Land Rover BAR partner with ELG Carbon Fibre

by Land Rovar BAR 29 Nov 2017 18:42 UTC 29 November 2017

Land Rover BAR are working with ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd (ELG) to ensure that the carbon fibre process waste and end-of-use components from their America's Cup test and race boats are recycled as far as possible, to promote the most economic and environmentally efficient use of this valuable material.

Carbon fibre is energy intensive to manufacture and most waste currently goes into landfill. With ELG onboard as Technical Supplier, Land Rover BAR's carbon fibre manufacturing waste and end-of use parts will be processed to recover the high performance carbon fibres they contain. The recovered fibres will be converted into ELG's milled and chopped fibres which are used to make thermoset and thermoplastic compounds and nonwoven mats that are utilised in the manufacture of composite structures. Both organisations view this collaboration as a vital step in addressing the issue of global carbon consumption and raising awareness of closed loop recycling within the marine industry.

ELG's product engineers will work closely with Land Rover BAR's engineering team to develop applications for the recycled carbon fibre for Great Britain's entry in the 36th America's Cup. This will be achieved through the utilisation of their CARBISO™ range. The CARBISO™ products will be made entirely from reprocessed Land Rover BAR carbon components such as hull moulds, hulls and foils from boats used in recent America's Cup campaigns.

With ELG's support, Land Rover BAR aim to significantly increase the application of recycled composite materials during the build of our race boats for the next America's Cup. The work is based on successful feasibility studies that have shown that high quality carbon fibres can be recovered from the process waste and end-of-use parts and converted into products that are usable in the marine sector.

Tracing the waste has been an important consideration for Land Rover BAR to see which components will be used in future applications. ELG conducts a range of tests on all feedstock to ensure the correct classification for every batch of material that is processed. A unique code is then allocated which provides full traceability through the subsequent processes.

"Our desire to be the world's most sustainable sports team has meant that recycling the significant amounts of carbon fibre that we use in boat construction has been a concern for us for some while. So we are very pleased to have reached this agreement with ELG, and to be working with them and our exclusive sustainability partner, 11th Hour Racing, on carbon recycling. This will be a very significant issue, not just for the marine industry but for the wider world in the coming decades and we have to start now and push hard to develop awareness and find solutions," said Michel Marie, Manufacturing Manager at Land Rover BAR.

"It is hugely rewarding to see such an environmentally aware team as Land Rover BAR championing the issue of closed loop recycling in the marine sector. Our advanced, recycled carbon fibre products will help support the vital message of sustainability in elite sport and that is something we are very proud to be associated with," comments Frazer Barnes, ELG Carbon Fibre's Managing Director.

Find out more at www.elgcf.com/home