On June 28, 2026, three high-performance carbon fiber production lines at the Lianyungang base of Zhongfu Shenying, a subsidiary of China National Building Material Group, officially went into operation. Covering a land area of 1,500 mu with a total investment of 6 billion RMB, the first phase adds a stable high-end carbon fiber capacity of 11,600 tons. Over 95% of the core production equipment is domestically manufactured, supporting three mainstream carbon fiber grades: general-purpose, high-tensile strength and high-modulus variants.

Combined with Zhongfu Shenying’s world-first mass production of 100-ton grade T1200 (SYT80) ultra-high-strength carbon fiber in March 2026 — while Japan’s Toray only holds lab samples and has delayed its mass production target to 2028 — China has built a fully self-developed carbon fiber supply chain covering the full spectrum from T300 to T1200 grades. This completely puts an end to the two-decade-long technological blockades and export restrictions imposed by the US and Japan on aerospace-grade premium carbon fiber. Domestic carbon fiber capacity now accounts for 50% of the global total, ranking first worldwide.

Carbon fiber is known as “black gold”. Its single filament is only one-tenth the thickness of a human hair, with a density one-quarter that of steel, yet its tensile strength reaches 10 times that of ordinary steel. When applied, it cuts the weight of aircraft, rockets and new energy equipment by more than 10%. The newly launched lines deliver stable output of the full T800/T1000/T1200 product range, tailored for high-end sectors including domestic large passenger aircraft, commercial launch vehicles, low-altitude UAVs, humanoid robots, wind turbine blades and new energy vehicles.

The complete set of processes including precursor fiber production, carbonization and surface treatment is 100% independently controllable, eliminating reliance on imported core additives and production lines. Domestic T800 and T1100 carbon fibers are already supplied in bulk for aerospace hardware, while prepreg materials from Guangwei Composites have been included in COMAC’s procurement catalogue, marking the large-scale commercial adoption of high-end carbon fiber in China.

Brokerage analysts note the carbon fiber sector is entering a triple dividend cycle driven by technological breakthroughs, surging market demand and domestic substitution. Low-end large-tow capacity is oversupplied with fierce price competition, while high-end small-tow grades of T800 and above remain in persistent shortage. Four high-growth tracks stand out: aerospace, hydrogen storage cylinders, low-altitude economy and humanoid robots. The continuous ramp-up of domestic high-end capacity will further erode the global market share of overseas manufacturers.