SGL Group – The Carbon Company – has inaugurated a new production line for precursor at its FISIPE site in Lavradio, Portugal.
Precursor is a polymer-based fiber which is used as the main raw material for the production of carbon fibers. The production line has been set up by converting and enhancing parts of the existing production facility in Lavradio.
In total, €30 million has been invested in Lavradio over a four-year span into different elements of the precursor production including the spinning line.
As part of the global production network of SGL Group, the precursor from Portugal is being used as of September for the production of our new generation of high-end industrial SIGRAFIL carbon fibers in Moses Lake, Washington, the US and Muir of Ord, Scotland.
The carbon fibers will then be used in various applications in the automotive, aerospace, as well as in other industries, according to the company.
“With the new precursor line at our Lavradio site we now have the complete value chain of high quality carbon fiber materials available in-house to further support our customers in developing and utilizing innovative lightweight solutions,” commented Andreas Wüllner, Chairman of the business unit Composites – Fibers & Materials (CFM) at SGL Group.
In addition, the completion of the precursor production line enables the further development of business and set-up of the FISIPE site in Lavradio, Portugal. FISIPE has established as a specialist for acrylic fibers. Under the umbrella of SGL Group – which acquired FISIPE in April 2012 – the acrylic fiber business is maintained while the precursor production has been set up.
Source : China Plastic & Rubber Journal
