Thermoplastic composites producer Hanwha Azdel (Forest, Virginia / USA; www.hanwhaazdel.com) has expanded its capacity for lightweight reinforced thermoplastic (LWRT) composites at its plant in Lynchburg, Virginia / USA. A new production line for “Azdel SuperLite” composites is scheduled to come onstream in the second quarter of 2015. The company said it is expanding the plant in response to strong demand for lightweight composites from customers in the recreational-vehicle (RV), automotive, commercial truck, construction, office furniture and industrial markets in North America and Europe.

Sean Campbell, director for global marketing at Hanwha Azdel, said there is rising demand for Azdel SuperLite composites from the transportation sector, particularly the RV segment. “With legislative mandates for improved fuel economy or lower greenhouse gas emissions in many parts of the globe, transportation OEMs need to reduce vehicle mass significantly. While those mandates don't impact RV manufacturers directly, lighter RVs use less fuel and can be pulled or powered by engines with lower towing capacities,” he said. The composites are half the weight of plywood, and are more impact and puncture resistant, he added.

The governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, said in January 2014, when the Lynchburg project was announced, that the project was expected to cost USD 21.3m (EUR 19.8m) and create 33 jobs.

Hanwha Azdel, which is an affiliate of Korea’s Hanwha Living & Creative (Hanwha L&C; www.hlcc.co.kr), said LWRT composites are lower density forms of traditional glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT) composites, and can be moulded into parts using thermoforming or used in sandwich panel constructions to create panels.