SGL Group: Growing interest for applications of carbon-based materials in Asia

01-10-2013 SGL Group: Growing interest for applications of carbon-based materials in Asia Beijing, January 10, 2013, SGL Group The Carbon Company held a media workshop in Beijing today. Topics of the event were current and potential applications of carbon in growth markets. Further expanding on the topic of last years workshop Carbon-Based Solutions for Urban Life, SGL Group discussed its carbon material know-how and gave comprehensive details about the unique properties of its high-performance materials.

Dr. Guenter Hermann, CEO of SGL Group China: We are pleased to see our products being used in increasingly more applications. It is especially true for China that our hightech products and technologies are receiving growing attention. As a leading supplier in the carbon and graphite industry, we are very confident about the future development of carbon-based applications.

As urbanization accelerates in China, improved environmental protection, increased modern mobility ideas and greater energy efficiency are becoming increasingly important. Carbon can play a vital role in this context due to its unique material properties such as high strength, flexibility and low weight.

Latest projects demonstrate the increasing role of carbon-based materials

SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers: SGL Group and the BMW Group founded a joint venture for the production of carbon fibers and carbon fiber fabrics for the upcoming BMW i-series. The BMW i3 will be the first vehicle with a passenger cell made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). The joint venture operates two sites in the U.S. and Germany.

High efficient climatization of buildings: As an innovative material in surface heating and cooling systems, ECOPHIT was awarded "Selected Landmark 2012" by Germany Land of Ideas. In Europe alone, approximately 40% of energy demand stems from buildings as their heating, cooling and ventilation use the most energy there. Par-ticularly the major cities in Asia are having a growing need for energy efficient air conditioning systems. In China, for example, the Ministry of Housing and Rural-Urban Development has proposed an initiative on the large-scale development of green buildings. In Singapore, ECOPHIT has been successfully installed in flagship projects and has proven its high performance under the local tropical weather conditions.

Joint venture with the Lindner Group: In October 2012, SGL Group and the Lindner Group a worldwide construction specialist announced the creation of a joint venture for green air conditioning technology in buildings. The joint venture will combine the materials expertise of SGL Group in the manufacture of the environmentally friendly graphite construction material ECOPHIT with the know-how of the Lindner Group in interior fit-out, facade construction and insulation engineering. In the future, the joint venture will offer high-performance and innovative green solutions which are adapted to the Chinese climatic conditions. Therefore, cooperations with different leading Chi-nese companies have been initiated.

Process technology based on carbon: In China, SGL Group successfully cooperates with major industry players including Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd. as well as Wengfu Group thus sharing ecofriendly manufacturing process solutions that enable Chinese companies to improve productivity. In connection with a project launched in August 2012, SGL Group will supply a HCl recovery circuit to Qinghai Salt Lake Indus-try Co., Ltd. Through a comprehensive energy recycling system, it can save around 45% of energy compared to a standard system.

SGL Group's carbon and graphite products are extensively used in the recycling of scrap steel, automotive manufacture, renewable energy, building construction and sports equipment. The use of carbon-based products can ensure emission reductions and energy savings in urban infrastructure construction.

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 48 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 2011, the Company's workforce of around 6,500 employees generated sales of 1,540 million. The Company's head office is located in Wiesbaden.

Further information on the SGL Group can be found online at: www.sglgroup.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 actu

LINK:	http://www.sglgroup.com/cms/international/press-lounge/news/2013/01/01...
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