This is funded by the Department of Science Innovation and Technology’s ‘Research and Innovation Organisations Infrastructure Fund’.
Watch the 3D animation here.
The development lines represent a step-change in UK carbon fibre capability, equipping industry with a new manufacturing testbed to develop more sustainable carbon fibres, boost supply chain resilience and de-risk investments.
Carbon fibre has an integral role to play in the transition to Net Zero and represents a unique industrial opportunity for the UK. Global demand for the material is forecast to increase 18% by 2030, outstripping supply by as much as 200 kt [1].
National Composites Centre: A New National Asset for Carbon Fibre Innovation
This capability will become the UK’s first open access manufacturing facility for continuous carbon fibre production, utilising the latest digital technologies to accelerate the development of new products. The facility will include a spinning line to produce precursor fibres and a carbonisation line to produce carbon fibre tows, including surface treatment.
Continuous Carbon Fibre Production and Tow Development
Crucially, the lines will produce tows with industrial scale filament counts and in volumes sufficient for small part manufacturing and testing. National Composites Centre has partnered with Cygnet Texkimp (Northwich, UK), who have utilised their world-class expertise in fibre handling and processing to lead the design and build of the two lines.
Mark Summers, Executive Director of Technology at National Composites Centre, said: “This unique capability will help revitalise UK carbon fibre innovation and catalyse industrial growth. Building on the UK's strong chemical expertise, it will enable NCC, alongside our customer and partners, to translate and industrialise innovative new processes and train the next generation of carbon fibre production engineers.”
Luke Vardy, CEO of Cygnet Texkimp, said: “Cygnet Texkimp is delighted to fulfil a major long-term ambition to transfer decades of unique and extensive knowledge of oxidation and carbonisation technology within our business into a live UK research facility. The capability that the National Composites Centre is developing has great international importance and industrial relevance and is vital for successful future innovation in carbon fibre production.”
Next Steps for the National Composites Centre
The development lines will be built and tested in late 2025, with the ambition of working with NCC customers, members and partners to enable the first projects from early 2026.
