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Toray Industries Expands Carbon Fiber Business
Japan's Toray Industries, the world's leading producer of carbon fiber, recently announced that its Ehime Carbon Fiber Factory in Japan will complete an additional 1,000 tons of annual production capacity by July 2009. This expansion will allow the company to manufacture its renowned Torayca brand at the facility in Ehime Prefecture. With this development, the company’s total polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fiber production capacity is expected to reach 8,300 tons per year.
The project also involves the construction of a new carbonation facility aimed at producing ultrafine carbon fibers suitable for industrial applications. These advanced fibers offer excellent formability, making them ideal for use in automotive components, bicycle frames, and industrial robots. The entire project is backed by a total investment of 1.6 billion yen, approximately $148.7 million.
Prior to this, Toray had already announced expansions at its carbon fiber facilities in France and the United States. Its U.S. subsidiary plans to increase production capacity at its Alabama plant by 1,800 tons per year, while the French subsidiary is expanding its Abidos plant by a similar amount. Both projects were set to be completed by the end of 2008. When combined with the Ehime expansion, Toray’s global PAN-based carbon fiber production capacity will rise from 14,300 tons to 18,900 tons annually.
Looking ahead, Toray aims to further expand its production to 25,000 tons per year by the end of 2010, in response to the growing demand for carbon fiber across industries such as aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy. According to internal estimates, global PAN-based carbon fiber production capacity currently stands at 35,000 tons per year, with demand increasing by an average of 15% annually. By 2010, global demand is expected to reach 53,000 tons per year.
Once all expansion projects are completed, Toray will account for 47% of the world’s PAN-based carbon fiber production capacity and hold a 38% market share. This strategic growth underscores the company’s strong position in the global carbon fiber industry and its commitment to meeting rising demand across multiple sectors.