The Supervisory Board of the specialty chemicals group ALTANA has reconstituted itself. The Supervisory Board elected Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber, who has been a member of the Supervisory Board of ALTANA AG since March 2016, as its new chairman. Dr. Wolfgruber, who holds a doctorate in chemistry and in the past was the Chairman of the Management Board of ALTANA AG, succeeds Dr. Klaus-Jürgen Schmieder, a former member of the Management Board of L'Air Liquide S. A., who left the Supervisory Board at the end of his term of office after reaching the age limit. Dr. Schmieder had been a member of the Supervisory Board since May 2001 and was its chairman since July 2012. The Supervisory and Management Boards expressly thank Dr. Schmieder for his many years of successful work and support of the ALTANA Group.
Prof. Dr. Frank Richter, who will become managing director of SKion GmbH on July 1, 2020, was newly elected to the Supervisory Board. Ulrich Gajewiak and Susanne Klatten remain deputy chairpersons of the Supervisory Board.
“We thank Dr. Schmieder for his great support in the past years and wish him all the best for his future. At the same time, we would like to welcome Professor Richter to the Supervisory Board of ALTANA AG. We are particularly pleased to have gained Dr. Wolfgruber as chairman. In his new function, he will continue to enrich the Supervisory Board both professionally and personally,” said Martin Babilas, CEO of ALTANA AG.
“To continue to accompany the ALTANA Group as Chairman of the Supervisory Board on its successful and sustainable growth path is both a pleasure and an honor for me,” said Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber. “Based on many years of experience, I know about the extraordinary potential of this company and especially of the people who work here.”
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, specialty 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 more than 65 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group about 6,500 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2019, ALTANA achieved sales of more than € 2.2 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.
