Clariant
Line
- Hariolf Kottmann, (CEO)
- Rudolf Wehrli, ( Chairman )
Clariant AG is a globally active Swiss specialty chemicals group based in Muttenz. The company is listed on the Swiss Exchange SIX Swiss Exchange.
History
Clariant originated from the spin-off of the chemical division of Sandoz by the IPO in 1995, a year before Ciba and Sandoz merged in the summer of 1996 to form Novartis. 1997 Clariant acquired the specialty chemicals business of Hoechst AG. 2000, Clariant also the business of the British BTP plc, a specialist in life science chemicals. At this time employed Clariant around 31,000 employees. The company came in 2003 in a major crisis: A tough cost-cutting and efficiency enhancement program and a strong staff reductions were the result. In October 2006 the Group acquired the business unit master of Ciba, which has now regained outsourced chemicals division of Novartis.
In the period from 2001 to 2006, Clariant sold numerous fields, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA ) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB ), emulsions, cellulose ethers, Electronic Materials, monochloroacetic acid and Pharmaceutical Fine Chemicals ( PFC). The sales were part of a strategic realignment of the company to consistently focus on the core business of specialty chemicals.
In Germany, business units have been sold. In October 2008, the company has closed its last manufacturing plant in Griesheim Industrial Park for economic reasons and retired in September 2009 as site operator from the Griesheim Industrial Park.
In the wake of the economic crisis Clariant announced in February 2009, save more 1,000 jobs.
In February 2011, Clariant announced to plan the Süd-Chemie AG at a price of 2.5 billion CHF want to purchase. The transaction was completed in the meantime, Clariant now holds 96.15 % of Süd-Chemie AG. On 1 December 2011, Clariant announced in a press release that the interests of minority shareholders are passed through a squeeze-out at Clariant.
Two weeks after officially ended integration of Süd-Chemie, the new logo was July 16, 2012 as published internally and externally.
On October 1, 2013 Clariant announced that the Business Units Textile Chemicals, Paper Specialties and emulsion Businesses are sold to SK Capital. Since then, the units operate under the name Archroma.
Environment
In case of fire in the Clariant plant Wittgendorf in March 2012 reached up to 800 kg fatty amine ( GENAMIN LA 302 D) into the river Alz. Thus, all fish died to the confluence with the Inn at 14 kilometers (about six tons of fish ).
Group structure
The company is represented on five continents with over 100 group companies, employs 21'202 employees. In 2012, Clariant produced a turnover of around 6:04 billion Swiss francs, about 40 % of them in Europe. CEO since October 1, 2008 Hariolf Kottmann. Until 22 September 2008, the shares of Clariant Ltd, listed on the Swiss Market Index ( SMI). Clariant but was downgraded in favor of Actelion in the Swiss Market Index Mid ( SMIM ), but remained still in the Swiss Leader Index ( SLI).
Clariant supplies the manufacturing industry ( automotive, construction, electronics, cosmetics, plastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals).
Additives
The business unit is divided into three business lines on: flame retardants, polymer additives and waxes. Flame retardants are offered for applications in building, electrical equipment, textiles and materials for vehicle construction. The polymer additives are used to improve the heat resistance as well as the light and weather resistance of plastics. The third business line, the BL waxes produced waxes based on montan waxes, Polymeroxidatwachsen and Licocene.
Catalysis & Energy
The business unit manufactures process catalysts for the chemical and petrochemical industry as well as materials for batteries.
Functional Materials
The Business Unit offers adsorbent among other things for drying technology and water treatment as well as for use in the construction industry. In addition, functional protective packaging for drug delivery system are offered.
Industrial & Consumer Specialties
The business unit manufactures products that are based on surfactants and polymers. Anionic and cationic surfactants are used in the detergent industry. Various polymers of this business unit are used to improve the properties of personal care and plant protection products as well as colors, paints or plastics. Furthermore, it is manufactured by this business unit, the aircraft deicing Safewing, which is delivered to more than 100 airports in Europe. A well-known product of this business unit represents Antifrogen, which is used as a heat carrier and antifreeze in cooling and heating systems, solar thermal systems and heat pump systems.
Masterbatches
The business unit provides colorant and additive concentrates ( so-called master batches) manufactures to customer specifications. These products ordered by the customer according to their own requirements (special color shades ), so that he no preparation effort directly ( weigh, mix, etc.) can be operated on the plants.
Oil & Mining Services
The business unit manufactures chemicals that support the manufacturing processes in the construction, oil, gas, mining and chemical industries.
Pigments
The business unit produces pigments for paint, decorative paints and plastics. There are also manufactured pigments for printing with inkjet and laser printers. The biggest site for pigments located in the Industrial Park: Operation azo IV is the largest single production facility for azo pigments in Europe.
Main locations
The corporate headquarters is located in Muttenz, formerly the Swiss Hall (Canton Basel-Landschaft ), Switzerland, in which the predecessor company Sandoz already produced from 1948 on.
On the Clariant site in Swiss Hall is also the " Swiss hangar " dump site. It contains pollutants from the major fire at the Sandoz from 1 November 1986. Yet today, 25 years after the inferno, get out of this dump more pollutants into groundwater, as Sandoz and the authorities of the Canton of Basel -Land have in 1989/90 agreed. But: Not Clariant is the legal successor of Sandoz, but Novartis. This is therefore probably responsible for the " Swiss hangar " dump site.
The one with 1,600 employees worldwide largest location of the company is located in the Höchst Industrial Park in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Clariant operates more than 130 production sites in 33 countries.