Composites Companies

June 2023

The world's largest producer of lightweight cross-linked polyolefin block foams and an expert in cutting-edge technical foams, Zotefoams, and Solvay, a market leader in polymers and composite materials, have entered into a long-term supply agreement for Solef polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The high-performance closed-cell crosslinked aerospace foam line from Zotefoams, called ZOTEK F, will be manufactured using solef. The partnership will focus on ducting, carpet underlay, environmental control systems, and insulation, among other interior aerospace applications where low weight, high flame retardancy, and economical processability are critical.

February 2023

Toray Industries (Tokyo, Japan) announces that it has provided prepreg and carbon fiber from Torayca to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, Tokyo) for its H3 launch vehicle, which replaces its H-IIA rocket. Utilizing high-strength carbon fiber and high-toughness resin, Torayca prepreg was recently adopted for the payload fairing section of the launch vehicle, which is where satellites and other payloads are loaded. Carbon fiber was also used in the H-IIA for the H3 motor case, which is the section of the rocket body that stores solid fuel and functions as the combustion chamber.

According to Toray, the need for launch vehicles has been growing yearly, and the use of satellites has increased recently in a number of industries, including communications, broadcasting, Earth observation, positioning (GPS), and disaster relief. The use of composite materials is anticipated to increase in the future due to the need for lower launch costs and improved performance. Toray will keep providing Torayca products to meet this demand.

PPG Industries, Inc. (US), Hexion (US), Jushi Group Co., Ltd (China), Toray Industries Inc. (Japan), Owens Corning (US), Teijin Limited (Japan), Hexcel Corporation (US), SGL Carbon (Germany), Mitsubishi Chemicals Corporation (Japan), Solvay (Belgium), and Huntsman International LLC (US) are the key players operating in the Composites market.