Profiles made of composite – Glassfibre-reinforced plastics (GRP) - today provide an alternative to conventional structural materials such as concrete, steel, aluminium and wood.

Used for structural purposes, composite has the advantage of combining a number of properties not usually found together in a single material.

In particular it combines high strength and low weight, while at the same time it is non-corrosive and has thermal and electrical insulation properties. It can also be machined like wood using diamond-tool equipment.

Using composites rather than conventional materials such as steel usually provides major weight savings. This is partly due to the specific properties and low weight of the individual components, and partly because it is possible to manufacture composites for very particular purposes.

For example, a composite component can be specified and designed for a particular type of load. It also offers a number of advantages over conventional materials, such as resistance to chemicals and thermal and electrical insulation properties.