LANXESS at Ecwatech 2010, June 1 to 4, Moscow

Chemistry and know-how for the water industry

Lewatit practice-based seminar provides information on ion exchange resins

Leverkusen – Specialty chemicals group LANXESS will be showcasing new and established ion exchange resins for water treatment at Ecwatech 2010 in Moscow, Russia, from June 1 to 4.  On June 3, the accompanying conference will be dedicated to these premium products. At a practice-based seminar, German and Russian experts from the Ion Exchange Resins business unit will be giving an insight into the basic functions of ion exchange resins, explaining about the various resin families and talking about products, developments and environmental aspects of the Lewatit ion exchange resin range. The series of lectures will be opened by Georges Barbey, Managing Director of OOO LANXESS, who says: “As the leading trade fair for the water industry in the Russian-speaking world, Ecwatech is the perfect platform for raising our profile on the market, fostering customer relationships and demonstrating our expertise. As in many sectors, customer proximity plays an essential role in a company’s success in this area, too!”

Monodisperse resins for industrial water treatment, such as the new grade Lewatit S 1667, are pivotal to LANXESS’ trade fair presentation this year. This highly acidic cationic exchange resin has been developed  specifically as a top-of-the-range softening solution for process and drinking water. Other monodisperse resins being showcased at Ecwatech include the plastic-based hybrid adsorber Lewatit FO 36 for removing arsenic from drinking water and the gel cationic exchange resin Lewatit MonoPlus S 108.

“As developers of high-performance, efficient ion exchange resins, and as the source of innovative application concepts for opening up new dimensions in performance, we can make a significant contribution by supporting the industry with our know-how and advice,” adds Dr. Michael Zobel, head of the Ion Exchange Resins business unit. More than 20 percent of sales are generated by products that have been on the market for less than three years. 

“LANXESS is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ion exchange resins, adsorbers and functional polymers. We already have a strong market position and we want to build on this success,” states Zobel. “A pioneering move made by LANXESS to invest EUR 30 million in membrane filtration technology at the Bitterfeld site means that, based on the current schedule, we will be in a position to offer additional water treatment products by 2011, thus expanding our market position.” What’s more, LANXESS India Private Limited is currently investing some EUR 50 million in a new plant for the manufacture of ion exchange resins and rubber chemicals in the Indian state of Gujarat. The Indian company is presently on schedule to take its new site in Jhagadia into operation in the fourth quarter of 2010. The two plants will have a combined workforce of 250 employees. The new ion exchange resin plant will manufacture powerful Lewatit products that will feature in more than 600 applications worldwide.

LANXESS products are in use worldwide in virtually every branch of industry to treat water and ensure this valuable raw material is used efficiently. That applies to drinking water, wastewater, groundwater and the water used in industrial processes. For over seven decades, high-performance ion exchange resins from the Lewatit range have been playing their part in resolving water issues worldwide. Among other applications, the ion exchange resins remove toxic impurities from drinking water, such as heavy metals and other harmful substances including nitrates, arsenic and borate. Ion exchange resins are also an integral part of industrial processes in which vast amounts of water can be saved through water recycling. Lewatit products also have a broad range of applications in wastewater treatment in the metal-processing industry, for example. In addition, they can be used to treat groundwater, primarily by removing chromate and cyanides.

Detailed information on Lewatit ion exchange resins for water treatment is available at www.lewatit.com.

The Ion Exchange Resins business unit belongs to the Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved total sales in fiscal 2009 of EUR 1,530 million. 

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 5.06 billion in 2009 and currently around 14,300 employees in 23 countries. The company is represented at 42 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.

Leverkusen, 	 June 1, 2010
bol		(2010-00066e)

Forward-Looking Statements.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by LANXESS AG management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

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