Toray Buys Out Carbon Fiber Partner

Global carbon fiber leader Toray Industries has purchased from Arkema the 30% stake it did not already own in French carbon fiber maker Société des Fibres de Carbone. SOFICAR, which has an annual carbon fiber capacity of 5,200 metric tons, has served as Japan-based Toray’s carbon fiber center in Europe since it increased its ownership stake from 35% to 70% in 1988. Toray also produces carbon fiber, used in aerospace composites, in Japan and the U.S. It plans to install new polyacrylonitrile feedstock and fiber capacity at SOFICAR to meet growing global demand, which it sets at nearly 40,000 tons in 2011.