5/10

Today we visited the SGL Carbon Group. The visit was very important due to the fact that I have to do a presentation next Wednesday on SGL. During the presentation the company mostly discussed financial information and their focus to cut costs through process enhancement. I found the company fascinating as they were once extremely profitable but these days are losing millions of dollars and are at a crucial crossroads. SGL did admit that there company is going through tough times and plans to shift its focus from steel to carbon-fiber. Shortly after the presentation an HR rep came and talked to us. The packages SGL offers its employees is unreal. Some of the benefits include six weeks leave, and a matching 401k. Part of the reason I learned for these benefits is because the unemployment rate is only 2-3% and it is actually harder for companies to find good employees than for the unemployed to find work. As my one German colleague Yan stated, "if you are top of your class at the University you essentially pick where you want to work". Later in the afternoon some of us went to a traditional Bavarian restaurant. I ordered a delicious meal, it consisted of some Swabian noodles and steak and gravy with fried onions on top. They also brewed their own beer there so the beer was amazing. After dinner some of us went to a beer garden (more beer) where we actually met a woman and her boyfriend from Pittsburgh, small world.