BMW & SGL Investing $200 Milllion to triple Carbon Fiber output.

[G. David Felt]

G. David Felt
Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer
www.CheersandGears.com

 

Carbon Fibre Production to Triple

 

 

SGL an American Company and BMW of Germany have announced a $200 million dollar investment to expand Carbon Fibre production at their Moses Lake Washington state production plant. This comes on top of their commitment last year to double capacity in 2013.

 

Soaring demand from the auto industry and airplane industry for carbon fibre caused the joint venture production plant to double capacity from the current 3000 tones a year to 6000 tones by the end of this year with the addition of production line 3 and 4. This expansion announced last year was due to the perceived larger than expected sales of the BMW i cars. 

 

Now the joint venture between SGL and BMW will bring online a 5th and 6th production line by the end of 2015 at the Moses Lake Washington plant. This $200 million additional investment will make this carbon fiber production plant the largest in the world producing 9000 tones of Carbon fiber.

 

Currently the plants productions is a 100% for the BMW i auto's. Quoting the SGL / BMW companies say "that applications involving carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are projected to grow in future vehicle concepts and believe the material offers new opportunities in lightweight construction for an eco-friendly mobility."

 

The spools of carbon fibre material is then shipped and processed at the second joint venture site in Germany. Here they are then turned into textile carbon fiber layers, the starting point for the production of CFRP body parts at the BMW plants.

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

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