The beginning of 2018 marks a milestone in the history of North Sails. The world's leading sailing industry completes a ten-year cycle of transformation from its 3DL technology, 3D-rolled candles to 3Di-shaped composite structures. The firm's plants in Minden (United States) and Sri Lanka already only manufacture 3Di, the most successful candle ever

North Sails led the trend of laminated construction of mylar and thread with its revolutionary 3DL candles, which dominated the high performance sailing from early 1990 to the America's Cup of 2007. With the appearance of 3Di, the company was abandoning the production of laminated candles in favor of 3D composite structures with scattered and pre-impregnated filament. 3Di candles provide shape conservation and durability properties much higher than any other laminated construction candle. The three-dimensional molding on a real scale is the cornerstone of North Sails technology.

Since the Swiss union Alinghi surprised the sailing community by testing 3Di structures in preparation for the defense of the 32 America's Cup in Valencia, the 3Di concept has continued to evolve and expand throughout the extensive North Sails catalogue, and today is available for all types of ships, of grand prix to monotypes, of superyachts to cruises. Last year's introduction of the 3Di NORDAC for cruise and 3Di RAW 760S for race meant the application of 3Di to ships of less length and its consequent popularization.

In response to a growing demand, North Sails has been adapting its production facilities in Minden (specialized in grand prix and superyacht candles) and Sri Lanka (ships up to 50 feet long) as the technology evolved from panel candles and 3DL to 3Di. The last production line of 3DL was finally closed in September 2017, and today the two factories manufacture exclusively 3Di. North Sails has identical pre-impregnated lines on both plants working 14 shifts per week, with seven ATL (Automated Tape Laying) lines in Minden and five others in Sri Lanka running 24 hours per day and seven days per week. The pre-impregnated and ATL lines feed eight cranes and ten adjustable real-scale 3D molds.