Nandina REM, a member company of the Singapore A*STAR Advanced Remanufacturing & Technology Centre, announced Monday the introduction of a premium carbon fiber material sourced from retired aircraft and meticulously processed to meet aviation standards. The initiative fills the void between surplus materials from decommissioned aircraft and the escalating demand from manufacturing sectors for top-tier resources.
Nandina’s innovative approach tackles the persistent challenge of maintaining the mechanical properties, including material integrity and quality, of repurposed carbon fiber. Given its composite nature, reclaiming carbon fiber has historically posed difficulties, as it cannot be simply melted and reshaped for high-end applications, the company said in a statement.
By salvaging valuable materials from end-of-life aircraft, the market gains access to new reservoirs of ultra-low emission, high-quality carbon fiber composites that are comparable to virgin materials in quality, all while being more cost-effective.
“Reclaiming high-quality circular materials from end-of-life aircraft is a key industry achievement that will unlock a multitude of possibilities for both aviation and advanced manufacturing," said Karina Cady, CEO of Nandina REM. “This would not have been possible without tapping into the deep industry expertise of A*STAR as our valued partner and demonstrates the importance of collaboration in tackling the most pertinent green challenges in our industries."
Cady estimates that reprocessing retired aircraft can remove 82 million tonnes of CO2.
“Enabling high-value circular supply chains makes sense for both planet and business," she said. "Aviation circularity means we can keep high-quality materials like carbon fiber in high-performance value chains. We don’t have to keep relying on extracting more virgin materials from the environment.”
Nandina has set an ambitious target of cutting 1 gigatonne of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. It now works with key supply chain partners, including Sumitomo and Vaupell, to catalyze a scalable, system-wide solution.
“I believe the aviation industry collectively can be at the forefront of the energy transition. Sustainability can be a catalyst for new growth in aviation supply chains,” concluded Cady.