Toray, Elevated Materials repurpose carbon fiber prepreg waste | CompositesWorld

MOU advances efforts to reduce waste, conserve resources and decrease pollution through upcycling of Toray’s composite material scrap.

Upcycling scrap prepreg material. Source | Elevated Materials

Toray Composite Materials America Inc. (Tacoma, Wash., U.S.) announces the execution of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) adding Elevated Materials (Gardena, Calif., U.S.) as a provider of repurposing services for its Tacoma, Washington facility. Under the 3-year agreement, Elevated Materials will repurpose Toray scrap prepreg materials, including slit-edge and full-width prepreg sheets.

Elevated Materials’ mission is to eliminate carbon fiber waste in the aerospace industry. Since its founding, the company has successfully diverted 200,000 pounds of carbon fiber waste through its upcycling process. Elevated Materials transforms this waste into press-cured carbon fiber sheets, plates and blocks, which have applications in various industries, from sports equipment to manufacturing accessories and drones.

The agreement between the two companies is a testament to a shared commitment to prioritize sustainable solutions in response to the planet’s growing environmental challenges. Focused efforts aim to make a positive ecological impact by reducing waste, conserving resources and decreasing pollution.

“Collaborating with the Toray team on tough sustainability challenges has been a rewarding experience. Their expertise and collaborative spirit have been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve in sustainable composite materials,” says Ryan Olliges, founder and CEO of Elevated Materials.

The MOU is a significant and strategic step toward supporting Toray’s sustainability vision, which includes achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and managing resources sustainably. “Our commitment to repurposing waste material underscores our dedication to sustainability and innovation,” adds Jeff Hawkey, senior vice president of operations at Toray. “With this initiative, we are reducing our environmental footprint and setting a new standard for responsible manufacturing.”

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