The company was founded as a vehicle to catapult the science of high-strength composite materials out of the University of Arizona research laboratory and into the construction and defense industries. To date, the company has manufactured and supplied over 1 million square feet of composite reinforcing materials.

Applications include strengthening traditional concrete and steel structures, such as beams, columns, walls, and slabs. The company also specializes in repairing concrete, steel, and composite pipes.

To support its clients, HJ3 offers full turnkey design services. “We specialize in engineering solutions for our clients,” says John Nighswander, co-founder of HJ3. “We have invested heavily in our engineering capabilities to support customers in each step of the process, from identifying the feasibility of composites for a particular project to preparing full calculations and CAD drawings.”

Surveys performed by the company indicated that only a small percentage of engineers have ever used high-strength composite materials. Therefore, HJ3 was to release design software in 2006 to help consulting engineers incorporate high-strength composite materials into their applications.

For more information, visitwww.hj3.com.

Jim Butler is president and co-founder of HJ3 Composite Technologies, Tucson, Ariz. He has 10 years of experience in business development for engineered systems within the industrial and construction markets, including high-strength composites, corrosive resistant polymers, industrial automation, and robotics. He holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Arizona, Eller College of Business, with a focus in finance and entrepreneurship.

This article originally appeared in the May 2006 issue of MASONRY CONSTRUCTION magazine, TCP's sister publication.