BYK is part of an international family of companies. The parent company ALTANA merges its chemical activities to form the newly created ALTANA Chemie AG in 2002. Soon afterwards, ALTANA's management makes a radical decision: In 2006, the company divests itself of the Pharmaceuticals division, the heart of ALTANA for decades. The focus is now on the specialty chemicals business with its approximately 4500 employees at 31 production sites and in 45 laboratories.

In order to make the restructure clear to the outside world, ALTANA is relocating its headquarters from Bad Homburg to the site of what is now the largest company: In Wesel, a modern administration building for ALTANA employees is being built right next to the BYK company premises. In 2007, ALTANA introduces itself with a new brand architecture: The Additives division now operates under the name BYK Additives & Instruments.

Susanne Klatten, a majority shareholder of ALTANA, acquires all shares with her company SKion GmbH in 2010. ALTANA thus passes completely into family ownership.