The new Vantico company (CH-4002 Basel) officially started operating on 5 June 2000. Vantico is the former “Performance Polymers” Division of Ciba Spezialitätenchemie AG (CH-4002 Basel), which was sold to Morgan Grenfell Private Equity (MGPE) in December 1999 in the course of an MBO (see Plasteurope.com 24, 1999). MGPE will also remain a financial partner for Vantico, with MPGE´s management said to hold 3.75% of the shares. The CEO of the new company is Edward A. Wilson, who formerly held key posts at rival Dow Chemical and at Koch Industries.

Vantico regards itself as the “global market leader in the fields of coatings, adhesives, tool resins and electrical and electronic insulating materials with thermo-fixing polymers”. The last sales figure available was CHF 1.8 bn. Some 3000 employees work in 18 production facilities and more than 30 branches worldwide. The EBITDA is to be increased from its current 10% to 18% by the year 2004. To this end, the product portfolio is being streamlined over the next few years, staff numbers notably reduced and the number of sales offices cut back.

Operative business is divided into three global divisions, run as profit centres: Adhesives and Tooling (17% of company sales) Electronic Polymers (23%) and Polymer Specialities (60%). The aim is to improve the product portfolio through developments which will open up new fields of business, such as LCD monitors. With this innovation strategy, Wilson is intending to further expand the leading position of this “start-up company, which is not starting from scratch”.

• Plasteurope.com Service: Detailed documents on Vantico (“Introducing a new company”): PIE-No. 44704.