Japanese carbon fibre manufacturer Toray (Tokyo / Japan; www.toray.com) is extending its long-term supply agreement with aircraft giant Boeing (Seattle, Washington / USA; www.boeing.com), announcing additional investment in the US. At Spartanburg, South Carolina, the company is expanding production of CF yarns for the prepregs production of its US subsidiary Toray Industries – see Plasteurope.com of 21.11.2014).

The new investment, which follows the deal for the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” aircraft, will support the production of prepregs for Boeing’s new "777X" model. The recently renewed contract is worth USD 11 bn (EUR 10 bn) for an additional 10 years.

To fill the order, Toray is investing almost EUR 380m in a 2,000 t/y integrated yarn facility to produce the prepreg precursor. The first phase of the company’s enhanced presence in the US carbon fibre and composites market – which will represent half the investment sum – is due to begin production in May 2017. The output volume agreed with Boeing in 2019 is expected to be reached two years later.

CRP prepregs are used, for example, in the 787’s fuselage and wings. At the end of 2014, Boeing announced plans to increase production capacity of the 787 model from currently 10 to 12 planes per month up to the end of 2016 and subsequently to 14 planes per month up to 2020. Boeing expects to deliver the 777X, successor to the "777" currently in use, beginning in 2020.