The Evanston plant is expected to continue to operate at capacity including its expansion due to long-term supply contracts with Aldila, as well as with other customers in the wind, engineering plastics, and other industries. Leveraging the existing infrastructure – together with its attractive cost position – the Company further intends to raise production capacity stepwise at Evanston to around 4,000 metric tons by 2012.
Dr. Hariolf Kottmann, member of SGL Group's Board of Management, reiterated already-announced plans to “invest around € 300 million to participate in the growth market for carbon fiber,” and, “to increase SGL's total production capacity, up to 12,000 metric tons by 2012.” He cited the acquisition of Aldila's stake and the production expansion at Evanston to 2,000 metric tons as a key milestone to become one of the leading carbon fiber producers operating in the US with a significant part of our midterm production capacity located in the US dollar area.”
In addition to the plans for the Evanston site, and the previously announced expansion of capacity in Inverness, Scotland to an annual production of approx. 4,000 metric tons by the end of 2008, SGL Group also plans to establish a new carbon fiber production unit with similar capacity in Meitingen, Germany. In implementing this growth strategy, the Group expects to increase sales revenues of its Business Unit Carbon Fibers & Composites (CFC) by considerably more than 15% p.a. between now and 2011.
Due to increasing substitution of traditional materials worldwide demand for carbon fiber of currently 30,000 metric tons p.a., is expected to double by 2012 with stable annual growth rates of approx. 15% p.a. Among the eight producers of carbon fibers worldwide, SGL Group is the only European producer.
The SGL Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of carbon-based products. It has a comprehensive portfolio ranging from carbon and graphite products to carbon fibers and composites.
marketing@alchempro.com
