BMBF supports innovative production of synthetic rubber

Energy efficiency in production

Bayer Technology Services, LANXESS, Technische Universität Dortmund, the University of Bonn and Buss SMS Canzler pool skills in cutting-edge research to deliver sustainability and safeguard resources

Leverkusen – Bayer Technology Services, LANXESS, Technische Universität Dortmund, the University of Bonn and Buss SMS Canzler launched a joint research project on the innovative production of synthetic rubber. This initiative is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The project aims to significantly cut the energy and resources consumed during production of the synthetic rubbers used in the tire, vehicle, construction and pharmaceutical industries. This interdisciplinary collaboration among German research partners will be the nucleus to establish a leading global competence center. The research project, which is worth some EUR 10 million and will run for over three years, is receiving almost EUR 5 million in funding from the BMBF.

“The only way we can achieve significant additional improvements in sustainability and resource conservation in production processes is by using completely new technologies,” explained Project Coordinator Dr. Hanns-Ingolf Paul, head of BTR Global Technology at LANXESS, during the inaugural meeting in Leverkusen. LANXESS is one of the world’s leading producers of synthetic rubber. “The interdisciplinary make-up of the project team is unparalleled in the rubber industry and will ensure that every aspect of the complex process technologies – from monomers to the final product – and the large-scale plant is addressed. The project is the first of its type and will serve as an example for the development of innovative solutions for resource-intensive processes in the plastics industry,” added Dr. Helmut Mothes, head of Process Technology and Senior Vice President of Bayer Technology Services. The technology company of the Bayer Group is playing a key role for process development and for the planning and construction of the pilot and large-scale plant. Buss SMS Canzler is a leading equipment manufacturer in thin-film evaporation and kneader technology. The University of Bonn is bringing cutting-edge know-how in organic chemistry and polymerization to the team. Technische Universität Dortmund is one of the foremost universities for biological and chemical engineering and has been working closely with Bayer and LANXESS for several years in a number of research and development collaborations.

Additional information about Bayer Technology Services is available at www.bayertechnology.com and www.lanxess.com.


Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those described in Bayer’s published reports, which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.