Japanese carbon fibre maker Toray is enhancing its US production facility for TORAYCA prepreg (resin-impregnated carbon fibre sheets). It plans to introduce a high-performance facility suitable for producing high-value added prepreg for aircraft and automobile applications. The new facility is expected to start production in January 2016.

The firm produces TORAYCA prepreg mainly for aerospace and automobile applications for the US market and its existing production facilities have been operating at full capacity, following the monthly assembly rate of Boeing 787 reached 10 s/s in November 2013.

The production facility enhancement at TCA is in response to Boeing Company’s decision in October 2013 to raise the number of monthly assembly rate of 787 aircraft to 12 in 2016 from the current 10 s/s. The plan is aimed at achieving a stable supply of TORAYCA prepreg for 787 aircraft by obtaining production line qualification by Boeing.

Toray is currently constructing the 2nd production line at the Ishikawa Plant in Japan for high value added prepreg for industrial applications such as chassis for IT devices and automobile outer panels (hood, roof, etc.) that require high quality stability, and the added facility is expected to start production in February 2015. In addition, the Group in December 2013 shipped prepreg for 787 aircraft for the first time from Ishikawa Plant, also as part of the moves to enhance prepreg supply network and to actively pursue higher added values of the products at the three production bases including Ehime Plant.

With the expansion of facilities, Toray will not only be able to fully meet the demand from increased production of the Boeing 787s but also to further strengthen the stable supply structure for its prepreg sheets to cater to the high value-added products market, where the demand is expected to increase more in the future.

Carbon fibre composite materials are materials that not only promote energy savings by reducing the weight of automobiles and aircrafts but also are advanced materials that contribute to the spread of new energy through its use in windmill blades and pressure vessels for storing and transporting shale gas, etc. Toray says it is planning to actively expand the carbon fibre composite materials business in the next medium-term management program, currently under consideration, as a business that would drive the profit expansion for the company.