Source | NCC test bed 3D animation

The National Composites Centre (NCC, Bristol, U.K.) has announced completion of the design phase for the U.K.’s new carbon fiber development lines, funded by the Department of Science Innovation and Technology’s Research and Innovation Organizations Infrastructure Fund.

The development lines will reportedly represent a step-change in U.K. carbon fiber capability, equipping industry with a novel manufacturing testbed to develop more sustainable carbon fibers, boost supply chain resilience and de-risk investments.

According to Future Materials Group’s (FMG) Dr. Myriam Yagoubi’s “Outlook: Carbon Fiber Global Supply and Demand” presentation, carbon fiber has an integral role to play in the transition to net zero and represents an industrial opportunity for the U.K. Global demand for the material is forecast to increase 18% by 2030, outstripping supply by as much as 200 kilotons.

This capability will become the U.K.’s first open access manufacturing facility for continuous carbon fiber production, using the latest digital technologies to accelerate the development of new products. The facility will include a spinning line to produce precursor fibers and a carbonization line to produce carbon fiber tows, including surface treatment.

Crucially, the lines will produce tows with industrial-scale filament counts and in volumes sufficient for small part manufacturing and testing. NCC has partnered with Cygnet Texkimp (Northwich, U.K.), which has used its expertise in fiber handling and processing to lead the design and build of the two lines.

“This capability will help revitalize U.K. carbon fiber innovation and catalyse industrial growth,” says Mark Summers, executive director of technology at NCC. “Building on the U.K.’s strong chemical expertise, it will enable NCC, alongside our customer and partners, to translate and industrialize innovative new processes and train the next generation of carbon fiber production engineers.”

The development lines will be built and tested in late 2025, with the ambition of working with NCC customers, members and partners to enable first projects from early 2026. Industry and supply chain organisations interested in accessing the facility can email carbonfibre@nccuk.com.

Delegates at JEC World 2025 can also speak to the NCC team at Booth T62.