Wallingford (CT)/Gonzales (TX), November 16, 2017 - BYK Additives & Instruments, one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of additives and measuring instruments and a member of the ALTANA Group, today announced a commitment to expand its facility in Gonzales, Texas.
BYK expects to invest USD 50 million to construct a significant manufacturing facility to increase the company's capabilities and capacities for key products in the rheology additive portfolio, specifically the GARAMITE product line, ensuring that it is well placed to achieve future growth and meet customer requirements. In addition to the expansion of production capabilities and several infrastructure upgrade measures, BYK intends to develop a new R&D Center to house the global competence center for natural rheology.
Stephan Glander, Division President BYK Additives & Instruments, stated: “BYK will increase its supply capability for its customers and facilitate the expected volume growth of diverse rheology additives. At the same time, we will strengthen our competitive position in the area of GARAMITE additives.”
Alison Avery, President of BYK USA, responsible for business in the NAFTA region, stated: “We are thrilled to grow BYK’s investment in the Gonzales, TX community and enhance our global expertise in natural rheology additives. These investments clearly demonstrate BYK’s commitment to growing this important product line and to the Gonzales community, which has developed an outstanding business climate and will allow BYK to attract the best and brightest to support our innovative business well into the future.”
GARAMITE products from BYK are natural rheology additives. They ensure, for example, that coatings have the right viscosity and contribute to the lightweight construction of cars. With its thickening effect GARAMITE replaces alternative conventional solutions while requiring less solvent to reduce both emissions and production costs.
In total, BYK has six production sites in the USA. Around 150 employees work in Gonzales, Texas at the BYK site.
About BYK Additives & Instruments:
BYK Additives & Instruments is one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of additives and measuring instruments. Additives are chemical substances which, when used in small quantities, improve product properties such as scratch resistance or surface gloss. Manufacturing processes are also optimized by the addition of additives.
The coatings, inks, and plastics industries are among the main consumers of BYK additives. Yet with the production of oil and gas, the manufacture of care products, the production of adhesives and sealants, and construction chemistry, too, BYK additives improve the product characteristics and production processes. Testing and measuring instruments from BYK can effectively evaluate the quality of color, gloss, and appearance as well as the physical properties of paint, plastic, and paper products and are an important part of quality control.
As a globally operating specialty chemicals company, BYK has production sites in Wesel, Kempen, Moosburg, Schkopau and Geretsried (Germany), Deventer, Denekamp and Nijverdal (Netherlands), Widnes (UK), Wallingford, Chester, Earth City, Gonzales, Louisville, and Rochester Hills (USA) and Tongling (China). Today the company employs around 2,200 people worldwide and forms part of the ALTANA Group.
This press release is also available on the Internet at www.byk.com/press.
About ALTANA:
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative, environmentally compatible 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, special coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA's four divisions, BYK Additives & Instruments, ECKART Effect Pigments, ELANTAS Electrical Insulation, and ACTEGA Coatings & Sealants, 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 49 production facilities and more than 50 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group about 6,000 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2016, ALTANA achieved sales of more than 2 billion euros. About 6 percent of sales are invested in research and development every year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the most innovative, fastest growing, and profitable chemical companies in the world.