TORAY
Carbon fibre output to increase by 6,000 t/y globally / EUR 400m investment / Expansion to ensure supply across all sectors
Toray Industries (Tokyo / Japan; www.toray.com) is to increase production capacity for carbon fibres at its sites in Japan, the US, France and South Korea, partly as a result of the full-scale production launch of Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”. The company plans to invest around JPY 45 bn (EUR 410m) at the four facilities, increasing capacity by 6,000 t/y. The new output is expected to come on stream in phases at the plants, in the order above, in 2014 and 2015.
Worldwide, Toray currently has a production capacity of 17,900 t/y of carbon fibres, but with two new lines already under construction, this figure will rise to 21,100 t/y by January 2013. Including the new large-scale expansion, the company’s total production capacity will rise to 27,100 t/y by March 2015.
Around 50% of the total investment will go towards Japan, where Toray will build an integrated production facility for precursor fibre and high-performance small tow carbon fibre, used mainly in aircraft and premium automobiles, at its Ehime plant. The line will have a production capacity of 1,000 t/y and will begin operation in March 2015.
The Tokyo-based group also plans to build a new PAN precursor plant in Lacq / France, which – once completed – will feed the group's carbon fibre facility in nearby Abidos. To date, the company had been supplying the latter site with output from Ehime. Toray had acquired the remaining shares in the Abidos facility from Arkema at the beginning of this year – see Plasteurope.com of 17.01.2012.
In addition, the investment will also see carbon fibre capacity raised by 2,500 t/y each at the group's production sites in the US and South Korea. Toray's plant in Decatur / USA is to focus on raising sales in Latin America. In addition, the company plans to add another 2,500 t/y carbon fibre line at its site in Gumi / South Korea, which is due to be commissioned at the beginning of 2014, and will complement the 2,200 t/y line currently under construction there.
Toray said that the global demand for polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibres is estimated to have expanded to 37,000 t/ in 2011 and it is presently expected to grow at a rate exceeding 15% a year.
Worldwide, Toray currently has a production capacity of 17,900 t/y of carbon fibres, but with two new lines already under construction, this figure will rise to 21,100 t/y by January 2013. Including the new large-scale expansion, the company’s total production capacity will rise to 27,100 t/y by March 2015.
Around 50% of the total investment will go towards Japan, where Toray will build an integrated production facility for precursor fibre and high-performance small tow carbon fibre, used mainly in aircraft and premium automobiles, at its Ehime plant. The line will have a production capacity of 1,000 t/y and will begin operation in March 2015.
The Tokyo-based group also plans to build a new PAN precursor plant in Lacq / France, which – once completed – will feed the group's carbon fibre facility in nearby Abidos. To date, the company had been supplying the latter site with output from Ehime. Toray had acquired the remaining shares in the Abidos facility from Arkema at the beginning of this year – see Plasteurope.com of 17.01.2012.
In addition, the investment will also see carbon fibre capacity raised by 2,500 t/y each at the group's production sites in the US and South Korea. Toray's plant in Decatur / USA is to focus on raising sales in Latin America. In addition, the company plans to add another 2,500 t/y carbon fibre line at its site in Gumi / South Korea, which is due to be commissioned at the beginning of 2014, and will complement the 2,200 t/y line currently under construction there.
Toray said that the global demand for polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibres is estimated to have expanded to 37,000 t/ in 2011 and it is presently expected to grow at a rate exceeding 15% a year.
20.03.2012 Plasteurope.com [221873-0]
Published on 20.03.2012
German version of this article...