Our Story

Combined 80 Years of Composites Expertise

Devon Hammett (CEO) has been in the composite business since 1981. During most of that time he has built aerospace laminates using carbon fiber prepregs.  He started at Nordam then moved on to Texas where he made helicopter parts, flight controls, and radomes.  Devon then started Advanced Composites Materials making laminates for aerospace.  He has specifications he developed for Northrup Grumman and the F35. 

Dan Alter (Research & Development/Marketing) has been in the composite business since 1985.  The first 11 years he ran a manufacturing plant for composite parts for automobiles, trucks and RV’s. He later went into technical sales at Neste gelcoats and has now spent the past 26 years at Composites One as Advanced Composites Applications Manager.

The Creation of Quiet Play Paddles

At the beginning, we didn't know much about pickleball other than hearing constantly about noise complaints, especially on outdoor courts. Advanced Composites Materials was approached to see if their advanced technologies could benefit the sport of pickleball. Several brands had been looking for new innovations for their pickleball paddles. We were asked to create made in America laminates using the old tried and true polypropylene honeycomb core. 

What we realized was there has been very little innovation with paddles.  Most companies copy laminates and shapes and then look to drive cost out by having them built in Asia or other low labor cost countries. We looked at what the customers asked us to produce and wondered why they used an inferior laminate.

It was then decided we would make the best paddles on the market based on engineered scientific data. We relied on our cumulative composite experience of 80 years building laminates in the transportation, aerospace and marine industries.

Easier on the Players and Greater Control

Several senior pros commented after an hour of play.“I have tennis elbow and I had zero pain with this paddle.” “The paddles have incredible control, it's like the ball is Velcro to the paddle.”These attributes are due to the damping layer along with the maximum allowable surface roughness. The damping allowed absorbs just enough energy to provide longer dwell on the paddle. Because our paddles have higher stiffness “modulus” they play just as fast as other brands while absorbing sound which is energy.