Teijin Aramid is to invest in new spinning technology at in Twaron facility in Emmen, the Netherlands, starting up in the first quarter of 2019.

The demand for Teijin’s high-performance para-aramid fibre is increasing and the new spinning technology will enable the organisation to increase production capacity and meet this demand.

“This investment underscores our ambition to produce and deliver sustainable and cost efficient products to the market and reinforces our position as global market leader,” said CEO and president Gert Frederiks. “It will enable us to meet growing market demand and simultaneously implement the latest technology.”

The company reports that the new technology will lead to further automation of the spinning process, which will result in a huge improvement in the amount of physical work for operators.

As of April 1, 2017, Teijin has merged all its aramid activities into one global business unit. Teijin Aramid is now responsible for all aramid and polyethylene products from sites in Thailand (Teijinconex neo), Japan (Teijinconex and Technora) and The Netherlands (Twaron and Endumax).

Teijin has been producing high-strength Twaron as an alternative to traditional reinforcement materials in composites for over 30 years. Weight for weight, Twaron is five times stronger than steel, while Technora is eight times stronger. Combined with their chemical and heat resistance, the properties of these para-aramids allow manufacturers to address the market demands for safer, stronger and more durable products.

The aramid materials are also extremely versatile and available in various product formats including powder, filament yarn, and short-cut fibre. The company currently provides composite-based applications in marine and aerospace construction, civil engineering, ground transportation, engineering plastics and sporting goods – and says the number of applications is growing.