The Hera Group is moving swiftly towards the circular economy of the future and has inaugurated, in Imola (Bologna), the first plant of its kind in Europe, capable of regenerating carbon fibre on an industrial scale. It is called FIB3R, a name that reflects the 3 R's that stand at the basis of the project: recover, reduce, reuse.
Carbon fibre is thus recovered and reused, reducing the use of virgin fibre and therefore the environmental impact that would be required to produce it. There is one important competitive advantage: the fibre regenerated from FIB3R retains the virgin fibre's characteristic lightness and high strength, guaranteeing — through a state-of-the-art pyrogasification process — that the regenerated product is ready to be reused, rewoven and/or impregnated, for the high-performance purposes for which this type of material is intended. Industrial sectors interested in these outstanding features range from automotive to aerospace, nautical, furniture, textiles and fashion.
The European Union has allocated FIB3R financing of more than 2.2 million euro as part of NextGenerationEU for its innovative technology and the strategic importance of the materials processed. The total investment planned by the Hera Group to build the Imola plant amounts to 8 million euro. At present, the plant is expected to produce 160 tonnes of recycled carbon fibre each year, with energy savings coming to 75% compared to virgin fibre.
Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group, stated: "FIB3R is the first plant of its kind in Europe able to recycle carbon fibre. It is aimed at promoting short and circular supply chains, in line with the strategy of making our served areas more competitive and resilient. FIB3R is also a concrete example of how the Hera Group is able to combine technological innovation and sustainability. Recovering carbon fibre not only reduces the environmental impact of this waste, but also creates new market opportunities in strategic industrial sectors."
The inauguration event saw the participation of important representatives of the industrial and academic communities, including representatives from Ferrari, Assocompositi, the University of Bologna, Leonardo, and Pagani Automobili.
Source: eng.gruppohera.it
