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BMW gets Carbon Fiber for Many Models



 
 
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Old May 13th 14, 06:53 PM posted to alt.autos.bmw
MummyChunk
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Posts: 174
Default BMW gets Carbon Fiber for Many Models

BMW is adding Carbon Fiber beyond the i & M Models.




From AB






BMW Group and SGL Group to triple production capacities at Moses Lake
carbon fiber plant

- Additional investment of 200 million US dollars
- Medium-term capacity of 9,000 tons per year
- Moses Lake to become the world's largest carbon fiber plant
- Workforce in Moses Lake to be stepped up to 200

Munich / Wiesbaden / Moses Lake, 09.05.2014 -- Due to the high demand
for carbon fiber in automotive production, SGL Automotive Carbon
Fibers is going to triple the capacity of the carbon fiber plant in
Moses Lake, WA (USA). This has been announced today by the joint
venture partners, SGL Group and BMW Group, at the groundbreaking
ceremony for the planned site expansion. The expansion will be funded
by an investment of 200 million US dollars, in addition to the
previously invested 100 million US dollars. The site expansion,
scheduled to be completed by early 2015, will make the plant in Moses
Lake the world's largest carbon fiber plant. With the anticipated
creation of 120 new jobs, the headcount at the joint venture in Moses
Lake is going to rise from currently 80 to about 200 people. Due to
the automated production processes, the expansion of the site in Moses
Lake will make it possible for the BMW Group to apply carbon fiber
material also in other model series in the future, at competitive
costs and in large quantities.

At present, the Moses Lake plant operates two production lines,
exclusively for BMW i, with an annual output of approx. 3,000 tons of
carbon fiber. Already this summer, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers will
commission a third and fourth production line in Moses Lake, which are
currently being built, thus doubling the plant's capacity to 6,000
tons per year. Today's groundbreaking ceremony for a fifth and sixth
production line has been the first step toward tripling capacities to
9,000 tons annually in the medium term. The energy needed for the
carbon fiber production is fully generated from hydropower.

"With its highly automated carbon fiber production and stringent
quality standards, Moses Lake is setting new standards in the
industry. At present, the site is the world's fastest growing carbon
fiber producer. Together with the BMW Group, we are doing pioneering
work to establish CFRP as a material in large-series automotive
production. In a mix of materials, CFRP offers new opportunities in
lightweight construction for an eco-friendly mobility," explained
Dr. Jürgen Köhler, CEO of SGL Group.

Dr. Klaus Draeger, Board Member Purchasing and Supplier Network at BMW
AG: "CFRP is a key material for the automotive industry of the
21st century. In our endeavor to identify increasingly lightweight
materials in order to reduce a vehicle's weight and thus its fuel
consumption and carbon emissions, this material plays a crucial role.
As part of an intelligent mix of materials, we will apply carbon also
beyond our BMW i and BMW M models in the future. Thanks to the pooling
of the SGL Group's expertise and our knowledge in large-series
production of CFRP components, we will be able to produce the
ultra-lightweight high-tech material also for other model series, at
competitive costs and in large quantities."

The carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake is a key element in the strategy
pursued by the two companies, which anticipates the industrialized
large-series production of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) for
the application in future vehicle concepts. Up to now, carbon fiber
produced in Moses Lake is exclusively used for the BMW i models. Since
the start of the year, the Leipzig plant has built over 5,000 BMW i3
vehicles. At present, the production output stands at 100 units a day.
Furthermore, the BMW Group has been applying the ultra-lightweight
high-tech material also in its BMW M models for the past ten years.

Andreas Wüllner, CEO of SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers: "In the
course of only four years, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has managed to
become the world's largest carbon fiber production site. The
automotive industry will increasingly turn to CFRP because it is a
material of the future."

Availability of renewable energy crucial in the decision for the
location in Moses Lake
As part of their joint venture agreement, the BMW Group and the SGL
Group invested an initial 100 million dollars at their Moses Lake site
by 2013, creating 80 new jobs. Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington
State: "Congratulations to the BMW Group and the SGL Group on the
groundbreaking of their fifth and sixth production line at the Moses
Lake Plant. Washington State is proud to partner with BMW. The
game-changing technology of carbon fiber is driving a surge in U.S.
manufacturing, and with this production plant Washington State is at
the forefront of that surge."

The production of carbon fiber requires a great amount of energy.
Accordingly, decisive factors for the set up of the carbon fiber plant
in Moses Lake included the availability of renewable hydropower as
well as competitive energy costs in Washington State. The availability
of skilled workers also had an influence on the decision in favor of
the location, which was taken in April 2010. The groundbreaking
ceremony for the plant was in July 2010, the opening of the production
site in September 2011. Dr. Jörg Pohlman, CEO of SGL Automotive Carbon
Fibers: "We received great support from the regional authorities
in Grant County and Moses Lake, a decisive element in making this
rapid development of the past few years possible. With the site
expansion, we are reaching an important milestone in safeguarding the
site's future."

Production of carbon fiber composites
The production of carbon fiber composites for automotive manufacturing
requires several process steps: The necessary precursor, which is
based on polyacrylnitrile fiber, is made by a joint venture between
SGL Group and the Japanese company Mitsubishi Rayon in Otake, Japan.
In a next step, polyacrylnitrile fiber is turned into the actual
carbon fiber in Moses Lake. This material is then processed at the
second joint venture site in Wackersdorf, Germany, and turned into
textile carbon fiber layers, the starting point for the production of
CFRP body parts at the BMW plants in Landshut and Leipzig. In the BMW
i models, CFRP already holds a significant share in the mix of
materials, a first at this scope and in series production. The joint
venture gives the BMW Group access to this innovative key material in
the long term. The SGL Group provides their expertise in
high-performance materials and their experience with carbon
fiber-based materials.

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. 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 44 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 2013, the Company's workforce of
around 6,300 employees generated sales of €1,477 million. The
Company's head office is located in Wiesbaden.

SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers
SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers (ACF), a joint venture between the BMW
Group and SGL Group was founded in 2009 for the exclusive supply of
carbon fiber materials to the BMW Group. SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers
is setting new standards with their sustainable and cost-effective
production and positioning the BMW Group to be the first automotive
manufacturer to use carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in series
production. The carbon fiber materials, which are used in the
passenger compartment of the BMW i models, will allow an entirely new
vehicle designs. SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers expertise means that the
vehicles will be significantly lighter while ensuring the highest
safety. SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has two production sites. In
Moses Lake, WA/ USA carbon fibers spools are produced that are
processed into fabrics at the second production site in Wackersdorf/
Germany. Moses Lake has a workforce of 80 employees and Wackersdorf a
workforce of 150 employees.

www.sglacf.com

The BMW Group
The BMW Group is the leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As
a global company, the BMW Group operates 28 production and assembly
facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries.

In 2013, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.963 million cars and
115,215 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial
year 2013 was € 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately €
76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce
of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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