(Yicai Global) July 23 -- Yantai Tayho Advanced Materials plans to plow CNY600 million (USD89 million) into a para-aramid fiber plant in northwest China as it looks to produce 3,000 tons of the yarns for military and civil use.

The factory will include polymerization, spinning and solvent recovery equipment and supporting utilities with construction to begin at the end of next month, the Shandong-based firm said in a statement on July 20. It hopes to trial production in early 2020.

Para-aramid yarns offer high strength-to-weight ratios and are used primarily in the military for bulletproof vests and helmets and protecting weapons. Kevlar is one of the best known para-aramid brands. In civilian use, the fibers help strengthen optical cables for indoor and outdoor use and may be used in tires or as racing sails.

Tayho believes that the development of 5G networks in China, which are set to make the country's mobile internet services more than 10 times faster when they go commercial late next year, will increase demand for para-aramid materials. The automotive, sports and rail transit sectors could also help push growth into the double digits over the next few years, the statement added.

Editor: James Boynton