SGL Carbon preparing to make more batteries
SGL Carbon steels itself for surging demand for EV batteries. The supplier says it “significantly increased” production capacities for synthetic graphite anode material and will conclude the expansion in 2019, while also investing in their battery lab.
SGL Carbon is producing battery materials in the States and Poland. In total, a low double-digit million-euro amount will be invested at the Morganton (USA), Raciborz and Nowy Sacz (both Poland) throughout 2019. At the same time, SGL is expanding their battery testing and development facilities in Meitingen (Germany).
Dr. Jürgen Köhler, CEO of SGL Carbon elaborates: “The demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and thus, high-quality synthetic graphite anode materials is constantly growing. By expanding our capacities, we will continue to meet this demand, also in the future. The expansion of our development and application lab also allows us to better assist our customers in finding solutions to the ever-increasing demands on battery performance.”
In Morganton, a new production route for graphite anode materials was qualified last year. At the European sites of SGL, which work as a production network, initial measures have been taken. In Meitingen, the battery lab is undergoing a major expansion to increase capacity for both research and development activities as well as application engineering consulting and customer service for various battery systems.
Moreover, SGL is already considering whether to expand further. Says Köhler: “We are currently in an evaluation process of this very dynamic market to decide on potential capacity increases beyond the steps already taken.”
SGL Carbon claim to be the only major western manufacturer of synthetic graphite anode materials in the world. One of their most renown clients is Hitachi Chemicals Corporation, which they have supplied with anode materials for lithium-ion batteries for almost two decades. SGL has also worked with BMW on their electric cars.
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