ITRI Works With SPIRIT Aerosystems to Develop Aerospace Carbon Fiber

Taipei, July 22, 2009 (CENS)--Taiwan's government-funded Industrial Technology and Research Institute (ITRI), has recently signed a cooperation contract with SPIRIT Aerosystems Inc., the largest supplier of aircraft parts in the U.S., to develop next-generation aerospace carbon-fiber materials, in a bid to assist Taiwan in exploring the global supply chain of such materials.

Peter Wu, vice president of Spirit Aerosystems, noted that the firm commands 60-70% of the U.S. market for aerospace aircraft parts presently. Seemingly immune to the aftermath of global financial tsunami, the firm has secured orders worth US$34 billion so far this year, effectively holding its leading position in the line.

Wu added his firm will take advantage of ITRI's excellent R&D capability and Taiwanese companies' cutting-edge mass production technologies to vastly apply next-generation carbon-fiber materials in aircrafts and related products in the future.

Alex Peng, deputy general director of ITRI's Material and Chemical Research Lab, also indicated that ITRI is well experienced in helping Taiwanese manufacturers develop carbon-fiber sport products, such as tennis rackets, golf clubs and bicycles, all of which have proven successful. The experience effectively helps to boost industrial development on the island.

Therefore, in addition to SPIRIT Aerosystems, ITRI will also team up with local petrochemical companies, fiber makers and aerospace parts supplier and aircraft maintenance service providers to jointly work on applications of next-generation carbon-fiber materials in the future, in hopes of building a fully integrated supply chain of such materials on the island.