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Teijin opening US Composite Application Center; co-development of CFRTP with GM

Teijin Limited is opening the Teijin Composites Application Center (TCAC) to develop automotive and other industrial applications of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite products in Auburn Hills, Michigan. In December 2011, Teijin signed an agreement with GM to co-develop advanced carbon fiber composite technologies for potential high-volume use in GM cars, trucks and crossovers. (Earlier post.) This co-development will take place at the TCAC.

The TCAC is part of Teijin Advanced Composites America Inc. (TACA), a company Teijin established in December 2011 to conduct marketing and develop applications for CFRTP composite products. TACA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Teijin Holdings USA, Inc., the Teijin Group’s holding company in the United States.

Teijin’s CFRTP composite business is centered on its novel technology for high volume production of CFRTP components with cycle times of less than a minute, a breakthrough that overcomes one of the biggest challenges in the automotive industry and represents a long stride towards the increasing usage of carbon fiber in automobiles and other products.

The opening of the TCAC will mark another milestone in Teijin’s global expansion of its carbon fiber composite business. Teijin says it will continue to develop markets in the field of carbon fiber composite products, aiming at annual sales of €150 billion to €200 billion (US$1.8 billion to US$2.4 billion ) by around 2020.

Comments

kelly

" In December 2011, Teijin signed an agreement with GM to co-develop advanced carbon fiber composite technologies for potential high-volume use in GM cars, trucks and crossovers. (Earlier post.) This co-development will take place at the TCAC."

More of our $50 billion US GM bailout tax dollars at work in Asia.

HarveyD

This is what may be required to convince GM and others to use more composites to make much lighter more efficient cars.

Lighter vehicles will benefit electric vehicles most.

kelly

Meanwhile, BMW builds it's carbon fiber factory in Oregon.

GM doesn't need to further betray EVs and transportation with US taxpayer paid for ICE factories in Asia.

SJC

Whether they do it in China or Oregon, it reduces fossil fuel usage through light weight efficiency.

I am glad to see them making progress, lighter and stronger cars will save fuel and save lives, it is all good.

ToppaTom

Now that gas prices are high, the auto makers are FINALLY working to rapidly evolve better mpg by more efficient engines and lighter weight.

Why did they not do this before?

Because gas was cheap.

Isn't government help required?

No. That didn't work so well with the ZEV/AT-PZEV vehicles ( EV1/RAV4EV/others).

We have private enterprise, Toyota, to thank for keeping the Prius in production for more than a decade through thin and thick. Over 1 million sold in the US, and although sales peaked in 2007, it gets better all the time.

Nissan has the Leaf; doing quite well, for an EV.

The federal government and GM have the Volt; yes, well. .

The world awaits better batteries.

EVs advance slowly but the pace is increasing.

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