Bekaert and Sulzer (Switzerland) announced their intention to sign a take-over agreement for NV Bekaert SA’s Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coating activities. The DLC business is part of Bekaert’s advanced coatings business segment and hosts six production plants: in Belgium (Zulte), France (Limoges and Bons-en-Chablais), Germany (Herford) and the US (Amherst, NY and Research Triangle Park, NC). The potential deal with Sulzer covers all 164 people now working for Bekaert DLC.

Diamond-like carbon coatings are used to reduce wear and friction in a wide range of industrial applications such as machine parts, automotive components and molds for plastics and metals.

The DLC business accounts for less than 1% of Bekaert’s consolidated sales in 2007.

Within the Bekaert Group, DLC’s growth opportunities and technological synergies have proven to be limited over time. An in-depth analysis showed that the further growth potential of the DLC business could best be secured by entrusting its future development to a significant player in the broader tribological thin films (TTF) market.