Solvay, an international chemical and advanced materials company, has opened a new carbon fibre production line at its US Piedmont facility in South Carolina to increase production capacity of raw material used in carbon fibre reinforced composite materials and meeting increasing demand for lightweight composite materials in the aerospace industry.

The new production line has won qualification by The Boeing Company to manufacture secondary structures such as wing movable flaps and engine nacelles, as well as interior applications.

The expansion covers the facilities and equipment to convert acrylonitrile monomers into standard modulus carbon fibres. This type of fibre is used to manufacture composite materials which have been pre-impregnated for use in applications on commercial and military planes.

Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay said, “Through this strategic capacity expansion we offer our customers greater supply capabilities and contribute to their increased needs for reinforced composite materials to reduce weight and fuel consumption and to reduce assembly costs by integrated part design. For Solvay this production expansion results in greater flexibility to strengthen our growth in innovative composite materials and our leading position in the industry.” (GK)