If you want carbon fiber wheels for your next car, it's okay to breathe a sigh of relief. The Australian company that makes those wheels for Ford, Ferrari, Chevrolet, JLR, and more, has good news. After a near-death experience with bankruptcy, one of the world's largest specialty wheel groups has emerged from creditor protection. That should keep the supply of carbon wheels rolling, at least for now. Wheely Good News For Lightweight Rims Ford Earlier today, carbon fiber wheel specialist Carbon Revolution posted an announcement that it had emerged from its voluntary administration. That's an Australian form of bankruptcy protection that gave the company a chance to find new financing and settle with creditors. It found that new financing from Orion Infrastructure Capital, a US-based lending company. Carbon Revolution said that it is now "better positioned to execute on its strategic priorities, improve operational performance, and pursue long-term growth opportunities across its commercial and strategic initiatives." That's basically a rather long-winded way to say the company got cash and isn't broke anymore, so it should be able to continue production and expand. When it entered administration, Carbon Revolution reported that it had lost $146 million in 2024. Total losses climbed to around $350 million. The company blamed its rapid growth along with an industry-wide pullback of plans for electric vehicles, where lighter is definitely better. Carbon Revolution's first OE product was the optional carbon wheels for the 2015 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R. It supplied wheels for the Ferrari 488 Pista, Range Rover Sport SV, and the Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06. Reducing weight has big benefits for handling on sports cars, as well as helping make a car look more exotic. It comes with a steep price, though. Chevrolet asks $11,995 for the basic painted carbon wheels on a Z06. Big Growth Slammed Into Industry Slowdown Chevrolet In 2023, the company said it had $460 million in projected sales from awarded contracts with OEMs. Based on that, the company grew quickly to meet the demand. That growth came with debt as well as high costs from shipping wheels from Australia to the US and Europe. But when electric vehicle plans pulled back, so did some of those contracts. EVs benefit greatly from lighter wheels, which can have a major impact on range. The company didn't say what OEMs had canceled, but most if not all brands have scaled back EV launches and production volume. A report from the firm handling the administration said that the first big order cancellation happened in July 2024. Three months later, it saw two more customers say they had "excess inventory" of wheels. By October 2025, a total of three programs from two manufacturers had been dropped. The company's location was also given some of the blame. Even for lightweight parts, Australia is a long way from just about everywhere. The company had started working on a North American plant, but the status of that factory wasn't immediately available. But demand is still strong, and now the company can benefit. Bob Lutz, Chair of Carbon Revolution, maintained a positive outlook when the company entered administration. And now, it looks like things are going according to plan. "As the market’s appreciation for the value that carbon fiber wheels deliver continues to grow, the restructured business will be well set up to be a prime beneficiary of this trend at just the right time." Source: Carbon Revolution / Facebook
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