Salzburg Aluminium Group starts 2021 with major orders

21 million EUR order for rheocasting parts for BEV was signed recently. The demand for rheocasting parts is increasing constantly.

2020: production in full capacity in the second half of the year and positive final result

The Salzburger Aluminium Group (SAG) already has full order books at the beginning of 2021. A positive development that was already apparent at the end of 2020. With group sales of around EUR 155 million and a positive EBIT, the previous year ended significantly better than the automotive industry average. The outlook for 2021 is also encouraging: a major order for lightweight car components worth more than EUR 21 million provides a top start to the new year. The customised parts made of special aluminium (https://sag.at/en/products/rheocasting/ ) are produced in Lend using a rheocasting process perfected by SAG. The parts are increasingly in demand due to the trend towards e-mobility and the need to reduce weight of vehicles. Because less weight means more range. SAG has also landed a major order in the railway industry: the production of thousands of aluminium glass windows for ICE trains. Production will start in February.

It is well known that the year 2020 was a rollercoaster ride for automotive suppliers. The fact fact the Austrian automotive supplier SAG nevertheless reached the finish line with a very positive result is therefore all the more pleasing. Karin Exner-Wöhrer, CEO of SAG: “The shutdown in the automotive industry slowed us down with full force from mid-March. We reacted immediately and, thanks to quickly introduced short-time work, high flexibility and strong innovative power of our entire team, we not only survived this phase well, but also used the time for investments at some locations. And we entered the market with new product ideas for sectors outside our traditional customer groups. In addition, demand from the truck industry quickly picked up again from August onwards, so the slump in sales was only brief. Today we are broadly positioned thanks to ongoing orders from the commercial vehicle industry, increasing demand for rheocasting lightweight components, an R&D focus in the area of cryo-tank systems for liquid hydrogen and the expansion of the product range for sustainable mobility outside the automotive sector. Further investment steps will follow. The next months are dedicated to further expansion and diversification.”

SAG opens up new markets in sustainable mobility with rheocasting

“With rheocasting technology, we have created the possibility to mass-produce durable quality aluminium castings of any design at low cost. The weight saving is around 70 % compared to steel parts. An advantage that on the one hand leads to a reduction in fuel consumption for vehicles with combustion engines and on the other hand is becoming increasingly important for e-vehicles. We are particularly pleased to have taken a big step into the electric vehicle market with this new major order recently signed. In addition to the plus turnover, the order also gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our comprehensive competences in the heat treatment and mechanical processing of cast components,” add Markus Lanschützer and Markus Schernthaner, Managing Directors of the SAG subsidiary Alutech Austria.

Skilled workers urgently needed for SAG headquarters in Lend

Thanks to the excellent order situation and the positive outlook for the future, SAG currently has a number of vacant jobs. “We are urgently looking for qualified personnel for our headquarters in Lend/Salzburg in many areas: production, product development, research, digitalisation, administration – the career opportunities are as diverse as the tasks. If someone wants to work on the future of mobility in an international environment, he/she comes to the right place at SAG. All details can be found on the career portal on our website. By the way: We work where others go on holiday,” concludes Karin Exner-Wöhrer.

SAG – global player with local footprint at 10 locations in Europe and Mexico

SAG Salzburger Aluminium Group is an Austrian family-owned company with around 1100 employees worldwide at 10 locations. In Austria there are two production sites in Lend and Schwarzach (Salzburg). Other SAG branches are located in Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and México. SAG is the world market leader in aluminium fuel tanks for trucks. Other products include air reservoirs, compressed air tanks, lightweight car components and special components for the commercial vehicle, railway and special vehicle industries. The company is also Europe’s only manufacturer of cryogenic tanks for LNG (liquid natural gas) and technology leader in the field of rheocasting (semi-solid casting process for aluminium). Customers include all major OEMs in heavy vehicle industry and automotive industry as well as OEMs in the railway and special vehicle industries. The turnover of the entire group of companies was around EUR 200 million in 2019. In the crisis year 2020, group turnover was around EUR 155 million.