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Structural Composites Industries (SCI) is the oldest and largest manufacturer of Composite Cylinders. SCI's composite experience dates back to 1954 when the principals that formed SCI were part of Aerojet General, a rocket propulsion company. In the early 1960's the company became a pioneer in the composite technology when NASA awarded a contract to Aerojet to design and manufacture a lightweight composite cylinder for a space application. In the late 60's, the US Government ruled that any research project funded by them could be used for commercial applications if so desired.

The four principals involved in the cylinder development purchased the rights for the project in 1971 and SCI was formed. The goal of the new company was to commercialize and develop pressure vessel composites technology.  In 1972, SCI was funded by NASA's Technology Transfer Program to develop a Fireman's Breathing Air Cylinder. In 1973, a 4000 psi cylinder was produced and SCBA systems using this cylinder were tested in New York, Los Angeles, and Houston.

SCI's first ten years were spent in an Aerojet rented facility and in 1981 SCI moved to its current facility in Pomona, California. HARSCO Corporation purchased SCI in 1983. In the years that followed, the company developed and scaled-up its production capabilities and began manufacturing products for commercial applications as well as continuing to supply the existing aerospace and defense markets.

SCI continued to grow with the purchase of their aluminum liner vendor, Hydro Deep Draw in 1995. In 1997, SCI added heat treating capability to the deep draw facility, and in doing so, was the first vertically integrated full composite cylinder manufacturing company in the US.

SCI acquired EFIC (a competitor that produced SCBA sized cylinders) in 1998 and CNG Cylinder Corporation (a steel and aluminum hoop wrap manufacturing company) in 1999. These purchases, combined with continuous process improvements, have made SCI the acknowledged leader in the composite cylinder industry.

SCI is part of the Gas & Fluid Control Group, the gas equipment division of Harsco Corporation, and is the world's leading manufacturer of composite cylinders.  SCI is constantly developing new products to meet the evolving demands of the global gas containment market. Today, SCI has various applications that utilize our expertise in composite cylinders and structures. Our Product Lines include: Natural Gas Vehicle Cylinders, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Cylinders, Aircraft Cylinders, Home Oxygen Therapy (HOT) Cylinders, Advanced & Cryogenic Structures, and Satellite Tanks. To date, SCI has manufactured over 1.8 million of cylinders with an unblemished safety record.

 



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