Hexcel invests in new carbon fiber plant in France

PARIS, June 2015. Hexcel is investing $250 million in the construction of a carbon fiber plant in Roussillon, France. Hexcel officials showed plans for the new facility during Paris Air Show.

Hexcel’s new carbon fiber facility will occupy a 37-acre site at the Osiris Chemicals Industry Platform in Roussillon and will include both polymerization and carbonization lines. The plant is part of Hexcel’s ongoing worldwide investment to create a diversified and robust supply chain to support aerospace customers’ growing demand for carbon fiber composites.

Carbon fiber 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 September 2015 and is expected to employ 120 people when fully operational in early 2018. Today Hexcel employs close to 1000 people in France.

“Together with our capacity expansions in the U.S., this new facility in France will strengthen our global supply chain by adding precursor and additional carbon fiber capacity in Europe,” says Nick Stanage, Hexcel chairman, CEO, and president.

The Roussillon facility is located close to Hexcel’s weaving and prepreg manufacturing facilities near Lyon. At today’s event, Mr. Stanage announced further investments totaling $22 million at these existing faciliti­-es to include capacity expansions at Hexcel’s carbon fiber weaving plant at Les Avenières, and an additional resin impregnation line in Dagneux, Montluel. These additional investments are expected to create 100 more jobs by 2018.

“We are delighted by Hexcel's decision to build this new carbon fiber plant in Europe. This significant investment will further secure the A350 XWB production ramp-up and demonstrates the high level of Hexcel’s commitment to the success of the A350 XWB program,” says Didier Evrard, Airbus EVP and head of programs.

Hexcel Corp., an advanced composites company, develops, manufactures, and markets lightweight, high-performance structural materials, including carbon fibers, reinforcements, prepregs, honeycomb, matrix systems, adhesives, and composite structures, used in commercial aerospace, space, and defense and industrial applications, such as wind turbine blades.