More carbon fiber coming.

Three more recent announcements join a host of projects worldwide to ease shortages of carbon fibers in the face of runaway demand growth of 15%/yr:

* Toray Industries, Inc., of Tokyo is adding capacity for PAN-based Torayca fiber at three sites in Japan, France, and the U.S. The additional aircraft-grade fiber will be needed for production of Boeing Co.'s new B787 next year. The expansions, due for completion in early 2009, will add 3.96 million lb/yr at Toray Carbon Fibers America, Inc., in Decatur, Ala., and a total of 4.84 million lb/yr in France and Japan. Toray is also adding 5.8 million [m.sup.2] of prepreg capacity at Toray Composites America, Inc., Tacoma, Wash., and a similar amount in Japan.

* Cytec Industries Inc., W. Paterson, N.J., has chosen Greenville, S.C., as the site for a 33% expansion in capacity for Thornel T300, T650, and T40/800 fibers used in military, aerospace, and industrial applications. It is due in 2010.

* SGL Carbon, Wiesbaden, Germany, has a new fiber production line due on stream in Inverness, Scotland, in August and is planning another line there to be ready in 2008. A third new line, due next year, is planned as part of a joint venture with Lenzing AG in Germany. Together, these additions will triple SGL's capacity to 13.2 million lb/yr. SGL just completed in December a plant for carbon-fiber prepreg in Meitingen, Germany. One use of this product is in wind-energy blades. And in January, SGL Carbon bought a majority interest in a joint venture with F.A. Kumpers GmbH for making multiaxial carbon-fiber fabrics used in wind-energy and automotive composites. U.S. sales are through SGL Technic Ltd., Gardena, Calif.