The Carbon Company - will invest within the next 3 years approximately €75 million into the capacity expansion of isostatic graphite to support the global growth of its customers in the solar energy, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) and semiconductor industries.
Dr. Gerd Wingefeld, Member of the Board of Management of SGL Group: "The expansion of our isostatic graphite capacities will augment our strong global market position. SGL Group has in the past and will in future accompany the growing markets for solar, semiconductor and LED's with the necessary investments to meet the demand of our customers."
A significant part of the investment will involve the construction of a new fullyautomated Iso Graphite Green Production Center at the Bonn site, Germany. Commissioning is scheduled for 2012. In this context SGL Group will increase its global annual isostatic graphite capacity from 5,000 mt to 15,000 mt within the next years. With the new state-of-the-art large dimensional isostatic press SGL Group will be in the position to meet the growing customer demand for large dimensional isostatic graphite parts. Another part of the overall investment is scheduled for the Chinese sites in Yangquan (feedstock production) and Shanghai (machining, purification and coating).
This investment reflects SGL Group's strategy of supplying the growth markets in Asia - primarily driven by China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan - with local production and strengthens the company's global footprint as well as its strong technology position in these growing markets.
SGL Group's isostatic graphite parts are predominantly used in the production of silicon for solar energy and semiconductor wafers as well for Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).