Toray Industries (Tokyo / Japan; www.toray.com) said it is planning a 50% expansion of capacity to produce large tow carbon fibre at the Hungarian facility of its US subsidiary Zoltek (Bridgeton, Missouri / USA; www.zoltek.com). The amount being invested to raise capacity, from 10,000 t/y to 15,000 t/y at the plant located in Nyergesújfalu, is USD 130m (EUR 105m). Production will start in early 2020.

Zoltek is also currently implementing enhancements to equipment at its Mexican facility in order to raise the capacity there from 5,000 t/y to 10,000 t/y – see Plasteurope.com of 20.11.2017. Including its Hungarian facility, Zoltek’s global production capacity of carbon fibre will reach around 25,000 t/y starting 2020.

Toray said demand for large tow carbon fibre is rapidly expanding for industrial applications. “By expanding our production, we are preparing capacity for expected demand from the wind energy and automotive industries,” said Yoshihiro Takeuchi, CEO, COO and president of Zoltek. The Japanese company said it considers the carbon fibre composite materials business as a “strategically expanding venture” and plans to expand it by introducing “active managerial resources” as well as develop the “synergistic effects” of opportunities generated by both regular tow and large tow fibre carbon fibre products.