SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers receives the AWB s 0 Manufacturer of the Year Award

10-30-2013 SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers receives the AWB's 2013 Manufacturer of the Year Award MosesLake, Washington, October 30, 2013. SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers (ACF) a joint venture of SGL Group and the BMW Group today announced that it has been named the 2013 Manufacturer of the Year by the Association of Washington Business (AWB). This year, the AWB recognized five corporations for their exceptional contributions to operational excellence, innovation, green technology and the state's overall economy. This year's Manufacturing Excellence Awards are supported by UPS and the AWB Institute.

We are honored to receive this award, said Steve Swanson, Vice President, Operations, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers. In line with the company's role in sustainable business operations, the decision to build our carbon fiber plant in MosesLake was based primarily on the availability of renewable clean hydropower and competitive energy costs in the state of Washington. Other decisive factors were the availability of highly skilled specialists, excellent infrastructure and constructive cooperation with local authorities. In MosesLake, we are ensuring that carbon fibers play a revolutionary role in lightweight automotive construction.

The Joint Venture in Moses Lake produces the carbon fibers for the manufacture of ultra lightweight carbon fiber reinforced structures for use in the new BMW i series. The MosesLake carbon fibers will be processed into carbon fiber fabrics at the second joint venture site in Wackersdorf, Germany. The carbon fiber reinforced plastic parts and components will be produced from these fabrics at the BMW plant in Landshut & Leipzig, Germany. The new BMW i3 will be manufactured from these parts at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig, Germany.

Carbon fiber technology is fundamentally changing the car industry, becoming increasingly important in the quest for lighter weight materials to reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. With the Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) facility in MosesLake, the company is proving that leading sustainable innovations can and will provide for a cleaner individual mobility of the future.

About SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers (ACF), a joint venture between the BMW Group and SGL Group was founded in 2009 for the exclusive supply of carbon fiber materials to the BMW Group.

ACF is setting new standards with their sustainable and cost-effective production and positioning the BMW Group to be the first automotive manufacturer to use carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in series production.

The carbon fiber materials, which are used in the passenger compartment of the BMW i models, will allow an entirely new vehicle designs. ACF expertise means that the vehicles will be significantly lighter while ensuring the highest safety.

SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has two production sites. In Moses Lake, WA/ USA carbon fibers spools are produced that are processed into fabrics at the second production site in Wackersdorf/ Germany. Moses Lake has a workforce of 80 employees and Wackersdorf a workforce of 150 employees.

Further information about ACF can be found online at: www.sglacf.com

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. Forward-looking 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. SGL Group does not intend or assume any responsibility to revise or otherwise update these forward-looking statements.

LINK:	http://www.sglgroup.com/cms/international/press-lounge/news/2013/10/10...
	See more stories from sgl

Most recent headlines