Hexagon Composites ASA appoints new head of CNG containers for passenger cars

Hexagon Composites ASA has appointed Ragnar Holthe as director of CNG containers for passenger cars in the business unit for High-pressure containers.

Ragnar Holthe took up the new position on 2 May 2012 and will be responsible for the product area for CNG containers for passenger cars. Holthe joins Hexagon Composites ASA from the position as Manager of R&D programs with Benteler Aluminium Systems where he recently was responsible for R&D programs in aluminium technology and for developing a new business area in extruded suspension components. Ragnar Holthe holds a PhD from NTNU (formerly NTH) in Material Engineering, and has broad experience from various management positions in development and manufacture with Hydro Aluminium Structures and Raufoss Automotive Chassis Structures.

The appointment takes place against the background of the group's internal reorganization of the product areas LPG and CNG containers. Hexagon Composites has decided to separate the product area for CNG passenger cars from Ragasco and merge this with Raufoss Fuel System's activities within CNG bus and bulk transport. The extended High-pressure unit will focus on maintaining the leading position in a CNG market experiencing strong growth, while also exploiting synergies between the European and American operations.

"CNG fuel tanks for passenger cars is a very interesting area in terms of both technology and market. These are safety products with high quality standards. Hexagon Composites leads the market and must maintain its competitive advantage. The group has developed this product group in a short time and is currently establishing mass production of composite pressurized containers for new cars. This involved huge challenges for a relatively young CNG organization in terms of product quality and delivery obligations toward demanding customers in the next months. With 20 years of experience with product development and launch processes towards the most demanding car manufacturers, I can see that this will be very useful to meet the challenges CNG passenger cars is facing in the short and longer term," Ragnar Holthe says.

"We are very happy to have Ragnar on board. He has sound and relevant experience from the highly automated industry at Raufoss, and will be an important resource in developing CNG containers for passenger cars," says Tore J. Fjell, Senior Vice President High-pressure containers.

In the position as director, Holthe will be based in Raufoss with responsibility for the CNG containers for passenger car product group. The product group is further strengthened through the hiring of a production manager, quality supervisor and product development supervisor. A further strengthening of the organization with 2-3 persons is also planned.  

Hexagon Composites develops and manufactures composite fuel containers for natural gas (Compressed Natural Gas) and biogas for the passenger car market. Cars that use gas as fuel have lower emissions than petrol and diesel cars and contribute towards a cleaner environment.

Hexagon Composites ASA is a listed company with headquarters in Ålesund. The group has 374 employees and had a turnover of NOK 992 million in 2011. The group develops and manufactures composite containers for storage and transport of various pressurized gases and multiaxial composite reinforcements.

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For further information, please contact:
Solveig D Saether, Communications Manager, Hexagon Composites ASA
Telephone: +47 70 11 64 45 | E-mail: solveig.saether@hexagon.no