San Diego Composites is pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of Wilson Composites, Inc., a California Corporation located in Sacramento, California. The acquisition includes all Wilson Composites assets and Intellectual Property. SDC and Wilson Composites had just begun to develop a business relationship when Brian passed away in 2006. Gary Wonacott, SDC CEO, noted that while the period that followed Brian's death was difficult, that his widow, Barbara, Chuck Griffin, Wilson Composites engineering, and Kathy Jesmont, administration, made the transaction possible. Brian Wilson was well known in the composites industry for his innovation and commitment to the composites community, in particular in technology areas such as filament wound composite tanks. SDC personnel hope to build on and continue the work begun by Brian in this area.
The acquisition of Wilson Composites did yield a Phase II SBIR contract at SDC to develop a very high pressure composite toroid tank, which has just been initiated. In addition, and complementary to the toroid pressure vessel contract, SDC has recently been awarded two contracts to develop filament wound pressure vessels focusing on approaches for increasing the volume for propellant in the tanks. As a result, SDC is acquiring a filament winding machine capable of winding up to 40 inch diameter tanks.
Gary Wonacott had worked off and on with Brian during his career and felt it important to provide a little more background information on both Brian and his wife, who teamed up at SAMPE on many occasions. Brian and Barbara came from England in 1954, which just happened to be the year that Gary went to England for four years. The Wilson's began their lives in the United States in Lincoln, Nebraska. When Brian passed away in 2006 he and Barbara were married 52 years, had two children and grandchildren. In addition to being doting parents and grandparents, they worked side by side supporting each other throughout Brian's career in composites and through the progression of the building and running of Wilson Composites. Brian had the technical brain that his employees and consultants would feed off of and Barbara was front and center always willing and able to work with and help the office staff in handling the logistics involved in running the business.
From 1978 to 1983, Brian worked as Chief Engineer for the Brunswick Defense Division filament winding plant in Lincoln, Nebraska and was a member of the technical staff in Liquid Propulsion Research and Development for the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell Corporation where he built composite tanks. During 35 or his 45 years of experience in the aerospace industry, Mr. Wilson was responsible for design, materials research and advanced development in liquid and solid rocket motors and composite structures of all types. In 1988, he moved to Aerojet, where he worked until he left and formed Wilson Composites. At Aerojet General Corporation, Mr. Wilson was Corporate Composites Advisor. He was previously manager of Advanced Manufacturing Technology and manager of Composite Development for Aerojet Strategic Propulsion Company.
Wilson Composites, primarily a consulting and research and development company, began as a home based business in 1988 and gradually evolved into the successful and extremely respected company it was until Brian's death in 2006. The company had its ups and downs over the years, but it was always Brian's baby and next to Barbara and his family the reason he loved to work. He was a much loved and respected member of the composites industry on all levels.
SAMPE was a huge part of Brian and Barbara's everyday life. Much of Brian's time was spent consulting and dealing with SAMPE and a variety of roles from consultant to speaker to being a member of the Board of Directors to serving as International President from July 1990 to 1991. It was a great honor for Brian when he became a SAMPE Fellow in 2000, a prestigious role that is limited to only a few who are inducted each year. He became a member of the Board of Directors in then served as International President in July 1990 - 1991.
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