RHEIN Chemie, a wholly owned subsidiary of speciality chemicals company Lanxess, grew its global sales in fiscal 2012 to EUR344 million, a slight increase over the previous year’s EUR332 million.
In 2012, the group generated sales of EUR9.1 billion and Rhein Chemie earned about half its sales, or EUR 153 million, in Europe.
The Americas region posted the highest growth. Compared to the previous year, sales rose there by 25% to EUR95 million. The Asia/Pacific region expanded by 3% to EUR 96 million in the same period.
“Despite the increasingly difficult market environment in the second half of the year, we still managed to continue growing. That is due not only to Rhein Chemie’s good global position, but also to the strategic measures we have in place to strengthen our business,” said Anno Borkowsky, CEO and President of Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH.
She also added that the successful launch of their rubber additives production in Jhagadia, northern India, last year, and their acquisition of US-based bladder specialist Tyre Curing Bladders have expanded the Rhein Chemie’s portfolio in the tyre industry.
“Currently we are building new production locations for bladders and rubber additives as a foundation for future growth, ” Borkowsky said.
A new tyre bladder manufacturing plant is also scheduled to open in Porto Feliz in Brazil in the first half of thie year, and in the second half, the company will be starting up production in Lipetsk, Russia, of predispersed, polymer-bound rubber additives, which are used to manufacture tyres, seals, damping elements, and other related products.