As part of its cost savings program SGL2015, SGL Group – The Carbon Company – is reducing its current five Business Units to three Business Units from January 1, 2015. The restructuring is intended to create further synergies and to streamline the organization and business processes within the Business Units.
The two separate Business Units Graphite & Carbon Electrodes (GCE) and Cathodes & Furnace Linings (CFL) will be combined to form the Business Unit Performance Products (PP) and will be reported under the existing segment Performance Products. The current Business Units Graphite Specialties (GS) and Process Technology (PT) will be merged to create the Business Unit Graphite Materials & Systems (GMS) and reported as such. The Business Unit Carbon Fibers & Composite Materials (CF/CM) remains unchanged and will continue to be reported in the segment Carbon Fibers & Materials (CFM) together with the proportionally consolidated joint ventures with BMW (SGL ACF). The central functions, research and development as well as our SGL Excellence activities will be reported in the segment Corporate. Consequently, all operational business will be reported in the in the three segments PP, GMS and CFM in future.
Dr. Jürgen Köhler, CEO of SGL Group: “With the streamlining we will further simplify our structure. Across the respective Business Units, there have always been many processes in which the units collaborated closely, for example in production or supply chain management. Merging them is therefore a logical next step in optimizing our organization.”
As part of the restructuring, the management levels and reporting lines will be adapted as a first step. Afterwards the processes in the combined units will be optimized further.
About SGL Group – The Carbon Company
SGL Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon-based products and materials. 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 very good electrical and thermal conductivity, heat and corrosion resistance as well as high mechanical strength combined with low weight. Due to industrialization in the growth regions of Asia and Latin America and increased substitution of traditional with innovative materials, there is a growing demand for SGL Group’s high-performance materials and products. Products from SGL Group are used predominantly in the steel, aluminum, automotive and chemical industries as well as in the semiconductor, solar and LED sectors and in lithium-ion batteries. Carbon-based materials and products are also being used increasingly in the wind power, aerospace and defense industries.
With 43 production sites in Europe, North America and Asia as well as a service network covering more than 100 countries, SGL Group is a company with a global presence. In 2013, the Company’s workforce of around 6,300 employees generated sales of €1,477 million. The Company’s head office is located in Wiesbaden.
Important note:
This press release may contain forward‐looking statements based on the information currently available to us and on our current projections and assumptions. By nature, forward‐looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as a consequence of which actual developments and results can deviate significantly from these forward‐looking statements. Forwardlooking statements are not to be understood as guarantees. Rather, future developments and results depend on a number of factors; they entail various risks and unanticipated circumstances and are based on assumptions which may prove to be inaccurate. These risks and uncertainties include, for example, unforeseeable changes in political, economic, legal, and business conditions, particularly relating to our main customer industries, such as electric steel production, to the competitive environment, to interest rate and exchange rate fluctuations, to technological developments, and to other risks and unanticipated circumstances. Other risks that in our opinion may arise include price developments, unexpected developments connected with acquisitions and subsidiaries, and unforeseen risks associated with ongoing cost savings programs.