SGL Group & Gruschwitz to partner on carbon fiber yarns

In this strategic partnership, Gruschwitz will in future market stretch-broken carbon fiber yarns developed by SGL Group and tailor them for specific customer applications.

The two partners will each contribute their own specific know-how. SGL Group, as a materials specialist, has expertise spanning the entire value chain from raw materials to carbon fibers and carbon fiber composites. Gruschwitz, a leading supplier of high-performance yarns, concentrates on marketing specialty yarns, twisted industrial yarns and sewing threads in the automotive, healthcare, and other industries.

Christian Koppenberg, Global Sales Director SGL Group: “We chose Gruschwitz as a partner because the company has comprehensive expertise in the development and production of industrial twisted yarns and other types of yarn and for many years has been an established specialist in high-performance yarns for the industrial textiles market.

"We want to build on this and expand beyond existing applications into new markets, utilizing the special properties of carbon fibers such as high strength, heat resistance, and very good electrical conductivity. We want to translate these into new solutions for customers.”

Ditmar Schultschik, Chairman of Gruschwitz Textilwerke AG: “This cooperation with SGL Group continues our successful strategy of working together with leading manufacturers of specialty fibers on best solutions that no-one else can provide. We expect this cooperation to spur on mutual growth based on know-how and innovation.”

SGL Group launched production of its newly developed SIGRAFIL C SBY stretch-broken yarns in November 2013. In addition to the typical properties of carbon fibers, this exceptionally fine yarn has very good knot and loop strength.

These optimized yarn properties open up new textile processing possibilities such as sewing or knitting. The yarn is suitable for use as a heat conductor, because of its electrical resistance, or as a sewing or knitting yarn for highly stressed fiber composites, for example in the automotive industry.

SGL Group