Continental Structural Plastics Perfects Carbon Fiber RTM Process, Launches Production Programs
2.12.2020 18:27:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
After winning a JEC Innovation Award in 2016 for its Lincoln MKS Decklid Concept – a TCA Ultra Lite® outer panel and a carbon fiber RTM prototype inner – Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) has fine-tuned its carbon fiber RTM (CF-RTM) process to the point that a premium automaker will be using the technology for closures on future vehicle platforms. These doors will feature both inner and outer panels as well as structural reinforcements molded using CSP’s advanced CF-RTM process.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201202005708/en/
The new carbon fiber RTM press installed at the CSP facility in Palmela, Portugal, will soon be running the company's first commercial applications of this technology. (Photo: Business Wire)
When CSP set up its Center of Excellence for Lightweight Technologies and Carbon Fiber Processes in Pouancé, France, in 2013, the goal was to develop processes to make the use of carbon fiber in high volume applications affordable and feasible. Since then, the CSP team in Europe has been working on developing a high-performance CF-RTM process that would result in high-strength, ultra-light-weight components to help OEMs address stringent CO2 emissions regulations. Specifically, the team has been focused on improving cycle time, utilizing automated preforming and lowering the cost of the carbon fiber materials.
“We have been targeting a 3-minute cycle time using 100 percent recycled carbon fiber. With our multi-material decklid concept, we demonstrated this was totally possible,” said Marc Philippe Toitgans, director, Research & Development CSP Europe. “Now we are proud to say we have collaborated with major OEMs in the United States and Europe on carbon fiber RTM programs and will see the first commercial applications of this technology very soon.”
From CAE analysis, flow simulation, preform process, mold design and full automation, CSP has built best-in-class expertise to support major structural and Class A CF-RTM programs for closures and other BIW applications. CSP’s key differentiators are based on:
- 100 bars of injection pressure, and up to 1,500 tons of pressure for closure applications
- High fiber content (greater than 50%) for structural applications
- 20-second injection time
- Management of variable thicknesses
- Weight savings of up to 30% when compared to aluminum
To support several carbon fiber RTM programs that will begin as soon as the end of 2020, CSP and parent company Teijin are investing in a dedicated CF-RTM production line in Palmela, Portugal. The initial investment of €5.5 million will include the installation of compression presses, RTM injection units and a bonding cell.
“We are excited to be working hand-in-hand with our customers in Europe to demonstrate our RTM capabilities,” said Ricardo Barros, CSP/Inapal program manager. “The level of industrialization and automation we are installing in Palmela is second to none for similar carbon fiber applications.”
In addition to reducing component weight and cycle times, the CSP team in Europe has been pursuing a number of methodologies that will result in more sustainable manufacturing processes. Working toward a net zero emission target, CSP Europe is working on tomorrow’s CF-RTM process with a primary focus on natural or recycled fibers, thermoplastic/bio-sources, advanced resins, and reduced scrap and waste.
“Our goal is to keep working on a sustainable value proposition with a focus on net zero CO2 emissions,” said Philippe Bonte, president, CSP Europe. “We will achieve this via advanced manufacturing technologies and the use of renewable materials with the aim of becoming a positive contributor to the global environment.”
About Continental Structural Plastics
Continental Structural Plastics, a Teijin Group company, has provided leading-edge technologies in lightweight composite solutions for the automotive, heavy truck, HVAC and construction industries for 50 years. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, CSP provides full-service engineering support, and holds multiple patents covering materials development and manufacturing processes. The company has operations on three continents and more than 4,300 employees. For more information, visit cspplastics.com.
About the Teijin Group
Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the fields of environmental value; safety, security and disaster mitigation; and demographic change and increased health consciousness. Originally established as Japan's first rayon manufacturer in 1918, Teijin has evolved into a unique enterprise encompassing three core business domains: high-performance materials including aramid, carbon fibers and composites, and also resin and plastic processing, films, polyester fibers and products converting; healthcare including pharmaceuticals and home healthcare equipment for bone/joint, respiratory and cardiovascular/metabolic diseases, nursing care and pre-symptomatic healthcare; and IT including B2B solutions for medical, corporate and public systems as well as packaged software and B2C online services for digital entertainment. Deeply committed to its stakeholders, as expressed in the brand statement “Human Chemistry, Human Solutions”, Teijin aims to be a company that supports the society of the future. The group comprises more than 170 companies and employs some 20,000 people across 20 countries worldwide. Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 853.7 billion (USD 8.0 billion) and total assets of JPY 1,004.2 billion (USD 9.4 billion) in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2020. Please visit www.teijin.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201202005708/en/
Contact information
Kim Zitny
+1 248-535-6944
kim.zitny@cspplastics.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Sitetracker and 5x5 Break the Price Barrier for Portfolio-Scale Digital Twins and Asset Intelligence23.9.2026 13:11:00 EEST | Press release
Sitetracker and 5x5 Technologies today introduced a data-to-twin workflow that gives wireless infrastructure owners a practical, affordable path to digitizing an entire tower portfolio. The Sitetracker platform now integrates 5x5 Synthetic Twin technology, providing scalable asset intelligence at a price up to 85% less than traditional site modeling methods. Synthetic Twins leverage Sitetracker’s leading tower portfolio and operational data to create interactive 3D models of towers, rooftops and ground compounds providing tower operators with a baseline of their portfolio that can be progressively enriched as the site conditions evolve. This data when combined with Scout, Sitetracker’s Agentic AI platform, opens the opportunity for digitized workflows and unparalleled understanding of the asset portfolio. Why it matters AI-driven data demand, more spectrum deployments, and denser infrastructure are raising the bar for tower operations. Towercos need precise knowledge of each site: what
LTM Launches BlueVerse™ SovereignSphere™ Models to Help Enterprises Own Their AI Advantage23.9.2026 13:05:00 EEST | Press release
LTM, the Business Creativity partner to the world's largest enterprises, today launched BlueVerse™ SovereignSphere™ Models, enabling organizations to transform proprietary knowledge into AI capabilities that understand their business context and operate within their governance boundaries. BlueVerse SovereignSphere Models enable enterprises to overcome critical AI adoption challenges by lowering infrastructure costs, simplifying governance, and reducing reliance on generic AI models. It helps organizations build AI that understands their business, language, workflows, policies, and domain expertise as a native capability. Enterprises retain ownership of their models and intellectual property while benefiting from more predictable AI economics and reduced dependence on token-heavy architectures. The key offerings in the portfolio include: Sales and Marketing Pro – Delivers CRM architect-level expertise across solution design, code generation, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis, hel
Cox Capital Announces Tender Offers for Class I Shares of Blackstone Private Credit Fund and HPS Corporate Lending Fund23.9.2026 13:00:00 EEST | Press release
Cox Capital Partners (“Cox Capital”) announced today that Cox Capital Retail Secondaries Fund I, LP (the “Purchaser”), a private investment fund managed by an affiliate of Cox Capital, has commenced two separate cash tender offers to purchase Class I shares of Blackstone Private Credit Fund (“BCRED”) and HPS Corporate Lending Fund (“HLEND”). Both funds recently reported that their Q3 2026 repurchase programs were substantially oversubscribed. BCRED and HLEND received repurchase requests representing an estimated 10% and 11.5%, respectively, of shares outstanding. The funds’ established frameworks generally target quarterly repurchases of 5% of shares outstanding, although the amount may be increased at the discretion of the applicable fund. Cox Capital developed its secondary program to provide shareholders with an additional path to liquidity when a fund's own quarterly repurchase program does not satisfy their full request. The offers are independent of the target funds and do not mo
Three Weeks into France E-Invoicing Mandate: Sovos Hits Unparalleled Production Scale23.9.2026 11:00:00 EEST | Press release
Sovos, the agentic tax compliance company, today announced that it has surpassed 170,000 organizations registrants across the Sovos-powered network – including both Sovos-branded and partner-branded approved service providers - using Sovos technology in France. By comparison, the nearest competitors registered fewer than 2,200 organizations each. The milestone represents a significant lead in production-grade e-invoicing, with Sovos handling transaction volumes that are many multiples higher than any other tax compliance vendor operating in France. "France represents the most complex continuous transaction controls mandate the world has seen, and we entered production on day one with our Global 2000 clients fully live," said Kevin Akeroyd, CEO, Sovos. "We achieved the highest industry percentage of effective go-lives not only for these clients, but for the hundreds of technology providers who embed our e-invoicing to service hundreds of thousands of end user businesses in France. This
Mentimeter Launches Three New Tools for Better Leadership23.9.2026 10:00:00 EEST | Press release
Mentimeter is launching an engagement suite with three new tools: Menti Live, Menti Form and Menti Pulse. Through interaction, insights and recommendations, the new suite enables organizations to engage people live, collect input asynchronously and track important signals over time. Today’s launch expands Mentimeter’s platform beyond live presentations, helping turn participation into new ways of understanding what people think, know and need. “Most organizations have plenty of data, but surprisingly little understanding of what their people actually think. These new tools give leaders a way to turn participation into company-wide performance – in the room, afterward and over time. That creates better input for action and, ultimately, better leadership,” says Johnny Warström, CEO and founder of Mentimeter. Three tools for different moments of engagement Menti Form collects input asynchronously. It allows for shared reflection and gives people the opportunity to contribute regardless of
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom