#Composites

2019-07-04

Teijin to acquire Benet Automotive

Teijin Limited announced today that it has agreed to wholly acquire Benet Automotive s.r.o. (Benet), a leading automotive composite and component supplier in the Czech Republic, from Jet Investment. Terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.

Benet, headquartered in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, is a tier one supplier of composite components to the automotive industry, offering advanced technologies for carbon-fiber-reinforced and glass-fiber-reinforced plastic molding, as well as the painting and assembly of vehicles. The company specializes in reinforced reaction injection molding (RRIM), a low-pressure process using polyurethane; and both conventional autoclave and resin transfer molding (RTM). Benet has three facilities in Czechia and one in Germany to serve European automotive OEMs including Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Skoda. The company had 720 employees and recorded sales of EUR 35.2 million (USD 40 million) in fiscal 2018.

Teijin is growing its automotive composites business with proprietary lightweight, high-performance materials, and superior design capabilities, to become a multi-material component supply partner of automotive OEM customers served by Teijin hubs in Europe, North America and Asia. In Europe, Teijin acquired Inapal Plásticos SA, a leading automotive-composite supplier in Portugal, in August 2018; and is installing a glass- and carbon-fiber sheet-molding-compound (GF-SMC and CF-SMC) line in the French facility of Continental Structural Plastics, a world leader in automotive composites based in North America, which Teijin acquired in January 2017.

Benet has strategic proximity to the central and eastern regions of the European market where key German and other European OEMs operate production facilities. The company's well-proven supply record will provide a solid foundation for Teijin to further strengthen its solution development capabilities and sales channels in Europe.

As part of its multi-material strategy, Teijin will leverage Benet's capabilities in existing development projects and evolve chemistry of innovations with Teijin and CSP's outstanding material and molding technologies and technical team members to offer innovative automotive composite solutions that meet customers' future needs for lightness, toughness, design flexibility, productivity and cost-effeteness. Teijin is targeting automotive composite business sales of approximately EUR 1.7 billion (USD 2 billion) by 2030.

Teijin announces availability of DPP-compliant products aligned with Europe’s ESPR Environmental Regulation

Teijin Limited announced today that it has started rolling out initiatives to enable aramid fibers and carbon fibers to be accompanied by Digital Product Passport (DPP) technology, which enhances supply chain transparency by verifying the origins of materials and supporting sustainability claims. The company is using the supply chain traceability system from Netherlands-based Circularise B.V., in which Teijin has invested since November 2024, to develop DPPs for each product.

Teijin Carbon showcases new eco-friendly Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm short carbon fiber at JEC World 2025

Teijin Carbon, a leading manufacturer of carbon fiber products, is presenting its latest development in sustainable materials at JEC World 2025 (hall 6, G22). New Tenax Next™ R2S 513 6mm is a short carbon fiber product in rice-shaped form for reinforcing thermoplastic compounds that not only offers exceptional performance characteristics but also reinforces the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility and circularity.

Teijin to invest in Circularise B.V. and adopt its supply chain traceability platform to promote the Circular Economy

Teijin Limited announced today that it will invest in Circularise B.V., a company based in The Hague, Netherlands, which develops product traceability management systems using blockchain technology. Teijin will also implement Circularise’s software to improve visibility into its global supply chain. Circularise’s proprietary “Smart Questioning”(*) solution, which utilizes Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology, provides both anonymity and transparency to ensure a highly reliable product traceability system.

Fewer pores, greater impact tolerance: Peter Dornier Foundation Prize 2026 honours material research on fibre-reinforced composite components for aerospace industry

Microscopically small pores that form during manufacture, or barely visible impact damage, can severely impair the load-bearing capacity and service life of fibre-reinforced composite components. Two young researchers have presented groundbreaking work in this field and will both be awarded the 2026 Peter Dornier Foundation Prize: Dr.-Ing. Benedikt Neitzel from the Technical University of Ilmenau for his doctoral thesis on pore minimisation in the RTM process, and Johanna Buschmann, M.Sc., for her master’s thesis, completed at the German Aerospace Centre, on the improved impact tolerance of 3D fabrics compared to 2D laminates.

JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 highlights Taiwan as a strategic hub for the global composites industry

The third edition of JEC Forum organized in Southeast Asia brought together 350+ participants from 22 countries for three active days of high-level Business Meetings, conferences, and networking, emphasizing Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global composites market. Held for the first time in Taipei from 23 to 24 June 2026, following the successful first editions in Bangkok, JEC Forum Southeast Asia 2026 confirmed its position as the region’s leading business platform dedicated to the composites industry.

MEL Composites supports ELA Aviation with advanced composite materials

MEL Composites is supplying advanced composite materials and process consumables to ELA Aviation for the production of its next-generation gyroplanes. The collaboration underlines MEL Composites’ growing role in advanced aerospace mobility, providing lightweight materials designed to improve aircraft performance, manufacturing efficiency and structural reliability.

SHIMA SEIKI brings new flat knitting technologies to FEBRATEX 2026

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Brazilian representative BRASTEMA TECNOLOGIA TEXTIL LTDA., will exhibit at the Brazilian Textile Industry Fair (FEBRATEX 2026) this month. On display will be a roundup of SHIMA SEIKI computerized flat knitting technology, represented by WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, computerized flat knitting machines featuring a brand-new model with high productivity and excellent cost performance, a glove knitting machine and the latest digital solutions.

Lenzing reports improved half-year results and advances strategic transformation

Despite a persistently challenging market environment in the first half of 2026, characterized by volatile energy and raw material prices, subdued global consumer demand and intensified competition from Asia, the Lenzing Group significantly improved its financial performance. Net result after tax more than doubled to EUR 35.6 million, compared with EUR 15.2 million in the first half of 2025. Free cash flow increased to EUR 45.8 million, while EBITDA amounted to EUR 239.2 million. Revenue totaled EUR 1.27 billion, compared with EUR 1.34 billion in the previous year.

Trützschler’s latest spinning and card clothing innovations at CAITME 2026

From September 8 to 10, 2026, Trützschler will present its latest innovations in spinning and card clothing for state-of-the-art fiber processing at CAITME in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Visitors are invited to meet the experts at Pavilion 2, Booth D50 and explore solutions designed to increase productivity, streamline processes, and ensure consistently high yarn quality. Key topics include the next-generation card TC 30i, the integrated draw frame IDF 3, the high-performance comber TCO 21XL as well as Trützschler Card Clothing’s new flat top series STEELTOP®.