- An interdisciplinary team at BYK has developed additives that prevent unwanted foaming during the production of paints and coatings
- Award presented at the ALTANA Innovation Conference in Wesel
Wesel, June 26, 2026 - An interdisciplinary team from the ALTANA division BYK has won the ALTANA Innovation Award 2025/2026. The award recognized the development of a new generation of defoamers that prevent the formation of unwanted foam during the production of paints and coatings.
This new development is more environmentally friendly. In doing so, the winning team has made an important contribution to greater sustainability and the future viability of BYK’s portfolio. The award-winning team includes Alexander Gers-Barlag, Sven Tenbusch, Volker Thyssen-Wallner, and Annika Winkelhausen.
With the ALTANA Innovation Award, the company recognizes outstanding research achievements by its employees. In addition to innovation, criteria such as creativity, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability are also factored into the evaluation. Furthermore, the product developments have already been successfully launched on the market.
International Innovation Conference
This year’s ALTANA Innovation Award was presented during the ALTANA Innovation Conference on June 25 in Wesel. ALTANA researchers and developers from around the world gather at the corporate headquarters for the specialty chemicals company’s international innovation conference.
ALTANA invests approximately 7 percent of its revenue in research and development each year. This R&D ratio is more than twice the industry average. In 2025, spending was increased by another 1 percent to 216 million euros, setting a new record.
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The award-winning team from Wesel, together with the Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) of BYK and ALTANA: (from left to right) Sven Tenbusch, Alexander Gers-Barlag, Dr. Petra Severit (CTO, ALTANA), Volker Thyssen-Wallner, Annika Winkelhausen, Dr. Michael Schmidt (CTO, BYK)
Image credit: ALTANA AG
About ALTANA:
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector, and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, specialty coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA’s four divisions, BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, all occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation, and service.
Headquartered in Wesel, Germany, the ALTANA Group has 58 production facilities and 67 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group, more than 8,000 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2025, ALTANA achieved sales of more than 3 billion euros. About 7 percent of the total sales is invested in research and development each year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the world’s most innovative, fastest growing, and most profitable chemical companies.
About BYK:
BYK is a leading global supplier of specialty chemicals. The company’s innovative additives and differentiated solutions optimize product and material properties as well as production and application processes. Amongst other things, BYK additives improve scratch resistance and surface gloss, the mechanical strength or flow behavior of materials, and properties such as UV- and light stability or flame retardancy. In the field of quality assurance, BYK’s measuring and testing instruments serve to effectively assess appearance and physical properties.
The company’s customers include manufacturers of coatings and printing inks, plastics, adhesives and sealants, as well as cleaners, floor coatings, and lubricants. BYK additives are also successfully used in the construction chemistry, oil and gas, and foundry industries.
BYK has a global network of subsidiaries and operates production sites in Germany (Wesel, Kempen, Schkopau, Moosburg, Geretsried), the Netherlands (Deventer, Denekamp, Nijverdal), and the UK (Widnes), in the USA (Wallingford, Chester, Columbia, Earth City, Gonzales, Louisville, Pittsford), and in China (Shanghai, Tongling).
The company is part of the ALTANA Group and employs a workforce of more than 2,700 people worldwide.
www.byk.com