(DETROIT, April 9, 2025) – SME, the nonprofit dedicated to advancing manufacturing to drive competitiveness, resiliency and national security, recognized the 2025 Composites Awards recipients at AeroDef Manufacturing this afternoon in Detroit at Huntington Place. These prestigious awards celebrate outstanding contributions to the composites industry, honoring individuals and companies driving innovation in composites manufacturing, tooling technology, and advanced materials. 

The 2025 Composites Awards recipients showcase leadership across a range of sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and advanced manufacturing. These awardees have demonstrated technical excellence, groundbreaking developments, and a commitment to advancing composite technologies. 

2025 Composites Awards 

The J.H. “Jud” Hall Composites Manufacturing Award honors the legacy of the late Judge H. Hall, whose dedication and technical leadership helped shape the composites industry and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to composites manufacturing or tooling technology—whether through innovation, leadership, patents, education, or research. The 2025 winner is Anoush Poursartip, PhD, PEng, FCAE, professor in the Department of Materials Engineering, director of the Composites Research Network, and co-director of the Composites Knowledge Network at the University of British Columbia. 

The Composite Manufacturing Emerging Innovator Award recognizes an individual who has led or actively supported and participated in advancing manufacturing technology into or near production or has had a significant impact on composite part manufacturing. The technical work of the winners of this award holds great promise to shape the next decades and winners are selected with consideration for the scope and scale of benefits realized and their work’s potential future impact on the industry. The 2025 winner is Christopher Oberste, president and chief engineer at WEAV3D Inc., which is commercializing a composite forming technology developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The WEAV3D composite forming machine combines weaving and composite consolidation into an automated, continuous process, which reduces waste, cycle time, and material handling costs.  

The Excellence in Composites Award recognizes those companies that have demonstrated dedication and ongoing contribution to further advance the design and development of technology used in the manufacturing of advanced composites. The 2025 winner is Magestic Technologies, an advanced manufacturing solutions provider for process and efficiency improvements from Pearl River, New York. 

About SME

Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.