Advanced Materials
Confirmed market position despite volume decline
Advanced Materials
Confirmed market position despite volume decline
In 2024, the Advanced Materials business confirmed its leading market and technology position in key industries despite the decline in orders and turnover. Orders went down 16.1% to CHF 649 million, turnover decreased by 8.5% to CHF 712 million. In local currencies, orders went down by 14.2% and turnover decreased by 6.2%. The background of this development was uncertainties in the global automotive markets. Nonetheless, we were able to maintain or even increase our market share in this challenging environment.
Die Casting
The automotive market was impacted by global uncertainties around the drive train, resulting in the postponement of new platforms. Traditional Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are extending existing platforms, incorporating plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and range-extended vehicle versions. Meanwhile, Chinese OEMs are experiencing robust growth, driven by New Energy Vehicle companies.
In this context, the trend towards megacasting remains unbroken with the production of large structural parts for the car body and battery housing. Megacastings reduce complexity in production by enabling between 70 to 100 parts to be replaced by a single die-cast part, and with this, boosting production efficiency. With our large Carat machines with locking forces of up to 92,000 kilonewton, we are well-equipped with a wide product portfolio.
At the beginning of 2024, Bühler signed a substantial contract with the Chinese automotive supplier Duoli to deliver four large Carat 920s. During the year, the majority of megacasting projects were concentrated in the United States. Two new traditional OEMs and one global Tier 1 invested in Bühler megacasting solutions. To date, Bühler has sold around 50 Carat megacasting solutions, of which half are already in operation.
Apart from megacasting, the traditional die casting business levels are low on a global scale. China is grappling with overcapacity and a decline in demand, which also results in fierce competition from Chinese machine manufacturers globally. The European market is facing low demand, shifting the focus from investment into new solutions toward maintaining the installed base. In North America, demand remained high.
Grinding & Dispersing
The Grinding & Dispersing business area faced a challenging year with moderate battery production capacity build-up due to the slower adoption of electromobility. The battery cell business saw a peak in China, followed by a slowdown, while Europe and the US announced significant capacity expansions. Bühler is well-positioned to benefit from longstanding customer relationships and expertise. We equipped large-scale battery production facilities in Europe and North America with continuous mixing technology and commissioned an Inline Quality Control System (QuaLib) for a major automotive manufacturer.
The rise of the dry battery electrode approach remains a key trend, significantly reducing costs for investment and operations. We have successfully scaled our continuous mixing process for efficient dry coating of electrodes, despite growing competition from Chinese companies offering turnkey solutions. We supplied versatile grinding lines to produce battery electrode slurry and dry compound production in the UK and inaugurated the first mass production plant for nano-sized silicon composite anode material.
Bühler's MacroMedia and MicroMedia grinding technologies have helped customers achieve sustainability targets, reducing CO2e by up to 50%. The inks and coatings market saw repeated orders for Bühler's flagship bead mill technology, MicroMedia Invicta, and the launch of Cenomic Optima 6, increasing productivity by 25% to 50%. A European customer awarded Bühler an expansion project in China for water-based decorative inks, which was successfully commissioned and handed over at the end of 2024. New wet grinding and dispersing technologies for food and biomass were introduced following successful trials.
Leybold Optics
Leybold Optics experienced a strong business year, characterized by high demand for high-tech solutions in the precision optics sector. This demand was primarily driven by customers investing in advanced coating solutions for lithography and laser applications. Numerous technological leaders have chosen Leybold Optics as their preferred partner, affirming its leading position in the market.
A significant industry trend, the rise of smart glasses, has further propelled the business. Leybold Optics has forged strong collaborations with key market players, thereby driving innovation and growth in both the semiconductor and precision optics domains.
The company maintained a healthy level of orders in optics, alongside a very high demand for technology components and customer support.
A breakthrough was achieved with the sales and high order intake for ion beam figuring technology, reflecting the market's recognition of Leybold Optics' cutting-edge solutions. Additionally, the flexible product line, particularly the CAP machines, yielded a good return, underscoring its value proposition.
In all sectors, Leybold Optics demonstrated the capability and focus on innovation in vacuum coating solutions, technology components, and customer service with record order intake and achieved strong operational results in 2024.
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