November 8, 2017 — Solvay completes the acquisition of European Carbon Fiber GmbH ("ECF"), a German manufacturer of large tow (50K) polyacrylonitrile (PAN) carbon fiber "raw silk". With this acquisition, Solvay has laid a deep foundation for development, can lead the trend of the use of composite materials in automotive applications, serve specific industrial markets, and support the exploration of the potential for large tow fibers in the aerospace sector.
"The strategic acquisition of ECF allows Solvay to develop a large tow carbon fiber product portfolio to complement our existing pitch-based and PAN aviation-grade carbon fiber product portfolio. A comprehensive product portfolio will enable Solvay to become the aviation, automotive, and industrial markets in the future A key supplier in the field. With this acquisition, Solvay will be able to leverage its strengths in polymer and materials science to drive breakthrough innovation in large tow carbon fiber, "said Carmelo Lo Faro, President of Solvay Composites Global Business Unit Said.
The vertical integration including large tow carbon fiber technology will give Solvay the power to ensure long-term supply of cost-effective materials to its customers.
About Solvay Composites
Solvay's newly established Global Business Unit Composites Division is a global provider of technologically advanced lightweight materials solutions that help customers in the aviation, automotive, and other demanding industries design, develop, and efficiently manufacture high-quality, high-performance complex composite structural materials. The Composites Division is a leader in advanced materials science, chemistry, and applied engineering, with an extremely broad product portfolio, including prepregs, resin systems, adhesives and veneers, carbon fibers, fabrics, abrasive processing, and vacuum bag forming supplies . The Solvay Composites division is a merger of the former Cytec Aerospace Materials and Industrial Materials divisions.