A continuous, substantially uniform tow useful in forming composite molded articles is prepared by forming a continuous tow of continuous carbon fibers, forming a continuous tow of thermoplastic polymer fibers to a selected width, uniformly and continuously spreading the carbon fiber two to a width that is essentially the same as the selected width for the thermoplastic polymer fiber tow, intermixing the tows intimately, uniformly and continuously, in a relatively tension-free state, and continuosuly withdrawing the intermixed tow
