Mexican Media Brands
CEO at Carbon Fiber Supplier SGL Resigns
Juergen Koehler, the CEO of carbon fiber supplier SGL Group, will leave the company at the end of August after the supplier scrapped its business plan and slashed its outlook.
Share
Juergen Koehler, the CEO of carbon fiber supplier SGL Group, will leave the company at the end of August after the supplier scrapped its business plan and slashed its outlook.
Last year SGL sold €1 billion in carbon fiber, primarily to BMW and Volkswagen Group. The material is used in lithium-ion battery anodes and ultra-light panels vehicular structural and body panels. The company employs more than 5,000 people in Asia, Europe and North America.
SGL says it now expects its pretax earnings this year will be roughly €5 million compared with its previous estimate of €21 million. The company blames the sharp decline on a slump in orders for industrial applications and “erroneous” assumptions about a supply contract for windmill components.
The company has withdrawn its guidance for 2020-2022 and plans to issue a new business plan by January. The company, once valued at more than €3 billion, saw its market value shrink earlier today to less than €450 million ($500 million).
SGL is 28% owned by BMW heiress Susanne Klatten. BMW and VW hold smaller stakes in the company.
RELATED CONTENT
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.
-
Multiple Choices for Light, High-Performance Chassis
How carbon fiber is utilized is as different as the vehicles on which it is used. From full carbon tubs to partial panels to welded steel tube sandwich structures, the only limitation is imagination.
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
