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nanotimes

Companies Facts

Flexible Aerogel Insulation” establishes minimum performance standards for aerogel-based insulation materials such as Aspen Aerogels‘ Cryogel® and Spaceloft®

products. http://www.aerogel.com B

ASF is realigning its research and is focusing even more strongly on the market and the global

customer industries. Alongside the further develop- ment of the established business portfolio, the main research emphasis is being placed on growth and technology fields that address social challenges and offer BASF relevant business potential. In 2020, BASF wants to achieve sales of around EUR30 billion with products that have not been on the market for longer than ten years. To accomplish this, BASF is strengthe- ning its collaboration with key industries and con- centrating on growth fields relevant to society such as heat management, water treatment and orga- nic electronics. These are new business areas for BASF with high growth potential. At the same time, enabling technologies have been defined – such as raw material change, material systems and nano- technology as well as white biotechnology.

BASF‘s products and solutions for water treatment include flocculating and coagulating agents for waste water treatment and also membranes for (ultra) filtration, for example of drinking water, an area of work that BASF also establishes with the acquisiti- on of inge watertechnologies in 2011. The plastic membranes also contain pores that are only 20nm in size, allowing germs, bacteria and even viruses to be filtered out of the water. BASF estimates the market in the growth field water of EUR20 billion, re-

B

ayer MaterialScience will acquire Arkema’s polycarbonate sheet business in the USA. Both

companies have signed the agreement. Financial terms are not disclosed. With this deal, expected to be finalized in May, Bayer MaterialScience will further strengthen its position in the North American market and its global sheet activities. The company already operates sheet production in the USA, Mexi- co, Germany, Belgium, Italy as well as China, India, Korea and Australia.

The acquisition will include Arkema’s Tuffak® line of

products used in areas such as aerospace, transporta- tion and heavy equipment. In addition, production equipment from Arkema Inc. will be transferred to the sheet business of Bayer MaterialScience LLC in the NAFTA region.

Effective March 31, Bayer MaterialScience will acquire the remaining shares in the 50:50 systems house joint venture Baulé SAS from EXIMIUM SAS and other shareholders. The joint venture was esta- blished in 2008 by the Leverkusen-based company and Michel Baulé SA, which later was renamed EXIMIUM SAS. Baulé SAS is a global leader in the development, formulation and processing of polyure- thane (PU) cast elastomers.

http://www.bayermaterialscience.com

presenting a growth potential of more than EUR800 million.

, Pyrogel® http://www.basf.de

12-03 :: March/April 2012