Hexcel to Invest in New European Carbon Fibre Facility

Hexcel has announced plans to invest $250 million to expand its carbon fibre production capacity through the addition of new precursor and carbon fibre lines in Roussillon, France.

In recent years the company has increased its precursor and carbon fibre capacities through expansions at existing facilities. The new facility in France will allow Hexcel to better support its European customer base and will also speed up the the supply chain by adding precursor and additional carbon fibre capacity.

Hexcel’s Chairman, CEO and President, Nick Stanage said;

I am delighted to announce Hexcel’s investment in our first precursor plant in Europe and our first carbon fibre capacity in France. The state of the art manufacturing facilities that we will build demonstrate our commitment to technology expansion around the world to provide an efficient global supply chain in support of customer programs.

The new French plant will occupy a 37 acre site at the Osiris Chemicals Industry Platform in Roussillon, which is close to Hexcel’s weaving and prepreg manufacturing facilities near Lyon. Carbon fibre from the new plant will be supplied to Hexcel customers including Airbus for the A350 XWB and Safran for the CFM LEAP engine. Construction of the new plant will begin by mid–2015 and it is expected to employ 120 people when fully operational in early 2018.