Exel strengthens partnership with Original Composites & Fiberglass to adopt SUSTAINA® continuous filament mat in our production process
Exel Composites has partnered with glass fiber innovator Original Composites and Fiberglass to accelerate the use of circular materials in industrial composites manufacturing, adopting SUSTAINA® continuous filament mat (CFM) for commercial-scale use across Europe. The partnership will see SUSTAINA® CFM used in several hundred tons of material annually, supporting Exel’s wider sustainability ambitions while maintaining the consistent performance required for demanding pultrusion applications.
SUSTAINA® is an ISCC+ (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certified glass fiber solution with 50% circular content, based on a mass balance calculation. This means that for every ton produced, at least 500 kg of virgin raw material has been replaced by circular feedstock.
The collaboration marks a significant step forward for composite circularity, demonstrating how recycled-content materials can move beyond pilot projects and into high-volume industrial production. For Exel, the transition supports its wider sustainability strategy and responds to increasing customer interest in responsible material sourcing.
SUSTAINA® CFM can be effortlessly implemented into Exel’s production process with no change or impact on the properties of its composite materials. This was essential for our continuous manufacturing operations, where consistent thickness, equal fiber distribution, stable process behavior, and reliable mechanical performance are critical.
“For us, circularity is the future,” said Kim Sjödahl, Senior Vice President Technology and Sustainability at Exel Composites. “There is still a limited amount of recycled composite material available across our industry, but we are challenging ourselves to use more circular and recycled materials wherever technically possible. SUSTAINA® gives us a way to do that at industrial volume, without compromising product quality.
“Together with Original Composites & Fiberglass, we hope to set an example that composite circularity is not only feasible, but also that it can be done without disrupting the desired properties and high performance of composite materials.”
The partnership comes at a pivotal time for Original Composites & Fiberglass, with the company embracing a new brand identity that reflects its almost 90-year composites heritage alongside a renewed focus on circularity, and innovation across the composites value chain.
“Circularity is about closing the loop across the value chain,” said Alessandro Forestieri, Sustainability Lead Europe at Original Composites & Fiberglass. “SUSTAINA® gives the composites industry a practical route to progressively increase circular content while keeping composites competitive, compliant with future regulation, and ready for large-scale recyclability.”
Want to learn more about the realities and opportunities of sustainable composites manufacturing? Visit our sustainability page here.