Exel Composites and Fairmat sign a carbon fiber composite scrap repurpose deal

Exel Composites and Fairmat, a pioneer in deeptech specializing in recycling carbon fiber and manufacturing advanced recycled materials, have announced a partnership to close the loop of carbon fiber waste. Fairmat will recycle Exel Composites’ carbon fiber composite scrap at its Nantes manufacturing facility to produce second-generation CFRP Chips, high-performance composite units, significantly reducing waste. Beginning in Q2 2024, the carbon fiber composite scrap will be transferred to Bouguenais from Exel’s two plants in Finland. Traditional waste-management techniques involving pyrolysis or solvolysis use significant amounts of energy, mitigating the environmental benefits of recycling used carbon fiber. In contrast, Fairmat’s reconstitution process uses proprietary cutting technologies, using robotic tools equipped with machine learning to dissemble carbon fiber components and convert the pieces into CFRP building blocks. Using AI tools such as digital twins to model different 3D arrangements during the design phase, Fairmat can assemble its CFRP Chips into a variety of layouts and structures. These simulations enable it to customize the mechanical properties of the resulting product, such as extremely low weight for transportation components and localized, unidirectional strength for impact surfaces.