Zoltek announced on April 6 that it will expand production of its Nyergesújfalu carbon fiber plant in Hungary.
According to the plan, the annual capacity of the Hungarian plant will increase by 50% to 15,000 tons/year. After completion, the global production capacity of Zircon PX35 carbon fiber will reach 25,000 tons.
At present, Zoltek produces only 50K carbon filaments, which are produced in Hungary and Mexico respectively. This carbon filament is an ideal material for many commercial applications, especially in the field of wind power and automotive, which is bullish on the upside. 'We think of wind turbine blades. Demand for carbon fiber in auto parts will continue to grow. After this expansion is achieved, it is precisely to meet the market demand in these two areas. 'Zoltek's president and CEO, COO Yoshihiro Takeuchi, said.
This PX35 carbon filament is currently used in many car brands, including Cadillac ATS/CTS and Audi A8.
Zoltek said that the expansion will cost about 130 million U.S. dollars and bring about 350 jobs at the same time. The Hungarian government will provide financial support for more than 8 billion forints (Hungarian currency, about 34.16 million U.S. dollars).
In this regard, Zoltek's parent company, Toray official website in Japan, commented that European automotive manufacturers are the leaders in the application of carbon fiber composite automotive products. The expansion of the Hungarian factory will help ZallTech to establish a more timely and efficient supply system. To meet the needs of automotive applications.
Toray said that with the expansion of the Mexican plant and the Hungarian plant, it will further stabilize Zoltek as the world’s number one leader in the large tow carbon fiber field and build a supply system that is 'overwhelming'.