SGL Carbon: Supplying graphite to customers around the globe

Founded in 1943 as a branch of the National Carbon Company, the Morganton plant was initially involved in highly secretive work. During World War II, the facility produced high-grade boron-free graphite for the Manhattan Project. The facility was the largest shipper of graphite to Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Hanford, Wash., for the atomic bomb.

Today, the Morganton facility supplies graphite to buyers around the globe for a variety of carbon-based products, including industrial goods like the molds used to create train wheels to natural electric conductivity in solar panels.

“We’re deep in the supply chain. We enable other industries to produce things consumers are more familiar with,” said Brett Rodenberg, senior technical manager at the Morganton site. “It’s exciting to see how our graphite supports everything from drill bits used in the Gulf of Mexico to the lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars.”

Currently, the plant employs just over 100 people in production roles like mixing, baking, machining, and logistics and management roles. Hundreds more of the plant’s former workers are now retired, many of whom still live in the local community. The facility offers employees opportunities for career growth and development.

“All of our current supervisors started on the production line,” Rodenberg said. “We really try to foster an environment where employees can broaden their skill sets, and there’s a lot of room for upward movement.”

A key to SGL Carbon’s global success is its ability to keep pace with evolving technologies. The plant is deeply involved in the semiconductor industry, producing graphite used in the development of silicon and silicon carbide crystals. These materials form the base for the computer chips that are essential to modern electronics. Graphite produced at the site is also used in traditional heavy industries as well as high-tech applications, making it a vital part of the global supply chain.

At Carbon City, the process begins by combining coal from crude oil, graphite and other materials with a binder-like pitch to form a homogeneous mass. The mass is then shaped by extrusion or die molding processes. The pressed materials are heated in massive ovens to 1,000 degrees Celsius to form binder bridges. These are graphitized at 3,000 degrees Celsius (about 5,432 degrees Fahrenheit, or half as hot as the surface of the Sun) to convert the carbon into ordered graphite. Afterward, the graphite parts are machined into complex components, with optional cleaning and coating for refinement.

On any given day, the Morganton plant fills around 17 trucks with about 20 tons of refined graphite each, Rodenberg said. Annually, the facility produces roughly 11,000 tons of graphite.

As the demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy continues to grow, so does the need for the high-quality graphite SGL Carbon provides. The plant plays an essential role in producing materials for solar panels, wind turbines, and the batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles.

“With electric vehicles becoming more mainstream, the volume of graphite needed for that industry will increase,” Rodenberg said.

In addition to its production achievements, SGL Carbon is committed to sustainability and safety. The Morganton facility recently completed a $6.5 million upgrade to its power transformer, reducing wasted power consumption and enhancing the plant’s overall efficiency.

“Sustainability is an important part of what we do here,” Rodenberg said, adding that the company is constantly working on optimization projects to reduce its environmental impact.

The plant was also awarded the N.C. Gold Star for Safety by the North Carolina Department of Labor for the second consecutive year. The award is based on the company’s low number of incidents involving days away from work, restricted activity, or job transfers. SGL Carbon has achieved 838,013 manhours without a lost-time accident, with the goal of reaching 1 million hours.

Despite its global influence, SGL Carbon remains closely tied to the Morganton community. Shane Holland, the site manager, expressed pride in the plant’s long history and its commitment to the area.

“I look back with pride on the past 80 years here at our site,” Holland said. “SGL in Morganton has been, is, and will continue to be an innovative company rooted in western North Carolina. We look forward to the future and continuing to strengthen our collaboration with the local community.”