SGL Group Makes Significant Investment in Performance Products Facility in Arkansas
04/17/2013 - SGL Group – The Carbon Company – has made a US$26 million investment in its Ozark, Ark., facility for the construction of new state-of-the-art graphitization for the manufacture of graphite electrodes, which are used for the production of steel in EAFs.
SGL Group – The Carbon Company – has made a significant investment in its Ozark, Ark., facility for the construction of new state-of-the-art graphitization for the manufacture of graphite electrodes, which are used for the production of steel in electric arc furnaces. The investment volume is approximately US$26 million.
At an event to celebrate the investment, Grant Tennille, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, commented, “Arkansas’s reputation as a manufacturing hub will continue to grow as companies like SGL Carbon invest in new, advanced manufacturing technology. We appreciate the hard work of the company’s existing workforce that made today possible and thank SGL for choosing to make this significant investment in its Arkansas facility.”
This investment will yield cleaner technology, reduce energy consumption by approximately 20% and have a considerable impact on the competitive position of SGL Group. This capex will also ensure that the Ozark facility continues to be an exceptional corporate citizen in the region while offering the best, most secure jobs in the area. As last year’s winner of Arkansas Environmental Federation Diamond Award, the Ozark facility has proven that it exhibits action and resourceful management in environmental affairs. In 2012, the facility also celebrated a milestone in safe production — achieving 10 years without a Lost Time Accident (LTA).
Scott Carlton, president of SGL Group North America, said, “Ozark has placed great importance on Environmental, Health and Safety (ESHA) and makes this focus an integral part of its corporate culture. The employees of Ozark are the foundation of our success. This significant investment further underlines the company’s commitment to innovative approaches to decrease energy consumption through advanced technology.”
Ozark currently has 90 employees and is the only facility within SGL Group’s global network to produce the full range of electrode sizes, 14–32 inches, with feedstock coming from SGL Group’s Hickman, Ky., facility. Graphite electrodes are used in the electric arc furnace steel production route (EAF) to recycle steel scrap — the biggest recycling process in the world. The production of graphite electrodes servicing the steel industry began in Ozark in 1981 and the facility has significantly grown its portfolio over the years.
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 47 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 2012, the Company’s workforce of around 6,700 employees generated sales of €1,709 million. The company’s head office is located in Wiesbaden, Germany.
