Leading Elastomers Suppliers Create Customer-Focused Industry E-Marketplace
12 April 2000
Leading Elastomers Suppliers Create Customer-Focused Industry E-Marketplace
WILMINGTON, Del.--April 12, 2000--Leading elastomers industry suppliers including Bayer, CK Witco Corp., DSM Elastomers, DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C., Flexsys, M.A. Hanna Rubber Compounding and Zeon Chemicals L.P. have signed a letter of intent to create www.ElastomerSolutions.com, a global neutral marketplace and customer-focused, web-based community devoted solely to the elastomers and associated products industry. The marketplace will bring together rubber processors; materials, ingredient and equipment suppliers; service providers and other parties.ElastomerSolutions.com will improve the efficiency of existing channels and business processes while incorporating the speed of electronic commerce. Customers will benefit from improved information availability, access to a broad spectrum of products and services and opportunities to collaborate on-line. The site is expected to launch in 3rd quarter 2000.
Speaking on behalf of the initial equity investors, Theo G. Krapels, president and CEO of DuPont Dow Elastomers said, "ElastomerSolutions.com will improve and expedite existing ways of doing business along the industry's entire value chain. Its broad functionality as well as transaction capabilities will facilitate relationships between customers and suppliers. This e-marketplace offers exciting opportunities for community building and for working more efficiently with customers."
ElastomerSolutions.com will be an independent company with initial equity investors Bayer, CKWitco, DSM Elastomers, DuPont Dow Elastomers, Flexsys, M.A. Hanna Rubber Compounding and Zeon Chemicals. Discussions are underway with additional potential investors, including Advanced Elastomer Systems (AES) and Enichem S.p.A. Elastomers Division. The site will be open to all industry suppliers and customers. Initial business concept development is being led by Lante Corporation, a pioneer in developing electronic markets.
Elastomers are synthetic polymers distinguished by their elastic and flex characteristics. The global market for elastomers and associated products is estimated at $40 billion (USD). It encompasses materials such as synthetic rubber, thermoplastic elastomers and latex/coatings; chemicals and additives; equipment; and services. Elastomeric materials are used in a number of diverse industries and applications, such as automotive, construction, wire and cable, chemical processing and consumer durable goods.
About Bayer
Bayer is an international, research-based group with major businesses in life sciences, polymers and specialty chemicals. Employing some 120,000 people worldwide, the group has operations in nearly all countries of the globe. Bayer's four business segments (Health Care, Agriculture, Polymers and Chemicals) are divided into 16 business groups, each with global responsibility for the success and growth of their operations. www.bayer.com
Media Contacts: US: David Reeder (412)-777-5666;
Europe: Michael Preuss +49-214-3031295;
About CK Witco
CK Witco Corporation is a $3.1 billion global producer and marketer of polymer products and specialty chemicals to customers in 120 countries. The company is a major supplier of EPDM, rubber chemicals and NBR, as well as the world's leading supplier of organofunctional silanes for rubber products. It also is the number one producer of plastics and rubber extruders and extrusion systems. www.ckwitco.com
Media Contact: Robert Harwood (203) 573-3441 or (203) 552-3326
About DSM Elastomers
DSM Elastomers has $500 million USD annual turnover and is the leading producer of EPDM, with production facilities on four continents. A business group of DSM, it has 1300 employees and is headquartered in Heerlen, Netherlands. DSM Elastomers produces thermoplastic vulcanizates, SBR and NBR.
Media contact: Roger Jansen +31 45 578 32 72
About DuPont Dow Elastomers
DuPont Dow Elastomers, a global supplier of specialty elastomers, is a joint venture between DuPont and The Dow Chemical Company headquartered in Wilmington, Del. with sales of more than $1 billion. The company is the industry leader in chloroelastomers, ethylene elastomers and fluoroelastomers, serving the automotive, chemical processing, construction, wire and cable industries. www.dupont-dow.com
Media Contact: Cathleen Branciaroli (302) 792-4349
About Flexsys
Flexsys is the world's leading producer of chemicals for the rubber processing and related industries, with annual turnover of USD $600 million. The company employs over 1500 people, with over 20 sites worldwide. Flexsys is a 50/50 joint venture of Akzo Nobel NV and Solutia Inc, with world headquarters and Europe/Africa regional offices in Brussels (Belgium), regional offices in Akron (USA), and Singapore. www.flexsys.com
Media contacts: Sarah Almroth 32 2 7143295 or David Minc for US (330) 668 8243
About M.A. Hanna Rubber Compounding
M.A. Hanna Rubber Compounding is the leading provider of proprietary and custom-mixed solutions for the rubber fabricating industry in North America. As part of the M.A. Hanna Company, an international specialty polymers company, it also brings broad capabilities in prepared rubber chemicals, color and additives, thermoplastic elastomers, and elastomeric cover stock for industrial and printing rolls. www.hannarubber.com
Media contact: Christopher Farage (216) 589-4085
About Zeon Chemicals
Zeon Chemicals is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Zeon Company, Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in specialty elastomers, polymers, and specialty chemicals. The Zeon Group is one of the top producers of specialty elastomers and polymers in the world with plants in Asia, North America and Europe, and Research and Development laboratories in Kawasaki (Japan), Louisville (Kentucky, USA) and Barry (UK). www.zeonchemicals.com
Media Contact: Everett Scheer (502) 775-2050
About Lante Corporation
Lante Corporation is an Internet services company that develops sophisticated technology-based solutions that enable emerging electronic markets. Lante has been an innovator in applying emerging technologies to businesses since 1984. Its current exclusive focus is on Internet services. www.lante.com
Media Contact: Kevin Kutz 312-696-5279
Media interested in information on ElastomerSolutions.com can visit the website at www.elastomersolutions.com or send an email to questions@elastomersolutions.com.