Against the backdrop of domestic demand and strong pressure from overseas companies, the domestic small-tow carbon fiber industry is accelerating its localization

According to the classification of mechanical properties, carbon fiber can be divided into small tows and large tows. Small tow carbon fibers refer to each bundle of carbon fibers between 01,000 and 12,000, while large tow carbon fibers refer to each bundle. The number of carbon fiber bundles is more than 48,000. The production process of small tow carbon fiber is more demanding and the production cost is higher, but the comprehensive performance is also better. It is currently mainly used in high value-added fields such as national defense and military industry, aerospace and aerospace.

From a global perspective, the United States, Japan and China are the main producing countries of carbon fiber, but the United States has a higher production capacity, reaching about 40,000 tons, while China’s theoretical production capacity is about 37,000 tons, and the total global carbon fiber production capacity is about 180,000 tons. However, in terms of actual production, my country’s carbon fiber production technology is insufficient, products are mostly concentrated in low-end fields, and the industry operating rate is low. In 2020, my country’s actual carbon fiber sales volume was less than 20,000 tons.

In terms of demand, my country’s carbon fiber demand will be approximately 50,000 tons in 2020, and demand is showing a rapid growth trend. However, due to low domestic carbon fiber production, it relies on imports to meet demand. In 2020, my country’s carbon fiber imports will reach about 30,000 tons, accounting for 60% of total demand.

At present, my country’s small-tow carbon fiber has problems such as insufficient production capacity and backward production technology. Japanese and American companies have strictly restricted exports to my country and have been suppressed by Japan and the United States. It can be seen from this that my country’s carbon fiber is in urgent need of domestic substitution, especially small tow carbon fiber. Small-tow carbon fiber is used in the military field, and there is an urgent need for domestic substitution. In the future, with the support of key policies, the small-tow carbon fiber industry will accelerate the realization of domestic substitution.

According to the “China Small Tow Carbon Fiber Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report 2021-2026” released by the Industrial Research Center , in the world, the small tow carbon fiber market is mainly occupied by Japanese companies. Three Japanese companies, Toray, Toho, and Mitsubishi, occupy about 50% of the global market share. Among them, Japanese Toray accounts for 25% of the total global small tow carbon fiber production capacity. above. In the second half of 2020, Japan strengthened its control over the export of small-tow carbon fiber to China. Before the ban was promulgated, from January to August 2020, Japan exported approximately 10,000 tons of small-tow carbon fiber to my country.

Facing domestic demand and external pressure, our government strongly supports the localization development of small-tow carbon fiber. The domestic companies that currently realize the production of small-tow carbon fiber include Guangwei Composite Materials, Zhongjian Technology, and Jilin Chemical Fiber. In 2021, Jilin Chemical Fiber built The project with an annual production capacity of 300 tons is mainly used to produce 1K, 3K and other small tow carbon fibers. The first line has been successfully tested.

Industrial analysts said that my country is a major carbon fiber producer with high theoretical production capacity, but is limited by technology and most of its production is low-end. The actual output of products is relatively low, and market demand relies on imports. As a subdivided product with higher production process requirements, small tow carbon fiber is used in aerospace, military and other fields. Currently, imports are strictly controlled by Japan and the United States, forcing domestic companies to accelerate domestic substitution.