The problem, highlighted by the Motor Trend website, resides in a strong increase in demand, also from the automotive industry, for this material. Which is nowadays used to cover the most different surfaces, from car seats and private jets, to cell phone and computer covers, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
Around 50% lighter than leather — in a Lamborghini, the Alcantara option means 4.9 kg less weight than leather —, this synthetic material made of polyurethane and polyester is, however, produced only and only by a single company. , Italian. Which is beginning to have difficulties in responding to an increase in demand which, in the automobile sector alone, has reached 15% in the last seven years.
Eight million meters a year… and that's not enough!
As Andrea Boragno, Alcantara's CEO (yes, the company's name is the same as the material she invented), revealed to Motor Trend, the company's production capacity does not exceed eight million meters per year. This quantity is starting to prove to be insufficient to respond to the increase in orders, having even forced the company to refuse around 20% of new orders, as the machines are already working at their maximum capacity.
Although bad for car manufacturers — it represents about 80% of customers — this reality could not be better for the company. Which ended the year 2017 with record results of 187.2 million euros.
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Objective: double production
Meanwhile, the manufacturer has already announced an investment of 300 million euros, with the aim of doubling production, so that, by the end of 2023, it can be producing 16 million meters per year.
Which raises the question: can cows feel safe?...