Group Management Report Products Safety and Health Environment Human Resources Social Commitment Consolidated Financial Statements 83
effects have not only economic benefits but also positive
effects on the environment.
For instance, the printing varnishes newly developed
by ACTEGA in the year under review, which are cured using
LED spotlights instead of mercury vapor lamps, make a
sustainable contribution. As a result, customers can achieve
energy savings of up to 80 percent during the hardening
process and mercury is avoided as waste. In addition, some
of these products meet various food law requirements.
At ELANTAS, resins were developed that extend the service
life of electric motors, among other things. As a result,
intervals for expensive and time-consuming replacement procedures
can be increased. ELANTAS also launched new
resins with improved temperature stability for other applications.
For example, the division developed a silicone resin
that is used as an insulating material in load magnets. This
can significantly extend the service life, for example, when
transporting hot metal parts.
Certifications for Products with High
Sustainability
The ACTEGA product ARTISTICA RB1006 Z3, a sealing
compound for use in beverage cans, received the Platinum
level of certification in the material health category of the
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. This highest
award is given to products that meet the strictest requirements
in this category. Key criteria involve the raw materials,
production, use, and ultimately the disposal or recycling
of the final product. The certificate is proof of the high level
of innovation and its ability to respond promptly to the
most demanding requirements of the beverage packaging
industry.
copper and other metal ores. The “flotation process” currently
in use will be advanced significantly. With the help of a
functional polymer matrix and special surface additives, the
deposition rate of the metal can be increased compared
to the current standard. These improvements lead to a significant
reduction in the energy required for grinding and
processing the ore, while at the same time improving throughput.
This technology has already been tested with several
types of ore from different regions. A pilot plant is currently
in operation in the U.S. The company plans to build fur-
ther pilot plants in the coming years, thus paving the way for
commercial plants.
In the year under review, ECKART presented a new
product series for water-based automotive coatings at the
European Coatings Show in Nuremberg. This product
range, with the abbreviation “SFP” (Solvent-Free Preparation),
is solvent-free and thus significantly reduces emissions
during application. This means that current and future legal
requirements can already be met, especially in the U.S.
and China.
The topic of “low-emission resins” was again a con-
cern for ELANTAS this year. For example, the division developed
an emission-free impregnating resin for transformers
at its site in Quattordio, Italy. New resins with lower emissions
and improved application properties were also developed
and launched on the market at the ELANTAS site in China.
With these products, ELANTAS complies with the new
regulatory requirements and additionally enables customers
to manufacture their products with less energy consumption
due to faster curing processes.
Sustainable Effects for Customers
On the one hand, ALTANA’s products can simplify our customers’
manufacturing processes, and on the other they
can also significantly improve the properties of products. Both