(Yicai) June 29 -- Shares of Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber gained after the firm said it has put three world-class production lines for high-performance carbon fiber into operation. They are expected to boost China's ability to mass-produce the advanced material used in the aerospace, renewable energy, electric vehicle, and other sectors.

Zhongfu Shenying [SHA: 688295], a unit of state-owned China National Building Material Group, closed 4.8 percent higher at CNY59.22 (USD8.72) per share in Shanghai today. The stock has climbed just over 80 percent since the end of last year.

The new production lines, each the largest of their kind globally, were officially commissioned yesterday at Zhongfu Shenying's manufacturing base in Lianyungang in China’s Jiangsu province, and have now entered operation.

They are the first phase of a project Zhongfu Shenying unveiled in January 2023, which involved investing almost CNY6 billion (USD822.6 million) to build facilities with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons of high-performance carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber is a fibrous material with a carbon content exceeding 90 percent. Its density is less than a quarter that of steel, yet its tensile strength is seven to 10 times higher, while it also outperforms all chemical fibers in high-temperature resistance.

The project is a landmark achievement and is profoundly significant for China's carbon fiber industry, Jiangsu’s Vice Governor Shen Jianrong said at the commissioning ceremony. It shows the sector's progress in overcoming high-end technological barriers and moving to the forefront of the global stage, he noted.

The new facilities comprise a four-meter-wide T1100-grade product line with annual capacity of 1,000 tons, a 48K large-tow product line capable of producing 5,000 tons per year, and an M40 high-modulus product line with annual output of 600 tons.

The first type will mainly support aerospace applications, including in space stations, launch vehicles, and low-altitude aircraft. That line will help strengthen the security of China's supply chain for critical aerospace materials, according to Zhongfu Shenying.

The 48K large-tow product will serve sectors such as offshore wind power, hydrogen storage systems, and electric vehicles, while the M40 high-modulus material is intended for high-end precision equipment, sporting goods, and 3C (computers, communications, and consumer) products.

The launch of these lines marks a new milestone in high-end product layout and large-scale manufacturing development for China's carbon fiber sector, CNBM Chairman Zhou Yuxian told the media.

The facilities incorporate flexible manufacturing technology capable of producing multiple carbon fiber grades Zhongfu Shenying said. Once fully ramped up, the project is expected to broaden the company's product portfolio, increase supply capacity, enhance competitiveness, and boost its large-scale supply capacity. 

In addition, the expansion will substantially strengthen Zhongfu Shenying's comprehensive competitiveness and lift its market share across various downstream segmented application sectors, according to the company.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev