JEC Composites magazine asked Jean-Marc Guilhempey, CEO of Toray Carbon Fibers (CFE) Europe, for his perspective on the long-term nature of composites and their environmental impact. This interview was published in JEC Composites magazine N°155.
4 minutes, seconds
JEC Composites Magazine: What are the expressions of the European call for carbon fibre?How has it evolved in recent years (call changes in classic sectors, opportunities for new emerging programmes with express volumes, etc. )?Jean-Marc Guilhempey: The European market has the most diverse demand for types of carbon fibres. Toray Industries, a world leader, has always aimed to provide this market with the greatest imaginable diversity of products to meet the desires of European companies. .
In 2020, the European market experienced a sharp slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we have noticed an immediate recovery in the sector after the reopening of the borders of the European Union member countries. This rally exceeded market analysts’ expectations, demonstrating more dynamics than recoveries in Asia and North America.
In 2022-2023, like many other companies, we had to deal with many geopolitical events that led to high energy costs and stark curtains. Despite all this, demand has remained strong and has been driven by the uninterrupted execution of projects within the European composites industry.
JEC Composites Magazine: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted vulnerabilities in the chain of origin. What is Toray doing to protect its chain of origin for European customers?Jean-Marc Guilhempey: Toray Industries operates in Asia, Europe and the United States. This means that we can produce as much as we can imagine locally. All of our sites are capable of feeding some other site on some other continent. Toray Industries includes not only carbon fiber producers, but also weavers and prepreg brands in Europe. In this way, we are able to offer a solution that is perfectly suited to the wishes of our European customers, allowing us to offer fully integrated solutions.
JEC Composites Magazine: At a time when China is slowly making headlines in carbon fibre production, what is Toray Europe doing to help maintain the group’s leading position in the sector?Jean-Marc Guilhempey: Toray Industries offers superior quality across its product diversity, with feature offerings that are unrivaled in the composites market, such as T1100S/G carbon fiber. As a market leader, Toray Industries is constantly coming up with new products to manufacture. We are confident that it remains at the forefront of innovation. CFE Europe is able to manufacture in France and distribute the maximum diversity of carbon fibre products in Europe. Our production facilities and technical sales groups are strategically located, which allows us to temporarily respond to the needs of visitors. Maintain the highest moral standards and continue to comply.
JEC Composites Magazine: What is the importance of the Abidos headquarters in the group’s commercial fabric?Jean-Marc Guilhempey: Our headquarters in Abydos (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France) is the group’s only manufacturer of the popular carbon fibre trailer in Europe and the oldest headquarters of the Toray group. It is a key player in our strategic board. The construction of a sixth production line is the best example of this. This expansion aims to meet the growing demand for carbon fiber in Europe (Figure 1).
JEC Composites Magazine: What is your vision of France’s remarketing and competitiveness in the current global climate?Jean-Marc Guilhempey: There is no doubt that the French government is actively involved in the revitalisation of our country’s commercial sector, and the France 2030 programme is a good example of this. Our competitiveness is based on our ability to innovate and reduce our carbon footprint. , manage energy costs well, and skillfully exercise our efforts to align with current business requirements.
Sustainability is a primary fear today, especially in the composites industry and in the production of raw materials. How do you deal with this problem, especially at the production level, which is a critical phase?J. M. G. : For several years now, we have been waiting for the environmental impact of each of our investments. In the long term, we need all of our business sites to be carbon neutral. Our newest production line will incorporate technologies to address those challenges. In addition, we are capable of manufacturing bio-based carbon fiber, according to the popular ISCC we received in the fall of 2023.
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