The Future of Carbon Fiber

The future of Carbon Fiber is very bright, with vast potential in many different industries. Among them are:

• Alternate Energy –– Wind turbines, compressed natural gas storage and transportation, fuel cells
• Fuel Efficient Automobiles –– Currently used in small production, high performance automobiles, but moving toward large production series cars
• Construction and Infrastructure –– Light weight pre-cast concrete, earth quake protection
• Oil Exploration –– Deep Sea drilling platforms, buoyancy, umbilical, choke, and kill lines, drill pipes

The Commercialization Concept

In order to fully develop carbon fibers in these industries and others, carbon fiber manufacturers need to continue to increase their capacity and change their mindset so that they are committed to the commercialization concept. The ideal conditions that would allow the carbon fiber industry to reach its vast potential are if carbon manufacturers:

• Target new applications
• Develop new and lower cost technology
• Reinvest profits with long term objectives in mind – no small operators focusing on low volume, high price
• Fully understand supplier’s costs and future strategy
• Identify and focus on market driver’s
• Work to aggressively reduce costs
• Consolidate so that weaker players help strengthen the stronger ones
• Share incremental improvements to help support market growth
• Understand that the primary competitors to carbon fibers are other materials, not other carbon fiber manufacturers