Investment for innovation: SAG Group establishes R&D center for Rheocasting

The SAG Group will build a research and test center for Rheocasting technology at its founding site in Lend/Salzburg in the coming months. The development center, which is scheduled to start construction in January 2025, will include test facilities, a laboratory and office workstations. Extensive testing and research will be possible to further perfect Rheocasting technology. Completion of the facilities is scheduled for mid-2025. The investment amounts to around EUR 750,000 in the first phase. Further investments are planned.

Innovative technologies for processing light metal alloys have undergone enormous development in recent years. These include Rheocasting – a special casting process in which semi-solid aluminium is processed into lightweight components with special material properties. In recent years, the SAG Group has earned an expert status in the field of Rheocasting and was the first company to bring this technology to series production.

“We have always strived to think ahead and offer our customers advantages with new ideas, services or methods. This, together with our extensive experience in aluminum processing and series production, makes us valuable partners for OEMs,” says Karin Exner-Wöhrer, CEO of SAG Group.

Investment in the innovative strength of the entire group of companies

The new center will serve as a hub for research and development. The aim is to further optimize Rheocasting technology and open it up for new applications in the automotive industry and beyond. An important step towards more CO2 savings in mobility. The use of Rheocasting instead of steel components makes vehicles up to 60 percent lighter. This leads to more range and lower energy consumption.

“In this project, we are investing not only in state-of-the-art infrastructure, but also in the innovative power of our employees. We want to further strengthen our position on the world market and at the same time emphasis our local roots in Lend,” concludes Karin Exner-Wöhrer.

SAG: Global player with a local footprint in six countries and at nine locations

The Salzburger Aluminium Group is an Austrian family-owned company with 1100 employees worldwide at nine locations in Europe, Mexico and the USA. The company, which dates back to Salzburger Aluminium, which was founded in 1898, has locations three locations in Austria (Lend, Schwarzach and Vienna) and subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Mexico and the USA. As a market leader in aluminum tanks for heavy trucks, SAG is a global supplier to many well-known OEMs. In addition, innovative lightweight components, air accumulators, compressed air tanks and special components for the commercial vehicle, rail and special vehicle industries are produced and delivered worldwide.

The company is a technology leader in the field of cryogenic tank systems for LNG & LH2 (liquefied natural gas & liquid hydrogen) and a pioneer in the field of Rheocasting (special casting processes for aluminum components). The turnover of the entire group of companies amounted to around EUR 211 million in 2023.

As part of the presentation of the GreenTech Award 2023/24, SAG has already received several awards as a “Leading Innovator”. The reason for this is the company’s numerous patents for innovations that contribute to climate protection.

Pressekontakt:
SAG Group
Andrea Pfennigbauer
Andrea.pfennigbauer@sag.at
+43 664 60650 2043