Legendary Composites Pioneer Dr. Charles "Chuck" Segal Passes Away at 91

 

Longtime composites veteran Dr. Charles (Chuck) Segal passed away in North Carolina on April 5 at age 91 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. Segal built a long, impressive career in the composites industry and developed a strong specialization in the manufacture and application of carbon fiber in aerospace and automotive parts and structures. 

Friends and colleagues expressed their gratitude and respect for Segal’s service to the composites industry. Tom Haulik, sales director-carbon fibers, at Hexcel (Stamford, Conn., U.S.), says, “Chuck was one of the true pillars in the carbon fiber industry. He was knowledgeable on every aspect of carbon fibers and always eager to share what he knew. He left his mark on the carbon fiber industry and will be forever remembered for it.”

Scott Stephenson, director-strategic initiatives and events at CompositesWorld, and founder of the Carbon Fiber conference, says Segal was a highly respected mainstay of the industry: “Chuck was a pretty self-effacing guy, but the truth was that he knew far more about the production and production economics for the manufacture of carbon fibers and their composites than most people realized. He was a seminar instructor, speaker and active participant at the Carbon Fiber conference for more than 15 years and a mentor to me. I will miss him.”

Peter Oswald, formerly an executive of at Teijin (Tokyo, Japan) and Zoltek (Bridgeton, Mo., U.S.) and now an industry consultant, says, “Chuck was a great guy and so generous with his time and knowledge. He helped build our industry.” 

Segal’s full obituary can be found here.