KOLON is Making a Fobd_news_mstray into Global Markets with High-tech Composite Materials for Future

KOLON is Making a Foray into Global Markets with High-tech Composite Materials for Future Mobility

Plans to participate in the world’s largest composite materials exhibition, ‘JEC WORLD 2022’ -

○ To exhibit a range of composite materials under the slogan of ‘Material to Module’

○ To present the Group’s vision for composite material solutions and hydrogen economy for future mobility

○ Plans to expand their value chain to raw materials, intermediate goods and parts business using composite materials

The KOLON Group are to participate in the world’s largest composite materials exhibition, ‘JEC World 2022’ being held in Paris Nord Villepinte, France, for three days from the 3rd to the 5th of May. As part of their drive to expand global markets, the Group are planning to showcase their range of cutting-edge composite materials for future mobility

In order to strengthen their composite materials business, the KOLON Group have undertaken active research and development for the value chain from the production of raw materials and intermediate goods to the commercialization of final products. This is achieved via collaboration between group affiliates including KOLON Industries, KOLON Glotech, KOLON Plastics and KOLON DACC Composite.

At the JEC WORLD exhibition, KOLON are planning to present their vision for the composite materials business and hydrogen economy under the slogan of ‘Material to Module’. The Group are also going to introduce a number of composite material-based solutions for future mobility for ground, air and space to potential global partners.  

KOLON Industries will exhibit a broad range of raw materials and intermediate goods including the high-strength, high-tech industrial material, aramid. Wind-power generation blades, light-weight car parts, epoxy resin used in *UAM (Urban Air Mobility) parts, will also be showcased. 

KOLON Glotech will present a next-generation hydrogen tank – an amalgamation of cutting-edge technologies developed by Group affiliates. In this tank, a carbon fiber intermediate material (Carbo UD Prepreg) developed by KOLON Glotech has been used. Also on display will be *Seat Cross Member and *Leaf Spring, both of which received JEC Innovation Awards, as well as various light-weight car parts such as *End Plate for fuel cells.

KOLON Plastics will introduce the *thermoplastic composite materials range (brand name KompoGTe®). This range has superior formability, is suitable for mass production, and has added functionalities such as light weight and flame retardance for electric vehicles and UAM. Composite materials co-developed with Hyundai Motors and DONGHEE will also be exhibited.  

KOLON DACC Composite will showcase high-functionality composite material structures for aircraft. Their most representative products are the Main Landing Gear Door which is lighter than aluminum and has markedly fewer assembly parts, and Composite Engine Blades made from a carbon fiber intermediate material.

A representative of the KOLON Group noted, “With the expansion of the electric / hydrogen vehicle market and the aerospace industry, the industrial paradigm will shift from existing metal-based products to light-weight products using special fiber composite materials. In line with this trend, we plan to expand our value chain to raw materials, intermediates, and composite materials-based parts.” 

JEC WORLD is the world’s largest composite materials exhibition, and is held in Paris every year. Due to COVID-19, the exhibition was suspended over the last two years. In 2019, more than 43,500 people from 45 countries visited. This year, over 1,200 companies and research centers from around the world are set to participate and hold professional conferences on automotive and aerospace initiatives during the exhibition.

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※ References ※

▶ UAM (Urban Air Mobility): an aerial transportation system that operates within an urban area and between nearby cities

▶ Epoxy Resin: a synthetic resin used in adhesives and paints, a major raw material for composites that determines material properties and the formability of parts

▶ Carbon UD (uni-directional) prepreg: one-directional carbon fiber intermediate material  impregnated with resin

▶ Seat Cross Member: a part fixing the car seat frame to the floor frame

▶ Leaf Spring: a part used as a support and buffer for the car chassis.

▶ End Plate: a part supporting a fuel cell stack with a constant pressure

▶ Thermoplasticity: a property of a material that melts by heat and solidifies by cooling