DowAksa Breaks Ground on New Plant for Carbon Fiber Composite Materials

April 27, 2022

The 117,000-square-meter facility in Yalova, Turkey is expected to be fully operational by early 2023.

YALOVA – DowAksa, manufacturer of value-added carbon fiber composite materials, held a groundbreaking ceremony today for its new integrated production plant in Yalova, Turkey. Participating in the groundbreaking ceremony were Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, Yalova Governor Muammer Erol, Yalova MP Meliha Akyol, Yalova Mayor Mustafa Tutuk, Akkök Holding Chairman Raif Ali Dinçkök, Akkök Holding CEO and DowAksa Deputy Chairman Ahmet Dördüncü and DowAksa CEO Douglas Parks.

The facility will be fully operational by 2023, creating 500 new jobs in DowAksa’s hometown Yalova.

Once completed, the new plant will consolidate the company's current and future capacity to initially address the growing demand of wind energy industry,

while increasing Turkey’s share in all industrial markets consuming carbon fiber.

Among a diverse portfolio of carbon fiber composite products, DowAksa produces pultruded carbon fiber laminates for new generation wind turbine blades using advanced process technology that assures the strength, stiffness and lighter weight needed for more productive, reliable and efficient wind turbine operation. The facility will also serve the needs of the fast-growing international automotive industry as well as sectors consuming carbon fiber containing composites that are critical to Turkey’s domestic needs.

“This investment will not only bring value-added export and employment to Turkey, it will improve the country’s self-sufficiency in strategic sectors” said DowAksa Deputy Chairman Ahmet Dördüncü. “We will continue to develop innovative composite solutions through our high performance carbon fibers and invest to meet the fast growing demand of our key domestic and international customers.”

Yalova, Turkey was designated for the new plant due to its strategic location for supply chains as well as its proximity to DowAksa’s current manufacturing plant providing full integration in raw materials, energy and utilities. The investment, as it reaches full-capacity by 2024, will also help raise the bar for local content creation in wind power projects as significant amount of laminates for carbon fiber spar caps in wind turbine blades will then be domestically produced.

About DowAksa
DowAksa, Turkey’s only carbon fiber manufacturer, was formed in 2012, combining the strengths of two world-class companies, Dow, a global leader in providing materials science solutions, and Aksa, the number one producer of acrylic fibers. The 50:50 joint venture provides fully integrated solutions including product (from precursor to carbon fiber to resin), engineering, technology, and knowledge to carbon fiber and carbon fiber intermediates needs of industrial markets.