BaySystems polyurethane systems house in South China inaugurated

Leverkusen/Guangzhou – Bayer MaterialScience, a leading polyurethane raw materials and polyurethane systems supplier, inaugurated its new polyurethane systems house in Guangzhou, China, today. The company now owns a global network of 30 systems houses in close proximity to its customers. With customized polyurethanes solutions, the new BaySystems systems house will serve customers in diverse industries including the automotive, construction, appliance, furniture, and footwear segments.

“By 2015, China will have become the largest polyurethanes market in the world. Despite the current economic downturn, which has led to substantial reductions in our capacity utilization, we continue to believe in the long-term high growth potential of polyurethane systems globally and in particular in China,” said Peter Vanacker, head of the Polyurethanes Business Unit and a member of the Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience.

The new systems house is integrated into Bayer’s global network of systems houses and supported by R&D and technical centers around the world. The Polymer R&D Center (PRDC) in Shanghai, for instance, brings under one roof Bayer MaterialScience’s global expertise in polyurethane footwear and spray technologies at its Global Footwear Competence Center and Spray Center.

The activities of the new systems house focus on Baytherm® systems for thermal insulation of appliances, Baymer® for building insulation, various Bayflex ® systems for footwear production, and Baydur® and Bayfit® for the furniture industry. With Baynat®, Bayfill®, Bayfit® and Baypreg®, the systems house also offers complete BaySystems automotive solutions for both interior and exterior applications. The facility itself is equipped with high-tech materials and BaySystems systems. For example, the roof is very well protected against corrosion and water penetration by the Baytec® SPR polyurethane spray system.

The Chinese government aims to significantly reduce energy consumption in residential and public buildings. “We see huge potential for reducing energy consumption by insulating buildings and the refrigeration chain with polyurethanes, which are acknowledged as the most effective of all known insulating materials. In the automotive industry too, demand is growing for polyurethane components for lighter-weight vehicles with reduced fuel consumption. With our state-of-the-art technologies, customer-focused services and environmentally friendly products, we are contributing to China’s sustainable development”, said Dr. Azita Owlia, Senior Vice President of the Polyurethanes Business Unit, Asia Pacific region.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2007 sales of EUR 10.4 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and the sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2007, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 15,400 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

For more information visit www.bayermaterialscience.com and www.bayer-baysystems.com.

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