Airbus, Dreamliner Delays Slow Carbon Fiber Expansion

A massiveexpansion in global carbon-fiber capacity that began two years ago is slowingdown just a bit due to economic weakness and delays in major aircraft programs,such Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

MitsubishiRayon Co. announced it willpostpone for approximately one year the start of production at its new carbonfiber plant in the Otake Production Centerin Japan.

Constructionwork was halted.

A hugebuildup in carbon-fiber capacity began in 2007 when it became apparent thatBoeing and Airbus planned to use carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic composites asa major structural material in new commercial aircraft. Meanwhile, demand alsorose from other applications, ranging from wind turbine blades to pressurevessels. 

TheDreamliner became the fastest selling wide-body airliner in history with closeto 600 orders. The plane was originally scheduled to enter into service in May 2008,but is currently scheduled to enter into service in Q1 2010. Original delayswere caused by shortages of fasteners and other production-related issues. Morerecently, orders slowed due to weakness in the global economy.

"Due to therecent worldwide economic downturn, demand for carbon fiber in several marketsectors is expected to remain stagnant and the development of new applicationsare being delayed," says Hiroyuki Kinoshita, president of Grafil, Inc., a 100-percent-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Rayon.

Here's alook at the planned expansions in carbon fiber:

Toray Industries. The biggest global supplier ofcarbon fiber, and the prime carbon-fiber supplier to Boeing, Toray will reach acapacity of 42 million lbs of carbon fiber this year, up from 21 million lbs in 2005. Toray will open this July an additional carbonization plant forspecial thin fibers with a production capacity of 2.2 million lbs in Ehime, Japan.The thin fibers are ideal for injection molding of components for bicycles,automotive parts, industrial robots and secondary structural elements foraircraft, such as rotor blades, flaps and spoilers. Toray plans to boost its productioncapacity to 55 million lbs by 2010. In the next expansion phase, which couldbe delayed by the economy, Toray will produce a medium-elasticity,high-strength carbon fiber for primary structural elements of aircraft. One of the applications will be the tail ofthe first Japanese-made small passenger jetliner under development byMitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

Airbus Dreamliner Delays Slow Carbon Fiber Expansion A