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#Yarn & Fiber

Toray to boost large-tow carbon fiber production

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that U.S. subsidiary Zoltek Companies, Inc., will bolster its large-tow carbon fiber (with more than 40,000 filaments) production capacity in 2023. The upgrade will cost around USD$130 million (around ¥14 billion). A Zoltek facility in Jalisco, Mexico, will lift its annual capacity around 54%, to more than 20,000 tons, boosting the combined annual capacity of that company’s Mexican and Hungarian operations to about 35,000 metric tons. 

Toray expects the market for this fiber to expand over the medium through long terms. That is because of growing deployments of wind power as an eco-friendly source of renewable energy. An associated factor is rising demand for longer and lighter blades to boost generating efficiency, fueling the use of carbon fiber, which is lightweight, strong, and rigid. The capacity increase will stabilize supplies to cater to expanding large tow carbon fiber demand. Zoltek will keep drawing on production facilities in the United States, Hungary, and Mexico to take advantage of increasing global demand, particularly for wind turbine blades. 

Toray has made expanding globally in promising areas a central strategy under Project AP-G2022, its medium-term management program. The company is accordingly pursuing growth in energy applications for the carbon fiber composites. Toray will fully leverage its comprehensive capabilities in keeping with its corporate philosophy of contributing to society and help materialize a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. 


Profile of Zoltek Companies, Inc.

1.   Business:  Manufacturing and selling large-tow carbon fiber composite materials and flame-resistant fibers

2.   Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.

3.   Established: 1975 (became Toray subsidiary in February 2014)

4.   Representative: Nobuya Ando, President and CEO



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#Recycling / Circular Economy

Toray develops recycling technology that retains carbon fiber strength and surface quality

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it has developed a recycling technology that can decompose diverse carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) made from thermosetting resins while retaining the strength and surface quality of those fibers. The company drew on this technology to create a nonwoven fabric employing recycled carbon fibers.

#Composites

HEAD launches more sustainable(1) BOOM RAW racquet on Earth Day by using Toray’s bio-circular carbon fibers

HEAD continues to innovate with the launch of the BOOM RAW tennis racquet, an encouraging development in the search for a more sustainable future for racquet sports. All of the carbon fibers are bio-circular carbon fibers in the limited-edition and highly innovative BOOM RAW racquet, which offers the same explosive power - along with the same fun, feel and easy playability - as the regular, in-line BOOM racquet. The bio-circular carbon fibers are manufactured by Toray and its subsidiary Toray Carbon Fibers Europe.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Companies in Japan initiate demonstration to expand the automotive recycling process

DENSO CORPORATION and other partners have been chosen by an industry-government-academia collaborative project aiming to expand the recycle content for automobile in the fiscal year 2023 supported by Ministry of the Environment, Japan.

#Yarn & Fiber

Toray develops durable reverse osmosis membrane

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it has developed a highly durable reverse osmosis (RO) membrane (see glossary note 1). This innovative offering guarantees the long-term provision of high-quality water. It also maintains the superior removal performance of Toray’s existing membranes vital for reusing industrial wastewater and treating sewage.

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#Yarns

Durak Tekstil to showcase its innovations for mattress industry at ISPA EXPO 2026

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#Yarns

B.I.G. Yarns achieves EcoVadis Platinum Rating, ranking among top 1% of companies worldwide

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#Heimtextil 2026

Eastman Naia™ expands All-Night Comfort at Heimtextil 2026

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#Heimtextil 2026

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#Raw Materials

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

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#Weaving

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

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#Recycled_Fibers

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

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#Functional Fabrics

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

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