• World’s largest exhibition and trade show for composite materials and composites products in Paris

Wiesbaden, April 3, 2007. The SGL Group – The Carbon Company – is demonstrating the use of products from its high-quality carbon-fiber-based value chain in various industries at the JEC Composites Show from April 3 to 5 in Paris. The JEC Composites Show is the world’s largest exhibition and trade show for composite materials and composites products.

The recent announcement by the European Union to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2020 has highlighted the need for CO₂-neutral energy generation. One of the technologically and commercially most advanced forms of renewable energy is generating electricity using wind turbines. To be economically competitive with conventional electricity generation, turbine manufacturers are developing ever larger blades to increase the efficiency of the turbines. However, large blades (> 45 m in length) would be too heavy if they were constructed only from glass fiber, the reinforcement material used for smaller blades.

The SGL Group is supplying the leading wind turbine manufacturers with high-quality
SIGRAFIL carbon fiber. This combines for large blades the necessary tensile strength (to prevent breakage due to high centrifugal forces) and stiffness (to prevent deflection against the tower) by reducing the weight at the same time. Carbon fiber is used in the parts of the blade exposed to extreme mechanical stress. Depending on the individual technology used, some blade manufacturers also use carbon fibers impregnated with resin produced by the SGL Group. These so-called prepegs are cured at approximately 100°C. Due to the high strength and low density of carbon fiber, a weight saving of several tons per blade can be achieved by using SIGRAFIL products.

Saving energy costs is another topic in today’s global warming debate. Carbon fiber materials produced by the SGL Group are widely used in general machine constructions to achieve better energy efficiency and also improve processes. One recent example are components for robots and the automation industry. In this case carbon fiber products are used in the moving and positioning structures (manipulators) of robots. These new manipulators, developed by the SGL Group for one of the leading robotic and automatization manufacturers, are made out of SIGRAFIL carbon fiber prepregs. These prepegs are positioned according to the design and mechanical requirements and then cured at temperatures of approximately 100°C. The resulting carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) combines light weight with high stiffness and shows extraordinary mechanical strength and damping behavior. These CFRP manipulators enable faster and more precise movements of robots and, due to the weight advantages, reduced energy consumption.

Also in the automotive industry, the first carbon-fiber-reinforced parts are being developed. The main focus is on weight reduction to produce more fuel-efficient cars. Although this is still an emerging market for carbon fiber use, the SGL Group has recently entered into first projects with automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

The SGL Group recently announced that it will be investing significantly in increasing carbon fiber and prepeg capacities over the next years and has already formed Joint Ventures for production of raw materials for carbon fibers with Lenzing AG and downstream processing with F. A. Kümpers GmbH.

The SGL Group is exhibiting its products at stand H 34 in Hall 1 and SGL Kümpers, the newly formed Joint Venture for non-crimp fabrics, at stand H 08 at the JEC Composites Show.


About SGL Group – The Carbon Company
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. SGL Group’s core competencies are its expertise in high-temperature technology as well as its applications and engineering know-how gained over many years. These competencies enable the Company to make full use of its broad material base. SGL Group’s carbon-based materials combine several unique properties such as electrical and thermal conductivity, heat and corrosion resistance as well as high mechanical strength combined with low weight. Due to the paradigm shift in the use of materials as a result of the worldwide shortage of energy and raw materials, there is a growing demand for SGL Group’s high-performance materials and products from an increasing number of industries. Carbon and graphite products are  used whenever other materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, plastics, wood etc. fail due to their limited properties. Products from the SGL Group are used predominantly in the steel, aluminum, automotive, chemical and glass/ceramics industries. However, manufacturers in the semiconductor, battery, solar/wind energy, environmental protection, aerospace and defense industries as well as in the nuclear energy industry also figure among the Company’s customers.
With around 30 production sites in Europe, North America and Asia as well as a service network covering more than 100 countries, the SGL Group is a company with a global presence. In 2006, the Company’s  workforce of 5,250 generated  sales of € 1.2 billion. The Company’s head office is located in Wiesbaden/Germany.


Important note:
This press release contains statements on future developments that are based on currently available information and that involve risks and uncertainties that could lead to actual results deviating from these forward-looking statements. The statements on future developments are not to be understood as guarantees. The future developments and events are dependent on a number of factors, they include various risks and unanticipated circumstances and are based on assumptions that may not be correct. These risks and uncertainties include, for example, unforeseeable changes in political, economic and business conditions, particularly in the area of electrosteel production, the competitive situation, interest rate and currency developments, technological developments and other risks and unanticipated circumstances. We see other risks in price developments, unexpected developments relating to acquired and consolidated companies and in the ongoing cost optimization programs. SGL Group does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.