Through a partnership with Materials Innovation Technologies (MIT LLC) and its wholly owned subsidiary MIT-RCF, a South Carolina carbon reclamation facility working on carbon recycling processes, Trek completed a three month trial to determine the viability of introducing the recycling step as part of its manufacturing process.
Throughout its manufacturing process, Trek collects trimmings and non-compliant moulded parts and combines these with select reclaimed warranty frames to send to MIT’s South Carolina facility to begin the reclamation process. Reclaimed carbon fibre is currently being used in reinforced thermoplastic applications while research and development is ongoing for use in automotive, aerospace, medical, and recreational applications.
“Throughout the trial period we worked with Trek to show them how beneficial carbon recycling can be to their overall business practices,” says MIT’s President and CEO, Jim Stike. “Working with a world leader like Trek to help them become the first bicycle company to begin recycling carbon fibre is very exciting for us.”
“One of the company’s major initiatives is that we will work to drive more eco-friendly processes into everything that we do,” explains Trek Senior Composites Manufacturing Engineer, James Colegrove. “Carbon fibre recycling holds massive potential not just for Trek, but the entire industry.”
