Driving Circular Innovation: HRC Debuts at CHINAPLAS 2026
April 21–24, 2026 — The 38th China International Plastics and Rubber Industry Exhibition (CHINAPLAS 2026) took place in Shanghai. Recognized as a benchmark for industry trends and technological advancement, this year;s expo, themed “Transformation, Collaboration, Shaping Sustainability,” brought together over 5,000 exhibitors from around the world, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and diversified application scenarios that drive the industry toward higher-end, smarter, and greener development.
HRC made its debut at CHINAPLAS, showcasing its proprietary recycled carbon fiber materials alongside a portfolio of high-value end products spanning mobility, green construction, and lifestyle applications. The exhibition reflected HRC’s commitment to sustainable innovation and efficient resource utilization, drawing strong interest from industry professionals worldwide.
At the heart of HRC’s exhibition was its “closed-loop ecosystem for recyclable composite materials,” illustrating the transformation of carbon fiber from waste to high-performance applications. Powered by HRC’s proprietary recycling technology, the process features short cycle times, low energy consumption, and a clean production model with zero wastewater and solid waste discharge.
The recycled carbon fiber retains over 95% of its original mechanical properties, while achieving a carbon footprint as low as 0.93 kg CO₂e/kg—approximately 4.7% of that of virgin materials. This breakthrough addresses longstanding challenges in carbon fiber recycling, delivering both high performance and significant carbon reduction.
Building on this technological foundation, HRC has developed a range of intermediate materials derived from recycled carbon fiber, including injection molding pellets and thermoplastic felts. These materials are compatible with multiple thermoplastic matrices such as PP, PA, and PC, offering flexibility across different applications.
The injection molding pellets demonstrate excellent flowability and processing performance, while maintaining strong mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural modulus, and impact resistance. They are particularly well-suited for complex structural components across automotive, aerospace, robotics, consumer electronics, and sports equipment sectors. Thermoplastic felts, characterized by uniform fiber distribution, strong mechanical performance, and high process flexibility, provide an ideal solution for surface panels and laminate structures in thermoplastic composite applications.
HRC has successfully extended its capabilities from intermediate materials to high-performance end products, enabling applications across multiple industries.In the construction sector, its “green and low-carbon lightweight formwork system” stands out as a representative innovation. Combining lightweight design, high strength, corrosion resistance, and durability, the formwork can be reused over 250 times and has already been deployed in real-world projects, delivering advantages in material savings, construction quality, and labor efficiency.
In automotive applications, components such as sunroof guide rails and armrest frames manufactured from recycled carbon fiber pellets offer a combination of stiffness, wear resistance, and lightweight performance. Door inner panels produced through integrated compression-injection molding processes achieve significant weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity and design flexibility. Additional components, including underbody panels and fenders, further demonstrate the scalability of recycled carbon fiber in industrial applications.
HRC’s recycled carbon fiber materials and related products have obtained internationally recognized certifications, including Global Recycled Standard (GRS 4.0) and ISO 14067:2018 carbon footprint certification.
To accelerate commercialization, HRC has established a kiloton-scale carbon fiber recycling production line—one of the few of its kind globally—enabling large-scale deployment of recycled materials in industrial applications. The company has also entered into a strategic partnership with the Airbus Lifecycle Services Center (ALSC) to support China’s first aircraft dismantling and recycling program, further advancing circular economy practices in the aerospace sector.
The exhibition also served as a platform for industry dialogue. On April 20, the 7th “CHINAPLAS x CPRJ Plastics Recycling and Circular Economy Forum” brought together over a thousand experts to discuss policy trends, technological developments, and market insights in recycling and circular economy. HRC Carbon Neutrality General Manager Dr. Ben Wang participated in the parallel forum on “Building a Lifecycle-Based Green Supply Chain,” alongside sustainability experts from Sony Semiconductor, Lenovo, and other leading organizations. He shared HRC’s practical experience in advancing circular innovation and sustainable manufacturing.
From material recycling to value creation, HRC continues to expand the boundaries of composite applications. Moving forward, the company will further leverage its expertise in advanced materials and sustainable technologies, working with global partners to build an open, collaborative, and mutually beneficial industrial ecosystem—and to unlock new possibilities for a sustainable future.
