SGL Carbon has sold its 51 per cent shareholding in the SGL Kümpers KG joint venture to Kümpers and Franz-Jürgen Kümpers. SGL Group will continue to supply carbon fibres, maintaining existing business with Kümpers. The deal is part of the strategy to consolidate key activities in the value chain under the roof, under the responsibility of SGL Group.

The joint venture was founded in early 2007 for the production of high-performance materials like fabrics and braids based on carbon and glass fibres. The parties to the contract have agreed to keep the financial details confidential. The joint venture was founded in early 2007 for the production of high-performance materials like fabrics and braids based on carbon and glass fibres.

With the sale of the shares, SGL Group is optimising its carbon fibre value chain in Germany and Austria by concentrating its expertise in the processing of carbon and glass fibres for composites and composite components within its Composites – Fibres & Materials (CFM) business unit at five sites. These are the three German sites in Meitingen, Wackersdorf (both Bavaria), and Willich (North Rhine-Westphalia), plus Ried and Ort in Austria’s Innkreis region.

The transaction is part of the strategy to consolidate all key activities in the value chain – from carbon fibres and materials to components – under the roof and thus under the overall responsibility of SGL Group. The company recently announced its complete takeover of the former joint ventures SGL Automotive Carbon Fibres (SGL ACF) and BENTELER-SGL with the aim of expanding its capabilities to include solutions for carbon fibre manufacturing and processing as well as processes for serial production. (SV)