Asian Tech Press (Dec 13) -- Toyoda Iron Works to develop auto parts using sorghum fibers, aiming for productization by 2024.

According to Nikkei, Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.(TOYOTETSU), a Toyota component maker, and Nagoya University have begun collaborating on developing plant fibers. Toyoda Iron Works plans to commercialize the product by 2024 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the report, the unit price of glass fiber is about 200 yen/kg, while CNF is about 2,000 yen/kg, which is ten times more than glass fiber. In order to reduce the price, Toyoda Iron Works and Nagoya University are studying the efficient separation of CNF from sorghum through a manufacturing process.

Toyoda Iron Works has also begun to consider selling bioethanol to power companies and using the money to repurchase sorghum, the raw material for CNF manufacturing. In addition, the two companies are working together to secure abandoned land where sorghum is cultivated to achieve mass production.