Zoltek to expand global large-tow carbon fiber capacity in 2023
To meet wind market demands, the 6,000-MT capacity expansion at the company’s Mexico facility will add up to 35,000 MT total global production capacity.
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On Nov. 18, Toray Industries Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and its U.S. subsidiary Zoltek Companies Inc. (St. Louis, Mo., U.S.) announced that in 2023 Zoltek’s Guadalajara, Mexico facility will expand its production of large-tow carbon fiber (fibers with more than 40,000 filaments). The planned 6,000 metric ton (MT) capacity expansion, reported by Toray to cost about $130 million USD, will increase Zoltek’s North American carbon fiber production capacity to 20,000 MT. The company’s global production capacity will then be 35,000 MT. This expansion also adds onto Zoltek’s 2021 6,000 MT capacity expansion.
Zoltek says this move is a continuation of its mission to commercialize carbon fiber and increase its position as the global leader in industrial-grade carbon fiber. The company claims it has dedicated 100% of its global capacity to establish the standard for large-scale industrial applications such as wind energy and automotive.
“Demand for our industrial-grade carbon fiber in energy and transportation applications continues to grow at a rapid pace,” says David Purcell, executive VP for Zoltek, “and we are supporting this growth with the 6,000 MT installation in 2021, and again in 2023. More importantly, we have diversified our customer base to create a stronger foundation for future growth.”
According to Zoltek, its PX35 carbon fiber has the largest global capacity, and is the preferred carbon fiber for industrial applications due to its balance of cost competitiveness and delivered performance.
Toray says it expects the market for this fiber to expand over the medium and long terms, thanks to its use in the growing wind energy sector for longer and lighter wind turbine blades. To keep up with increasing global demand in wind and other industries, Toray says that Zoltek will continue expanding capacity at its U.S., Hungary and Mexico facilities.
Global expansion for promising areas is a central strategy of Toray’s medium-term management program, called Project APG2022.
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