Hyosung supplies carbon fiber ‘TANSOME®’ to Hyundai’s future concept car

Hyosung’s supply of its high-performance carbon fiber ‘TANSOME®’ for the car body construction of Hyundai Motor Company’s future concept car ‘INTRADO,’ presented on March 5th during the 2014 Geneva Motor Show has brought the industry’s attention to Hyosung’s carbon fiber business.

■ Application of Hyosung carbon fiber: 60% lighter and higher fuel efficiency

This is the first time to apply carbon fiber developed by a Korean company to a car. Hyosung, a global chemical fiber and industrial materials company, has developed and produced carbon fiber for the car frame, hood, and side panels of Hyundai Motor Company’s concept car ‘INTRADO’.

Carbon fiber is 75% lighter than steel, but at least 10 times stronger. Accordingly, the car frame of ‘INTRADO’ in which carbon fiber was used, is 60% lighter than the body of a conventional car made with steel plates increasing fuel efficiency.

Hyosung’s new carbon fiber product is eco-friendly. It reduces the weight of the car, cutting down fuel usage and lowers carbon monoxide emissions, which is the main cause of air pollution. The eco-friendly aspect of the product is expected to strengthen Hyosung’s competitiveness in overseas markets such as Europe where environmental regulations are becoming stricter.

■ Hyosung carbon fiber, global no. 1 for its strength and modulus

Hyosung was the first company in Korea to succeed in developing high-performance carbon fiber with its own technology. The company built a production plant with an annual capacity of 2,000 tons in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea beginning its commercial production in May 2013. The company has started its global marketing activities upon the launch of Hyosung’s carbon fiber brand - ‘TANSOME®’, which means “extraordinary carbon fiber created in strong flames”.

Hyosung carbon fiber is considered among industry specialists as global no. 1 in terms of strength and modulus. Upon its high-level of technology that allowed Hyosung to develop and commercialize high-strength carbon fiber in the shortest time in the world, Hyosung is now transforming itself into a world top-class carbon fiber manufacturer through active sales promotion activities in the Asian sports and leisure goods market as well as targeting the advanced carbon fiber composite materials markets in the U.S. and Europe, which have high entry barriers for new entrants.

Carbon fiber, a new and advanced material expected to replace steel in the future, is used in various fields: industrial applications including automotive, wind power generator wings, civil engineering, construction, and pressure vessels; aerospace applications including aircrafts such as Boeing 787 and Airbus 380; sports and leisure equipment applications including golf clubs, fishing rods, rackets, and bicycle frames. The annual market size is currently 50,000 tons (US$ 2 bil.) with a high annual growth of 11% reaching a market size of US$ 5 bil. by 2020.

Hyosung, one of the leading companies in Korea, is also the global no. 1 player for high-elasticity fiber spandex, high-strength polyester tire cords, automotive seatbelt yarn, and airbag fabrics; a position earned through its expertise and knowhow gained over the 50 years of business. As a global industrial materials and chemicals company, Hyosung was the first in the world to succeed in commercializing polyketone in November 2013, and is expected to secure dominant position in related markets. Polyketone is an engineering plastic material which many other leading global chemical companies failed to commercialize.