LeMond to Develop New Carbon Fibre Production Facility after Successful Tests

LeMond Carbon has announced the results of an independent technical audit conducted by Bureau Veritas (“BV”) of its carbon fibre manufacturing process. The audit was conducted on a pilot line at Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus facility in Geelong, Australia. The total oxidation time and material properties verified by BV support LeMond’s claims to lower costs and significantlDeakiny increase output versus traditional carbon fibre technology.

Bureau Veritas measured total oxidation times of sub-15 and sub-20 minutes over two separate production campaigns of 24K standard modulus (SM) carbon fibre, achieving fibre tow properties in excess of 270 GPa tensile modulus and 3,500 MPa tensile strength.

The BV audit was conducted on Carbon Nexus’s 100 metric ton (nameplate) pilot line which is currently producing samples for trials with LeMond’s target customers in several SM industrial markets. In addition to accurately measuring oxidation times and assuring process traceability, BV oversaw the fibre sampling, packaging and shipping of audit samples for extensive testing at the BV laboratories in Pessac, France. Composite tow tests of the LeMond fibre were completed according to ASTM D 4018-17 standards.

This is a significant milestone for our company. Having our technology independently verified by BV validates the revolutionary nature of our technology. My team and I are excited to bring our high-performance low-cost carbon fibre to the global market and look forward to expanding into new markets where the current high cost of carbon fibre has been a significant barrier to adoption Greg LeMond, Founder and Chairman of the Board of LeMond Carbon

LeMond and Deakin University are teamed to commercialise this innovative technology which enables reductions of 75% and 70% in Capex and energy consumption per kilo of output respectively. The rapid oxidation process enables LeMond to produce carbon fibre with the lowest embodied energy of any standard PAN-based carbon fibre available today.

Having proven the capability to successfully produce a competitive standard modulus carbon fibre, LeMond has launched a new capital raise to develop a 5,400-metric ton (nameplate) production facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. To date, parent LeMond Companies LLC has raised approximately USD 18.6M of seed capital from individual and institutional investors, including Deakin University.