{"title":"North Sails","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNorth Sails\u003c\/b\u003e is an international \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sailmaker\" title=\"Sailmaker\"\u003esailmaker\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sailing_wear\" title=\"Sailing wear\"\u003esailing wear\u003c\/a\u003e company with operations in 29 countries. The company designs, engineers and manufactures sails for \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sailboat_racing\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Sailboat racing\"\u003eracing\u003c\/a\u003e and cruising sailboats from 8 feet (2.5m) to more-than 200 feet (60m) in length. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Licensee\" title=\"Licensee\"\u003eLicensees\u003c\/a\u003e manufacture clothing and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Windsurfing\" title=\"Windsurfing\"\u003ewindsurfing\u003c\/a\u003e sails. North Sails is the world’s largest sailmaker, with annual sales of $150 million in 2011.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-HartfordBusiness.com_1-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Sails by North Sails are used by the majority of competitors in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Ocean_Race\" title=\"The Ocean Race\"\u003eOcean Race\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/America%E2%80%99s_Cup\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"America’s Cup\"\u003eAmerica’s Cup\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"History\"\u003eHistory\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorth Sails was founded in 1957 by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lowell_North\" title=\"Lowell North\"\u003eLowell North\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/San_Diego,_California\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"San Diego, California\"\u003eSan Diego\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/California\" title=\"California\"\u003eCalifornia\u003c\/a\u003e. An \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Engineer\" title=\"Engineer\"\u003eengineer\u003c\/a\u003e by training, North applied a rigorous, methodical approach to designing sails, with the goal of building sails that were faster than the competition’s. North began testing the strength and stretch characteristics of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sailcloth\" title=\"Sailcloth\"\u003esailcloth\u003c\/a\u003e he received from his suppliers, to eliminate variability in his raw materials. He introduced computer-driven \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Laser_cutting\" title=\"Laser cutting\"\u003ecloth cutting machines\u003c\/a\u003e, to increase the consistency and repeatability of a sail design. North was a pioneer in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Computer_modelling\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Computer modelling\"\u003ecomputer modelling\u003c\/a\u003e of sail forces and structural loads. North used a laminated \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mylar\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Mylar\"\u003eMylar\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dacron\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Dacron\"\u003eDacron\u003c\/a\u003e sail on the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/12-metre_class\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"12-metre class\"\u003e12-metre\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/i\u003e in 1977. North’s emphasis on computer technologies and new materials is reflected in the company today, which makes intensive use of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Computer_assisted_design\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Computer assisted design\"\u003ecomputer assisted design\u003c\/a\u003e and specialised \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Finite_element_method\" title=\"Finite element method\"\u003efinite element analysis\u003c\/a\u003e (FEA) and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Computational_fluid_dynamics\" title=\"Computational fluid dynamics\"\u003eComputational fluid dynamics\u003c\/a\u003e (CFD) software, and which has introduced a number of innovations in materials and manufacturing processes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1960s and 1970s, North recruited expert sailors to help expand his business. Among his employees were such Olympic and international sailing champions as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hans_Fogh\" title=\"Hans Fogh\"\u003eHans Fogh\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Barrett_(sailor)\" title=\"Peter Barrett (sailor)\"\u003ePeter Barrett\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/John_Marshall_(sailor)\" title=\"John Marshall (sailor)\"\u003eJohn Marshall\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Blackaller\" title=\"Tom Blackaller\"\u003eTom Blackaller\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Iain_Macdonald-Smith\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" class=\"new\" title=\"Iain Macdonald-Smith (page does not exist)\"\u003eIain Macdonald-Smith\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Robbie_Haines\" title=\"Robbie Haines\"\u003eRobbie Haines\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorth sold the company to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Terry_kohler\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Terry kohler\"\u003eTerry Kohler\u003c\/a\u003e in 1984.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-HartfordBusiness.com_1-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In 1986, Kohler brought on renowned sailor and sailmaker \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Whidden\" title=\"Tom Whidden\"\u003eTom Whidden\u003c\/a\u003e as president. Whidden went on to become CEO and co-owner. Together, Kohler and Whidden built the company into the world's dominant sailmaker with roughly 80% marketshare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorth Sails is an example of a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vertical_integration\" title=\"Vertical integration\"\u003evertically integrated\u003c\/a\u003e company, with its North Cloth division producing woven and laminated sailcloth. North Sails is part of North Technology Group, a conglomerate of marine-industry companies that includes Southern Spars and EdgeWater Powerboats. Being closely associated with Southern Spars, a manufacturer of carbon fiber \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mast_(sailing)\" title=\"Mast (sailing)\"\u003emasts\u003c\/a\u003e, allows North Sails to engineer an integrated spar and sail package.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2014, Oakley Capital Private Equity, a UK \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Private_equity_firm\" title=\"Private equity firm\"\u003eprivate equity firm\u003c\/a\u003e founded by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Dubens\" title=\"Peter Dubens\"\u003ePeter Dubens\u003c\/a\u003e acquired a majority stake in North Technology Group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-headline\" id=\"Technology\"\u003eTechnology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorth Sails introduced the 3DL line of upwind sails in 1992. In the 3DL manufacturing process, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aramid\" title=\"Aramid\"\u003earamid\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Carbon_(fiber)\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Carbon (fiber)\"\u003ecarbon fiber\u003c\/a\u003e yarns and layers of polyester (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/BoPET\" title=\"BoPET\"\u003ePET\u003c\/a\u003e) film are laid over a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/CNC\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"CNC\"\u003ecomputer-controlled\u003c\/a\u003e mold that is configured to assume the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Airfoil\" title=\"Airfoil\"\u003eairfoil\u003c\/a\u003e shape of the sail, and then \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thermoforming\" title=\"Thermoforming\"\u003ethermo-formed\u003c\/a\u003e to produce a laminated sail with the intended three-dimensional shape. North Sails manufactures 3DL sails in facilities in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Minden,_Nevada\" title=\"Minden, Nevada\"\u003eMinden\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nevada\" title=\"Nevada\"\u003eNevada\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sri_Lanka\" title=\"Sri Lanka\"\u003eSri Lanka\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2009, North Sails began using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pre-preg\" title=\"Pre-preg\"\u003epre-impregnated\u003c\/a\u003e tapes of carbon and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ultra_high_molecular_weight_polyethylene\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene\"\u003eUHMPE\u003c\/a\u003e fibers on its full-sized articulating molds. When thermomolded, the layers of reinforcing material consolidate to form a seamless \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Composite_material\" title=\"Composite material\"\u003ecomposite\u003c\/a\u003e sail membrane, which the company markets as the 3Di\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-4\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e product line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Sails\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWikipedia\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0670\/3572\/6137\/collections\/Talk_About_Lux_presents_North_Sails.jpg?v=1716792880","url":"https:\/\/talkaboutlux.gr\/en\/collections\/north-sails.oembed","provider":"Talk About Lux","version":"1.0","type":"link"}