PREPREG RECYCLING
Recycled Carbon Fiber Prepreg to be Used in Consumer Health Devices
In 2021, Hexcel and Fairmat announced a collaboration to recycle carbon fiber prepreg from Hexcel European operations for reuse in composite panels sold into commercial markets. By the end of 2023, that collaboration had led to more than 170 tons of materials diverted to fulfilling commercial product needs.
As a next step, consumer technology company Withings in 2023 became the first company to buy laminate made from recycled carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) chips from Fairmat to repurpose into consumer products. Withings is a French consumer health electronics company known for design, innovationand technology in connected devices including body scales, blood pressure monitors and smart watches for tracking wellness activities.
In 2023, Fairmat made the structure (above left) for Withings premium Body Scan scales (below left) using CFRP chips from Hexcel prepreg cutoffs collected by Fairmat as a key component. Withings employees are testing about 300 scales, and the tests are scheduled tobe completed in Q3 2024. The company expects to use about 60 tons of recycled material a year over the next four years to manufacture the product.
Learn more at withings.com.
