Japan's Sojitz Corporation announced that it will invest in IsoTruss, a start-up company producing carbon fiber structures. The investment will be made through a third-party allotment method, with the goal of accelerating the expansion of Sojitz Corporation`s telecommunications infrastructure business in Asia.
IsoTruss uses composite materials (such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic) to build signal transmission towers and other structural buildings. The IsoTruss structure has an original grid structure design with excellent resistance to bending and torsion. Since this grid structure uses less materials, it is lighter and requires lower material costs than other carbon fiber structures.
Compared with traditional steel towers, IsoTruss has a lightweight structure, easy transportation and installation, strong corrosion resistance and a service life of decades. It has shown obvious advantages in terms of life cycle cost, and it can also play an advantage as a disaster-resistant structure in Asia where typhoon-related tower damage is concerned. The IsoTruss structure can be used in coastal areas where salt damage often occurs, as well as island areas that may pose challenges to transportation. In addition, with the introduction of 5G, the IsoTruss structure is expected to help meet the growing demand for rooftop telecom towers and monopole towers in cities.
Through its investment in IsoTruss, Sojitz Corporation will obtain the exclusive right to sell IsoTruss products in Asia. In addition to planning to establish a production base in Asia, Sojitz is also committed to establishing partnerships with mobile network operators and telecom tower companies in the region. In November last year, Sojitz Corporation entered the telecommunications tower business in Myanmar and will establish synergy with this business.