India gets first carbon fibre plant

Former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam on Sunday inaugurated the country’s first carbon fibre manufacturing facility. The Rs 250-crore set up will produce lightweight material for use in defence,aerospace and infrastructure — under technology transfer from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL),which had developed the ultra-light material for the Light Combat Aircraft.

Kalpesh Patel,CMD,Kemrock Industries and Exports Limited,said their facility’s 400 tonne per annum output will primarily service the domestic aerospace needs —Indian Space Research Organisation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. “Carbon fibre is a unique material as it is stronger than steel,lighter than aluminium,and is corrosion resistant. Such qualities make it the best bet for manufacture of satellites,missiles,aircraft and rockets,” he said.

He said Kemrock plans to supply 1,500 tonnes of carbon fibre to the strategic sectors over the next four years.