Germanys Lanxess AG will organize its current 13 business units into three segments next month. Lanxess supplies Preventol-branded biocides and preservatives to the lubricants industry, and its subsidiary, Rhein Chemie, supplies Additin-branded additives and packages for metalworking fluids, greases and hydraulic fluids.
Lanxess announced yesterday that, following the divestment of its Lustran Polymers commodity plastics business unit,it will reposition itself as a specialty chemicals company. Our place is as a specialty chemicals group at the core of the chemical industry, said Axel C. Heitmann, chairman of the management board.
The Leverkusen, Germany, based companys three new business segments will be Performance Polymers, Advanced Intermediates and Performance Chemicals. The Performance Chemicals segment will incorporate the current Functional Chemicals, Inorganic Pigments, Ion Exchange Resins, Leather, Material Protection Products, Rhein Chemie and Rubber Chemicals business units.
The Materials Protection group supplies Preventol, Biochek and Metasol-branded biocides, corrosion inhibitors and additives for metalworking fluids and other applications. Rhein Chemie Corp., with offices in Mannheim, Germany, and Chardon, Ohio, supplies Additin-branded extreme pressure and antiwear additives, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, and additive packages for greases, metalworking fluids and hydraulics.
Lanxess was created in 2004, when Bayer Group reorganized and spun off most of its chemical activities, including its Rhein Chemie subsidiary, and about a third of its polymers operations, forming the new company named Lanxess.