HITCO Signs Contract with Kawasaki Heavy Industries
LOS ANGELES - HITCO CARBON COMPOSITES, INC. (HITCO), a subsidiary of the German based SGL Group, -- The Carbon Company -- announced today that it has entered into a long-term contract with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., to become a supplier of composite floor beams for an aircraft fuselage section of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The composite floor beams will be produced using HITCO's recently acquired Automated Tape Lay-up machine. HITCO, with the support of its parent SGL Group are spearheading an aggressive new growth strategy. Edward Carson, HITCO's Chief Operating Officer stated: "Composites are finally being recognized for their superior properties in the aerospace industry. HITCO's enhanced capabilities enable us to become the best Tier II supplier in the aerospace industry. Increasing our design engineering capabilities, and automating our production lines, along with our predominance in the hand lay-up of complex components due to lean manufacturing techniques, place us in the forefront of twenty first century composite technologies. We are adding state-of-the-art equipment such as our new Cincinnati Machine 'Charger' Automated Tape Laying machine, and our new Viper 6000 Automated Fiber Placement machine. To accommodate even more automated production equipment, we are modernizing and upgrading our ample production facilities. These new capabilities enable the Company to make strategic agreements with the Tier 1 suppliers to the major OEMs of the world as well as, the military prime contractors. We seek the long-term, production 'carve-out' contracts that will continue HITCO CARBON COMPOSITES' role as a leader in the composite manufacturing industry." HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc. was founded in 1922 and manufactures advanced composite materials primarily for aerospace and defense applications, and is part of the SGL Group's Business Unit Carbon Fibers and Composites (CFC). HITCO continues to be an innovative leader in the advancement of carbon composite technologies and continues to strategically focus within the SGL Group on new projects for aerospace/aircraft and defense applications. SGL Group -- The Carbon Company The SGL Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of carbon-based products. It has a comprehensive portfolio ranging from carbon and graphite products to carbon fibers and composites. SGL Group's core competencies are its expertise in high-temperature technology as well as, its applications and engineering know how, gained over many years. These competencies enable the Company to make full use of its broad material base. SGL Group's carbon-based materials combine several unique properties such as electrical and thermal conductivity, heat, and corrosion resistance as well as, high mechanical strength combined with low weight. Due to the paradigm shift in the use of materials because of the worldwide shortage of energy and raw materials, there is a growing demand for SGL Group's high-performance materials and products from an increasing number of industries. Carbon and graphite products are used whenever other materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, plastics, wood etc. fail due to their limited properties. Products from the SGL Group are used predominantly in the steel, aluminum, automotive, chemical, and glass/ceramics industries. However, manufacturers in the semiconductor, battery, solar/wind energy, environmental protection, aerospace, and defense industries as well as, in the nuclear energy industry also figure among the Company's customers. With around 30 production sites in Europe, North America, and Asia as well as, a service network covering more than 100 countries, the SGL Group is a company with a global presence. In 2006, the Company's workforce of 5,250 generated sales of 1.2 billion Euros. The Company's head office is located in Wiesbaden, Germany.
