysed

Stepped up chemical and corrosion resistance for tanks, ducting, scrubbers and anything living in a caustic or marine environment.

Corrosion and chemical service · Better toughness than standard polyester · Barrier and structural laminates

Where adhesion, strength and dimensional stability lead the brief, including carbon fibre and Kevlar laminates and bonded assemblies.

Infusion and laminating systems · Matched hardeners in several speeds · Tooling, bonding and repair

The surface layer. Gelcoat into the mould for a finished face, flowcoat over the back for a sealed, wax cured finish.

Brush and spray grades · Tinting to colour on request · Mould face and repair use

Ordered alongside the resin so ratios, cure speed and shelf life suit your workshop conditions rather than a generic spec.

MEKP catalyst for polyester and vinyl ester · Epoxy hardeners in matched speeds · Accelerators and retarders

The consumables that turn a resin into a bog, a bonding paste or a tinted laminate, supplied to suit the system you are running.

Thickeners and bonding fillers · Pigments and tints · Release agents and consumables

// Choosing the right resin for your project

Most selection mistakes come from picking on price before the job has been described. Work through these and the shortlist usually narrows to one or two systems.

Chemicals, salt water, heat, UV or abrasion. Service environment is the first filter, and it is what separates a polyester job from a vinyl ester one.

Hand lay-up, spray, vacuum infusion or resin transfer moulding. Viscosity and cure speed have to suit the process, not just the part.

New laminate, cured composite, timber or metal. Adhesion requirements are usually what push a job from polyester toward epoxy.

A moulded face, a sealed back, a specific colour, or nothing visible at all. This decides whether gelcoat or flowcoat belongs on the order.

Indicative selection guide. Confirm final properties against the technical data sheet issued with your order.

Not sure which applies? Tell us about the job and we will make a recommendation. Our own workshop builds advanced composite components across the industries we service, so the answer comes from parts we have actually made.

// Safety and handling information

Fibreglass resin, catalysts and hardeners are reactive chemicals with defined shelf lives, storage conditions and handling requirements. Whatever you buy, ask the supplier for the current safety data sheet and technical data sheet before you use it.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry, well ventilated area, out of direct sunlight and away from ignition sources. Keep catalysts separated and rotate stock.

Personal protection

Nitrile gloves, safety glasses and appropriate respiratory protection where extraction is limited. Follow the exposure controls on the SDS.

Mixing and use

Mix only within the manufacturer’s stated ratio range and never substitute a catalyst between systems. Temperature and humidity affect cure.

Spills

Contain and absorb with an inert material, then dispose of it in line with the SDS and local rules. Never wash resin or catalyst into drains.

Disposal

Cured waste, part used containers and contaminated consumables all have disposal routes. Confirm what applies to your site.

Training

We can walk your crew through storage, mixing and handling for the products you are using, including what changes as conditions shift.

Important. The guidance above is general. Always read the safety data sheet supplied with your specific product before use, and follow the manufacturer’s stated storage, ratio and handling requirements. Ask your supplier for the SDS and TDS before anything is ordered, and read both.

Send through the process, the volume and the application. We will come back with a product recommendation, where to buy it, and a price if you would rather we did the work.

// FAQ

Quick answers on choosing a system, sourcing it and getting the job done. Anything not covered here, call the workshop and ask.