Dr. Stephan Glander, President of ALTANA’s BYK division, is leaving the company by mutual agreement in order to take up new challenges outside the ALTANA Group. For the next months, he will support the ALTANA Management Board in a strategic consulting role. ALTANA Management Board member Dr. Christoph Schlünken will take over the divisional management of BYK and all related functions ad interim with immediate effect until a successor for this position is found.
In parallel to the divisional management of BYK, Dr. Schlünken will continue to oversee Corporate Innovation and Key Account Management at the management board level. All other tasks in his area of responsibility will temporarily be divided between the other management board members so that Dr. Schlünken can concentrate on the divisional management of BYK.
Dr. Stephan Glander had been BYK division president since July 2015. “In the last four years he has made an important contribution to the further development of the largest division within the ALTANA Group. Above all, he pushed forward the internationalization of the organization, the digitization and the expansion of the global site structure. We would like to thank Dr. Glander for his contribution and wish him all the best for his personal and professional future,” said ALTANA CEO Martin Babilas. “I am pleased that Dr. Schlünken is taking over the divisional management ad interim because he is very familiar with BYK.”
Dr. Schlünken already headed BYK from 2012 to 2015 before he became a member of the ALTANA Management Board. “I am looking forward to working closely with the colleagues at BYK again. They are decisive drivers for ALTANA’s innovative strength and sustainable success”, said Dr. Schlünken.
BYK is one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of additives and measuring instruments. Additives are chemical substances which, when used in small quantities, improve product properties such as scratch resistance or surface gloss. Manufacturing processes are also optimized by the addition of additives.
The coatings, inks, and plastics industries are among the main consumers of BYK additives. Yet with the production of oil and gas, the manufacture of care products, the production of adhesives and sealants, and construction chemistry, too, BYK additives improve the product characteristics and production processes. Testing and measuring instruments from BYK can effectively evaluate the quality of color, gloss, and appearance as well as the physical properties of paint, plastic, and paper products and are an important part of quality control.
As a globally operating specialty chemicals company, BYK has production sites in Germany (Wesel, Kempen, Moosburg, Schkopau and Geretsried), in the Netherlands (Deventer, Njiverdal and Denekamp), in Great Britain (Widnes), in the US (Wallingford, Chester, Gonzales, Louisville, Earth City and Pompano Beach) and in China (Tongling).
Today the company employs more than 2,300 people worldwide and forms part of the ALTANA Group.
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative, environmentally compatible solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, special coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA's four divisions, BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, all occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation and service.
Headquartered in Wesel, Germany, the ALTANA Group has 47 production facilities and 60 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group more than 6,400 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2018, ALTANA achieved sales of €2.3 billion. About 7 percent of sales are invested in research and development every year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the most innovative, fastest growing, and profitable chemical companies in the world.
