Carbone Lorraine - Grafitproduzent - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[meinolf67]

Testposi aufgemacht.

Damit beobachte ich jetzt:

SGL Carbon
Graftech
Toyo Tanso
Tokai Carbon

Grafit wird für Stahleherstellung und auch die CZ-Kristallziehung bei SI verwendet.

Leider war mein Timing schlecht; habe 2 Monate zu früh angefangen.

CL notiert unter Buchwert.
KGV auf's Jahr hochgerechnet derzeit etwa 5.

[meinolf67]

Paris, September 8, 2008 1/2





Carbone Lorraine has recently signed two major contracts with customers in the
solar energy industry:

- The first covers the isostatic graphite needs of one of the major producers of
polysilicon, the basic raw material required to manufacture solar panels. The
contract is worth a total of around $60 million over four years.

- The second covers the supply of graphite systems to a major manufacturer of
equipment for the solar industry. It is worth around $25 million and runs for 13
months.

These two contracts are in line with the Group’s policy of strengthening its
partnerships with leading customers in its target markets. They also show the new
determination of certain major players to secure their purchases of graphite
equipment over the long term.

These two major contracts will underpin Carbone Lorraine’s positioning in the solar
segment, which is enjoying very rapid growth. This highly demanding industry’s
customers appreciate Carbone Lorraine’s extremely pure graphite, the very large size
of the components delivered, which provide them with economies of scale, and the
location of our production workshops at the heart of the US, European and Chinese
markets.

[meinolf67]

Carbone Lorraine has announced the takeover of Calcarb, world No. 2 in rigid graphite felt. Claude Cocozza,
Chairman and CEO of Carbone Lorraine, comments: "This acquisition constitutes a unique opportunity that fits in with
our "Expansion 2011" business plan. We are particularly pleased to have been able to see this acquisition through
successfully".
Rigid felts are used as a sophisticated form of insulation in very high-temperature furnaces. The outlets for this
product therefore fit in with the Advanced Materials and Technologies division’s industrial markets. Use of these
insulating products has grown at a very rapid rate over the last few years, initially in electronics and now in solar
energy. This has resulted in a shortage of supply of rigid felts relative to the level of demand in these markets.
Calcarb is a subsidiary of Inductotherm, which specializes in vacuum furnaces, in particular induction furnaces.
Calcarb's head office and production plant are in Scotland, close to Edinburgh. It recently more than doubled its
annual production capacity by building a new plant that opened last autumn under very satisfactory conditions. In view
of this new production capacity, the Group is expected to generate sales of €35 million from Calcarb products in
2009. The Group is aiming for sales growth of at least 15% a year for the years ahead thanks to extremely brisk
demand in the solar energy market.
Carbone Lorraine will acquire 60% of the company's shares on December 31st, 2008, and has an option to increase
its stake to 100% that can be exercised at any time in 2009. The acquisition is financed by debt.
This acquisition will enable Carbone Lorraine to enter a market adjoining the graphite market, with growth driven
primarily by solar energy activities. Calcarb's products are regarded by clients as the best in the market in terms of
quality. This contributes to Calcarb’s very good profitability and provides protection during more difficult times.
With no international network of its own, access to the Carbone Lorraine network will constitute a source of
considerable commercial synergies for the company. The acquisition is therefore likely to generate a high rate of
return, in line with Carbone Lorraine's demanding criteria. Return on capital employed before tax should reach the
target level of 20% from the fourth year of the acquisition.
Furthermore, the technology used by Calcarb will complement other technologies currently being developed by the
Group for the insulation market, which creates additional potential for growth.
Calcarb is run by a high quality management team that is well known to Carbone Lorraine, having been one of its
major clients for a number of years. The team is happy to be joining the Group and this sentiment is shared by our
sales teams, who are keen to roll out Calcarb's products in our network.
The acquisition of Calcarb will therefore create the conditions for strong and profitable growth by Carbone Lorraine
in the graphite insulation market and strengthen its position in the solar energy market.

[meinolf67]

The Combined General Meeting of Carbone Lorraine’s shareholders was held on
December 12, with the Board of Directors in attendance.

In their presentation of the Expansion 2011 plan, Claude Cocozza, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Ernest Totino, Chief Operating Officer, and Jean-Claude Suquet, Chief
Financial Officer, emphasized the following points:

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Carbone Lorraine has increased its capital by €15.5 million through issuance of
800,000 new shares by two tranches under the “PACEO” (Step-up Equity Facility)
program. This represents 5.6% of the initial share capital.

This issue complements the measures taken to cut costs, reduce the Group’s structural
working capital requirement and curb its investments. It will help Carbone Lorraine to
withstand the current economic crisis effectively without jeopardizing the promising
prospects associated with its growth drivers, notably renewable energies and Asia.

In May 2009, the PACEO program was awarded the Prize for the « Best financing transaction
in 2008” from the Club des Trente.

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FIRST-QUARTER 2009 SALES
The following text is a transcript of the conference call held at 17.50 CET this
evening.

During the first quarter of 2009, Carbone Lorraine’s business trends were mixed. While the
Group’s traditional industrial markets were depressed in Europe and North America by the
fall in demand, growth in sales remained brisk in renewable energies, transportation and
fine chemicals markets.

Sales totaled €158 million during the quarter. They moved up 1% on a reported basis, with
exchange rate fluctuations and acquisitions making positive contributions of 3% and 4%
respectively. The newly acquired companies were Xianda in China, R-Theta in North
America and Calcarb in Europe. On a like-for-like basis, sales moved 6% lower compared
with the year-earlier period of 2008.

It is worth stating that the Group’s sales do not include the business generated by the
Brushes for automobiles and household electrical appliances division, which is currently
being sold.

In the remainder of this presentation, all the sales growth figures will be stated on a like-
for-like basis.

In Europe, sales came to €65 million during the first quarter, representing a contraction of
8%. Anticorrosion equipment billings were high, while other divisions were hit by the
effects of the economic slowdown.

In North America, first-quarter sales totaled €57 million. This represented a decline of
10%. Only the renewable energies markets continued to grow, both in wind and solar
energy.

In Asia, first-quarter sales came to €30 million, representing a rise of 5%. Growth was
again brisk in China across all business segments.

In the Rest of the world, quarterly sales totaled €7 million. This represented an increase
of 5% on the back of brisk business trends in South America.



Sales*

Q1
2008
(€ m)
Q1
2009
(€ m)
%
change**
Q1 2009/
Q1 2008

Advanced Materials and Technologies

64 69 0%

Electrical Systems and Components

94 89 -10%
Group total 158 158 -6%
*continuing operations in 2009 for both years
**on a like-for-like basis, i.e. at comparable scope and constant exchange rates –
Unaudited data



Sales recorded by the Advanced Materials and Technologies division came to
€69 million during the first quarter. This figure was stable on the previous year.

Sales to the solar industry continued to advance at a rapid rate. During the quarter, the
segment contributed 10% of the Group’s sales and over 20% of the Advanced Materials
and Technologies division’s sales. Integration of Calcarb is proceeding very smoothly. Sales
and new orders recorded by our new subsidiary are in line with our business plan.

Sales also grew in our fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals markets. New orders for
anticorrosion equipment were again very brisk, notably in the photovoltaic segment and in
Asia, where Xianda booked a large order for equipment to treat drinking water.

Conversely, demand contracted again in the process industry and electronics markets,
particularly in Europe and North America.

Sales posted by the Electrical Systems and Components division amounted to
€89 million, down 10% during the first quarter.

Wind energy sales continued to make strong headway, especially in North America and
Asia. They accounted for 8% of Electrical Systems and Components sales. Turbine
maintenance service activities also recorded very strong growth.

In other markets, sales of brushes for industrial motors experienced a steep fall. They were
directly depressed by the fall in industrial production.

In Electrical Protection, the drop in demand for industrial and investment goods that
emerged during the fourth quarter of 2008 gained strength during the first quarter of 2009
across all the Group’s geographical regions. It resulted in a slowdown in fuse sales, which
affected general-purpose fuses in particular. This slowdown was exacerbated by inventory
reductions by distributors, particularly in the United States. It appears that these
inventories are now at a level commensurate with the current pace of orders.

Sales of fuse-related products, such as power-isolating switches, coolers and rail
equipment protection continued to enjoy further strong demand in the rail and energy
efficiency markets.


Outlook

The current trend in new orders has been boosted by the dynamism of most of the upbeat
markets into which the Group has moved over the past few years, i.e. solar and wind
energy, transportation, fine chemicals and, of course, Asia. This new positioning is now
proving its worth.

In our traditional industrial markets, the downturn observed over the fourth quarter of
2008 gained pace during the first quarter of 2009. Europe and North America were affected
particularly badly. As a result, visibility on short-term trends in the Group’s sales remains
limited.

The negotiations currently underway concerning the disposal of the Automobile and
household electrical appliance brush division are making good progress and are likely to be
completed over the next few weeks.

In this very depressed environment, the Group continues to make adjustments, notably by
stripping out overhead costs and trimming the working capital requirement as far as
possible, while ensuring that the resources required for expansion are kept intact.

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Paris, le 26 juin 2009 1/2






Carbone Lorraine decided to use the flexibility offered by its PACEO (step-up equity facility)
arranged with Société Générale to bolster its capital by drawing on three successive
issuances, the last of which was yesterday.

All in all, Carbone Lorraine raised €22.3 million in additional capital through the issuance of
1,200,000 shares, representing 8.4% of its initial capital. These issues were a tremendous
success with investors in France and international markets.

This fund-raising exercise has enabled Carbone Lorraine to reinforce its equity in order to
pursue its expansion plans in spite of the depressed economic environment.

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CARBONE LORRAINE UNVEILS USD 88M CAPITAL INCREASE
21 Sep 2009 / Solar / PUBLIC MARKETS / France

French graphite and electrical component maker Carbone Lorraine has launched a EUR 60m capital increase to finance expansion plans in alternative energies.

Keen to get away from debt-financing, the Euronext-listed company (EPA:CRL) started offering shares at EUR 17, well below EUR 24.85 at which it is currently trading. It will offer preferential treatment to existing shareholders and expects that its two largest shareholders, AXA Private Equity and Sofina, will take up their full allocations.

The company, which supplies graphite to polysilicon makers, said that last year 30% of its sales came from alternative energies, energy efficiency and rail transportation. It wants to increase this to 50% of group sales with 25% coming from alternative energies.

The company reported a 20% drop in Q2 sales earlier this year and said that it expected a contraction on a similar scale in the third quarter.

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Carbone Lorraine ensures highest purity graphite materials with ETV-ICP analysis


Posted by Debasish Choudhury on 06 November 2009 at 07:31



Carbone Lorraine, a worldwide leader in graphite materials and solutions has invested in an Electro Thermal Vaporization-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry impurity analysis (ETV-ICP) system to ensure next-generation material purity. The ETV-ICP analytical technique is a powerful, rapid and reliable tool for analyzing impurity content of samples with very low limits of detection, down to parts per billion. This sizable investment in the latest metrology technology by the Ultra Carbon Division of Carbone Lorraine will further strengthen the company's leadership position in advanced high purity graphite materials. Demanding applications such as semiconductor, photovoltaic and aerospace require ever-tighter control over material impurities in graphite.

"Carbone Lorraine is continuing to set the standard in graphite and high temperature material purity by being the first company in the industry to acquire an ETV-ICP system, the most sophisticated method of measuring graphite purity" commented, Sohail Qamar, General Manager, Ultra Carbon Division of Carbone Lorraine.

ETV-ICP permits contamination-free introduction of samples without decomposition or dilution, ensuring more reliable results. Simple and rapid acquisition with automatic loading makes for routine analysis of several samples per day at detection limits for most elements at ppb (parts per billion) levels. It's perfectly adapted to purified graphite, carbon/carbon composites and carbon insulation materials. ETV-ICP analysis of graphite can be calibrated to existing standards and reference solutions, which is not the case with other techniques such as GD-MS (Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry).

How is graphite analysis with ETV-ICP done?
A graphite solid or powder sample is loaded into a high temperature graphite furnace and heated to over 2500°C. Gas is introduced into the furnace and reacts with impurities contained in the graphite. The gas carrying the impurities is introduced into a plasma chamber where the molecules are excited and emit light with different wavelengths characteristic of each atom or impurity. The amount of each impurity is then calculated at up to ppt (parts per trillion) levels.

The High Temperature Division, a Division of the worldwide organization Carbone Lorraine Group, is comprised of four key manufacturing sites in North America: The Graphite Materials Division, the Ultra Carbon Division, Midland Materials Research, Inc., and the Graphite Engineering & Sales Division. These four manufacturing sites provide solutions for electronics, semiconductor and solar applications along with high temperature furnace components, metal casting and processing, mechanical applications, high temperature insulating materials, refractory, EDM and laboratory applications. Carbone Lorraine is dedicated to being the leader in graphite solutions.

Carbone Lorraine, headquartered in France with over 6800 employees worldwide, is a world leader of graphite solutions and electrical components. It specializes in the implementing of high technology materials in demanding industrial environments and in the development of systems for the operation and protection of electrical equipment. With over 85% of its sales carried out internationally, Carbone Lorraine is recognized as a leader in anti-corrosion equipment in graphite, high temperature applications of isostatic graphite, brushes for electrical motors, fuses for powerful semiconductors and industrial fuses.

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Paris, April 12, 2010 1/1/2






Carbone Lorraine is announcing the signature of an agreement concerning the acquisition of the
M.Schneider group. Ranking as the fourth-largest player worldwide in German DIN-standard
fuses and fuseholders, M.Schneider is a leading force in the German-speaking market and
generates annual sales of around €20 million.

Based in Vienna, M.Schneider’s manufacturing base is primarily located in Germany and the
Czech Republic, and it also owns a joint venture in China.

Through this acquisition, Carbone Lorraine is set to become number two worldwide in DIN-
standard fuses and fusegear. The Group will also consolidate its positions in Germany and
Eastern Europe, as well as in a fast-developing standard that is establishing itself as the
benchmark in emerging markets, especially in China. This acquisition will also strengthen the
Group’s position in the energy sector in China.
Capitalizing on the strength of Carbone Lorraine’s worldwide sales network, M.Schneider will
rapidly expand its sales in international markets.

This acquisition fits perfectly with the Group’s growth strategy, which is notably predicated on
strengthening its leadership position in its expanding markets.

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inzwischen umbenannt in Mersen S.A.

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Paris, June 18, 2010
1/2
Acquisition of a majority stake in Yantai Zhifu Graphite (China)
Mersen is announcing the signature of an agreement to acquire a 60% stake in
Yantai Zhifu Graphite.
Based in Shandong province (China), Yantai Zhifu Graphite, which has 50
employees, specializes in the machining of graphite components used in the
production of monocrystalline silicon for the solar photovoltaic industry. Through
this deal, Mersen, which already owns facilities in Chongqing and Kunshan active
in the high-temperature applications of graphite, is reinforcing its production base
serving the fast-expanding solar energy market in China.
The acquisition fits perfectly with the Group’s strategy of expansion notably based
on its strong positioning in renewable energies and Asia.

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First Signs of Recovery Confirmed In the Second Quarter of 2010
During the second quarter of 2010, Mersen posted consolidated sales of €186 million, up 29%
on a reported basis, and up 15% on a like-for-like basis
This growth contrasts with a second quarter 2009 performance that was negatively impacted by
the economic crisis. It was driven by further evidence of a recovery in traditional industries, brisk
business trends in electronics, rail transportation and conventional energies, and an
acceleration in the Group’s sales for the photovoltaic industry.
During the first six months of the year, interim sales came to €348 million, up 15% on a reported
basis and up 7% on a like-for-like basis.
Sales
Q2
2010
(€ m)
%
change*
Q2 2010/
Q2 2009
H1
2010
(€ m)
% change*
H1 2010/
H1 2009
Advanced Materials and
Technologies
81 +13% 151 +5%
Electrical Components and
Technologies
105 +16% 197 +9%
Group total 186 +15% 348 +7%
*on a like-for-like basis, i.e. at comparable scope and constant exchange rates – Unaudited data
Advanced Materials and Technologies
The Advanced Materials and Technologies segment posted sales of €81 million during the
second quarter, increasing by 24% on a reported basis and by 13% on a like-for-like basis.
These figures take into account the sales recorded by Lumpp, a company acquired in late 2009.
Sales in the photovoltaic market were stronger than in the first quarter of 2010. They were
notably boosted by the recovery in deliveries of original equipment in North America for the
Chinese solar industry. The recovery recorded in process industries during the first quarter was
confirmed, while sales for the electronics markets remained brisk. Nonetheless, this business
recovery took place in a context of greater pricing pressure than in 2009.
Deliveries of seawater desalination equipment under the contract with Degrémont continued
during the quarter.
Sales recorded by the Advanced Materials and Technologies segment amounted to €151 million
during the first six months of the year, increasing by 5% on a like-for-like basis.