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BMW and SGL to triple production capacity at Moses Lake carbon fiber plant with $200M expansion; world’s largest carbon fiber plant

Green Car Congress

A production line for carbon fiber takes the PAN precursor through two stages (stabilization/oxidation and carbonization) and then to winding. The site expansion, scheduled to be completed by early 2015, will make the plant in Moses Lake the world’s largest carbon fiber plant. 3,000 tons of carbon fiber.

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Toyota using Mitsubishi Rayon’s carbon fiber SMC for hatch door frame of new Prius PHV

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Mitsubishi Rayon (MRC) (which is now consolidated into Mitsubishi Chemical , along with Mitsubishi Plastis and the former Mitsubishi Chemical) recently announced that its carbon fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) has been adopted for the rear hatch frame of the new Toyota Prius PHV.

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Mitsubishi Rayon acquires majority of carbon fiber reinforced plastics company Wethje; targeting auto industry

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Mitsubishi Rayon Co. MRC) recently executed a share sales and purchase agreement by which it will acquire 51% of Wethje Holding GmbH , a German company engaged in manufacturing of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) parts for automobile applications, from Wethje parent Cross Industries AG.

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Continental Structural Plastics and Mitsubishi Rayon exploring joint venture for carbon fiber automotive structural components

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Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi Rayon (MRC), regarding the development and manufacturing of innovative carbon fiber structural components for the automotive industry in North America. Also key was reducing the cycle time associated with the use of carbon fiber.

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Enter BMW — with Carbon Fiber

Revenge of the Electric Car

BMW MegaCity Urban Electric Car To Be Built of Carbon Fiber. First, the raw feedstock to make carbon fibers–just call it a “polacrylonitrile-based precursor&# –is made in Japan by a joint venture between SGL and Mitsubishi Rayon and flown to the U.S. April 7th, 2010. Japan –> U.S.

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Consortium Develops Automotive Carbon Fiber Material as Easy to Process as Metal

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and Mitsubishi Rayon Co. ( has developed a new automotive carbon fiber material that is as easy to process as metal. The material, which is made from carbon fiber and a plastic that becomes shapeable with heat, took just two minutes to mold in trials. The consortium will work with Toyota Motor Corp.,

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SGL Group and BMW Group JV to Build New Carbon Fiber Plant; Output Exclusively for Upcoming Megacity Vehicle

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SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC, the joint venture between SGL Group and BMW Group ( earlier post ), will build a carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, WA. In the next step, the facility in Moses Lake will convert the polyacrylic fibers into the actual carbon fibers.