Posted：
Source： Automobile Plastic Network

BMW Group’s joint venture with SGL Group will spend $200 million to triple the capacity of its carbon fiber products plant Moses Lake, Washington USA.

The partners said the factory will meet the growing demand for carbon fiber products from the automotive industry, with an annual output of 9,000 tons by 2015 when the expansion is completed.

The plant has two production lines with an annual output of 3,000 tons of carbon fiber. Two more lines are being built to double output to 6,000 tons. The fifth and sixth lines will boost output to 9,000 tons by early 2015. With the expansion, BMW said it will be able to use the carbon fiber for other models “at competitive costs and in large quantities.”

The plant provides carbon fiber reinforced plastics for BMW’s family of i electric and plug-in hybrid cars — the i3 electric compact car and the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car.

The i3 went on sale in the United States this month and the i8 is to launch in August.

The redesigned 7-series flagship sedan due in two years is expected to make extensive use of carbon fiber.