How did Graphite Materials come about?
After university, I specifically looked for a practical role in technical sales, and that’s where I first got to know graphite. The range of components I worked with spanned from carbon brushes to graphite electrodes for the steel industry. My job took me across Germany, and very quickly, to Europe and large parts of the world. Along the way, I encountered a wide variety of applications for graphite and carbon products. In addition to meeting customers, I also visited material manufacturers and machine shops. The freedom I had in my position allowed me to dive into the world of the graphite industry, where I enthusiastically became a humble contributor.
After six years, my life took a fork in the road and on September 1, 2000, I decided to leave my job and become self-employed at Graphite Materials.
What excites you about graphite as a material?
As a materials engineer, I am fascinated by the wide range of material properties.
Did you know that the strength of graphite increases by almost 30% as the temperature rises from 20° to approx. 2,500°C? This is a special property that you can exploit to your advantage.
As an engineer, I am enthusiastic about mechanical processing by sawing, lathing and milling. These are common processes that we know from metalworking. This makes components suitable for industrial use because graphite is not an “expensive” special material. Graphite has only two aggregate states: solid and gaseous (greater than 3,000°C, ambient pressure 1 bar). This results in a high temperature resistance, excluding oxygen. Many “invisible” products in modern technologies (electronics, chemistry, energy) can only be manufactured using a high-temperature process at 2,000°C, for example. For this you need graphite and carbon fiber materials. To achieve sustainability and meet the “1.5° target”, innovative graphite components are often essential.
That inspires me!
How do you see the role of Graphite Materials in the future?
Positive and optimistic. Our core competence is the understanding of high-temperature processes. This is specialized knowledge.
Our customers deal with special processes for their products that are part of the process chain. This is where we offer our services so that the customer’s final product can be produced smoothly and reliably. We see ourselves as a partner working together with our customers as equals. We are accessible, flexible and go the extra mile. Today, everything is important and limited: time, resources and experiments.
We want our solution to work for the customer, reliably and securely. That is our attitude and conviction.
