SGL Carbons consolidated sales amounted to 241.5 million in the first quarter (Q1/2020 246.8 million), representing a slight decline of 2%. Currency adjusted, sales were on a par with the prior-year level. SGL Carbons sales performed differently across the customer industries in the first quarter. In the Automotive lightweight construction sector and in the Semiconductor industry, the company benefited from a recovery in economic activity. In contrast, especially the development in the late-cyclical graphite business for Industrial Applications as well as SGL Carbon's solutions business for the Chemical Industry continued to suffer from pandemic-related weaknesses. However, the order intake in the Chemicals segment in recent months is showing signs of a noticeable recovery.
On the earnings side, the company was able to further improve its key figures in the first quarter. EBITDA pre rose by 14% to 33.0 million in the reporting period (Q1/2020 29.0 million). EBIT also increased significantly to 17.0 million compared to 6.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. In addition, the company now also achieved a positive net result of 6.1 million again compared to minus 4.3 million in the prior-year period.
The consistent further implementation of the restructuring and transformation program made a contribution to the positive earnings development. It is proceeding according to plan in all areas. With a total of over 700 measures in the areas of purchasing, personnel, operations and service functions, we are making steady progress across all sites. As part of the restructuring, headcount will be reduced as well. More than 60% of the planned personnel measures were already implemented at the end of the quarter.
In addition, SGL Carbon continued to clearly focus on improving liquidity and reducing debt in the first quarter. As a result, liquidity of 168.6 million as of March 31, 2021 developed positively compared to the end of the year ( 141.8 million). Free cash flow from continuing operations was positive at 24.1 million. SGL Carbons net financial debt decreased by 5% to 271.5 million as of March 31, 2021 (year-end 2020 286.5 million).
"Our first quarter results show that we are delivering despite the continued headwinds in some of our markets. One key element of this progress is our global restructuring and transformation program, in which we are making very good progress. Also operationally, there are already some areas at SGL Carbon that are seeing increasing demand again and are now coming strengthened out of the crisis. In addition, we are now pursuing a clear margin before volume strategy with which we are focusing on profitability. We fully confirm our guidance for the full year 2021," explains Dr. Torsten Derr, CEO of SGL Carbon.
Profitability improvedThe financial result improved from minus 9.4 million in Q1/2020 to minus 6.4 million in the reporting period. In particular, lower interest expenses for pensions and lower effects for the compounding of liabilities, as well as foreign currency valuations of intercompany loans led to this positive development.
Due to the increase in EBIT and the improved financial result, earnings before income taxes increased from minus 3.0 million in the prior-year period to 10.6 million in the reporting period.
Segment ReportingSince January 1, 2021, SGL Carbon has been managing its operating business in four business units, each having a homogeneous business model and clearly defined responsibility for earnings. The former reporting segment Composites - Fibers & Materials (CFM) has been broken down into the units Carbon Fibers (CF) and Composite Solutions (CS). The former reporting segment Graphite Materials & Systems (GMS) has been split into Graphite Solutions (GS) and Process Technology (PT). The reporting segments as presented below directly derive from the new business units.
Reporting segment Graphite Solutions (GS): Dynamic demand from the semiconductor sector Sales development in the reporting segment Graphite Solutions (GS) in the first quarter of 2021 was slightly below the previous years level by around 3% (currency adjusted no change) at 108.3 million, but slightly above our expectations.
The Battery & Other Energy market segment showed stable development compared with the previous year. In addition, an expected positive sales and earnings effect of around 9 million is included in this market segment in the first quarter of 2021 from the early termination of a contract. The contract termination agreed in March will lead to a corresponding compensation payment, which will be received in the second quarter. The LED & Semiconductor market segment was able to increase sales significantly. In contrast, demand from the Industrial Applications market segment declined significantly in the first quarter of 2021.
Compared with the good prior-year quarter (Q1/2020 20.8 million), EBITDA pre increased by 10% to 22.9 million in the reporting quarter, mainly as a result of the financial compensation. This led to a temporary increase in the EBITDA margin to 21.1% (Q1/2020 18.6%). In line with the sales development, the Battery & Other Energy and LED & Semiconductor market segments recorded an increase in earnings, while earnings in the Automotive & Transportation market segment increased due to productivity improvements. All other market segments recorded a decline in earnings compared to the prior-year quarter due to lower demand.
Reporting segment Process Technology (PT): Incoming orders from the Chemical Industry point to recoverySales in the reporting segment Process Technology (PT) declined significantly in the first quarter by 16% (currency adjusted minus 18%) to 19.3 million (Q1/2020 23.0 million). The main reason for this was the decline in order intake from all three regions (Asia, Europe and North America) in the p
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
06/07/2026
Long-developed relationships and informal access, three production models, and c...
06/07/2026
The deal follows Lumine's recent acquisition of Synamedia's video-networ...
06/07/2026
This former SportsCenter producer is shaping local-team studio coverage to surro...
06/07/2026
IMS Productions and FOX Sports deployed more than 100 cameras, 32 onboard feeds,...
06/07/2026
Lumine Group Inc. has announced the completion of its acquisition of the Video Network Business from Synamedia. The business will operate as a standalone compan...
06/07/2026
NASCAR has announced a content and commercial partnership with Motorsport Network, a motorsports and automotive media platform, to distribute NASCAR original co...
06/07/2026
Versant Media Group has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Full Swing, a sports technology company, from Bruin Capital and a group of minority investor...
06/07/2026
DAZN has announced global broadcast rights to 3ICE, a professional hockey format featuring three skaters and a goalkeeper per side, with no power plays or offsi...
06/07/2026
Bundle gains 100 new synths & more
Synth Anthology 5 the largest and most feature-packed edition of UVI's hardware synth emulation bundle, bringing toge...
06/07/2026
Available now via free firmware update
MOTU have just announced that three of their popular audio interfaces now boast official Milan Certification. The 16A...
06/07/2026
Rohde & Schwarz completes Hunter Preliminary Design Review for the Integrated Co...
06/07/2026
The R&S IMAGER from Rohde & Schwarz uses millimeter wave imaging to inspect the ...
06/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
06/07/2026
Digital Domain Appoints Industry Veteran Patrick Davenport as Executive Vice Pre...
06/07/2026
Gravity Media USA appoints Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development
Brie Clayton July 6, 2026
0 Comments
The strategic new appointment supports...
06/07/2026
Remote Editing Without Cloud Storage in Resolve
Michael Cioni July 6, 2026
0 Comments
This is a step-by-step guide that demonstrates how to setup your...
06/07/2026
Automatic Caption Translation in Adobe Premiere Pro
Colin Smith July 6, 2026
0 Comments
Here I showcase the innovative automatic caption translation f...
06/07/2026
Flavor's First Ever Managing Director Neal Cohen Retires; Longstanding Execu...
06/07/2026
How Adam Rosenwach Pivoted from Music to Medtech Without Missing a Beat What do the rehearsal room and the boardroom have in common? More than you might think...
06/07/2026
Zhongyi Optics unveils the Dreamy Zone T1 FF Cine Lens Series on Indiegogo with ...
06/07/2026
Techtel debuts insyght: making ST 2110 media discovery easy
intellisphereinsyght2026
6 July Written By Suzanne Costello
Sydney, Australia - 06 July 2026 T...
06/07/2026
Monday 6 July 2026
Sky agrees to acquire ITV Media & Entertainment, creating a ...
06/07/2026
Fresh from his World Cup heroics with Cabo Verde, Roberto Pico' Lopes will join the RT panel for Argentina v Egypt tomorrow and for the England v Norway q...
06/07/2026
Nations have long invested in domestic infrastructure to advance their economies, protect and use their data, and take advantage of technology opportunities in ...
06/07/2026
Every year, the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) reveals where thousands of AI researchers have decided to put their work.
This year's ...
06/07/2026
A death can be unsuspicious, but it has to be explained
What happened to Ke...
05/07/2026
We've gone to another level of integrating the graphics into the set architecture' - Zac Fields, SVP, Graphic Technology and Integration, FOX Sports...
05/07/2026
Browser-based and desktop apps available
Digital Sunset Studios have been busy working on an interesting project: a free software tool that provides compute...
04/07/2026
When Canada qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, OneSoccer knew this wasn'...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Brie Clayton July 3, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagi...
04/07/2026
iZotope Joins Boris FX
Boris Yamnitsky July 3, 2026
0 Comments
iZotope, the team behind RX and Ozone, is joining Boris FX. A letter from founder Boris...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
Caden Pearson appointed new Commissioning Editor for NITV
3 July, 2026
Media releases
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has strengthened its commitment...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Death Star
Andy Marken July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Look, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate i...
03/07/2026
Berklee's New Visual Identity: Honoring Our History, Building for What's...
03/07/2026
Scripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven dis...
03/07/2026
Joan Pulupa joins Scripps Research faculty to study the organization of DNA in brain cells and its links to neurodegeneration Using smell-sensing neurons and ad...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
SGL Carbons consolidated sales amounted to 241.5 million in the first quarter (Q1/2020 246.8 million), representing a slight decline of 2%. Currency adjusted, sales were on a par with the prior-year level. SGL Carbons sales performed differently across the customer industries in the first quarter. In the Automotive lightweight construction sector and in the Semiconductor industry, the company benefited from a recovery in economic activity. In contrast, especially the development in the late-cyclical graphite business for Industrial Applications as well as SGL Carbon's solutions business for the Chemical Industry continued to suffer from pandemic-related weaknesses. However, the order intake in the Chemicals segment in recent months is showing signs of a noticeable recovery.
