Jun 2 2006
SGL Carbon is about to increase its production capacity for Graphite Specialties by the end of 2006 due to rising customer demand. The capacity for isostatic graphite in the Bonn plant will be expanded from 3,000 tons to 5,000 tons. The greater demand is particularly due to the growing need for special graphite in the semiconductor, solar, and technical ceramics industries.
Moreover, due to increasing demand from customer industries in high-temperature applications, energy storage, and nuclear energy reactor construction, the capacity for extruded graphite in the production plants at Chedde (France) and Morganton (USA) will be expanded to 18,000 tons by the end of 2006, thanks to optimization measures. As early as 2005, capacities for coating high purity graphite in the Graphite Specialties segment were increased by 50% in part for the semiconductor industry in the North American St. Mary’s plant.
The relevant capex costs were included in the budget for 2006 and will not result in increased expenditure. With these measures, SGL Carbon is underlining its global market leadership in the overall field of Special Graphite.