In a move that resembles what Mercedes-Benz did with Japanese company Toray and what Audi did with Germany’s Voith, BMW announced it has bought a 15.16 % stake in SGL Carbon SE, a leading manufacturer of carbon fiber and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) that has been working with the German manufacturer for quite a few years. Clearly, these acquisitions say a lot about where the industry is going these days.

Bmw’s CFO Friedrich Eichiner stated that “Lightweight construction will play an increasingly important role in the automobile industry in the future. Our stake-holding in the SGL Group is a logical step“. However - needless to say - carbon fiber will still maintain its aura of exclusivity for the time being as the costs involved for raw materials and processing surely don’t make it suitable for mass produced cars, yet. Aluminum and steel are the most viable options for now, but things might change sooner than what we would believe.

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