Since Covestro’s (Leverkusen / Germany; www.covestro.com) acquisition of German company Thermoplast Composite in 2015, the group has invested a double-digit million-euro sum in the subsidiary, since renamed Covestro Thermoplast Composite and based in Markt Bibart / Germany. It has now begun series production of films and sheet, unidirectional (UD) reinforced with continuous carbon or glass fibres. The matrix material in the semi-finished products is predominantly polycarbonate, although TPU and other thermoplastics are also used.

Part of the investment was used to finance the move from the company’s original site in Langenfeld / Germany to nearby Markt Bibart. There, the workforce of 10 has since become 50, and the medium-term aim is to raise this to 70 employees.

Until now, tapes and sheet have been processed into products such as laptop covers, bags and suitcases as well as bicycle parts. According to CEO Patrick Thomas, Covestro is seeking further customers especially in automotive production. A report in German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung says the first manufacturers have already experimented with the UD reinforced products. Thomas can easily imagine carbon fibre-reinforced parts as a substitute for steel within the next three years. Another plant would then also be conceivable, for example, in China.