Teijin has reported the opening of a technical center, the Teijin Composites Application Center (TCAC), on April 1, 2012. This center, which will be located in Auburn Hills, Michigan will develop carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite products for automotive and other industrial uses.
The TCAC belongs to Teijin Advanced Composites America (TACA), which was formed during December 2011 for development and commercialization of CFRTP composite product applications.
The CFRTP composite business of Teijin has focused on its new technology for manufacturing CFRTP parts in high volumes along with cycle times of lower than a minute, which is highly significant since it overcomes the biggest issues occurring in the automotive industry and will go a long way in enabling increase of carbon fiber usage in automobiles and additional products.
Teijin inked a contract with General Motors in December in order to co-develop enhanced carbon fiber composite technologies for bulk usage in GM trucks, cars and crossovers. This co-development will happen at the TCAC.
Due to TCAC opening, another milestone is marked in the expansion of carbon fiber composite business of Teijin across the world. Teijin, as a manufacturer of carbon fiber composite products, will continue the market development and has aimed yearly sales from 150 to 200 billion yen by 2020.
Source: http://www.teijin.co.jp/