the unit is in line with its policy of utilizing savingspotentials and optimizing costs.

Weifang Yaxing Chemicals will receive a trade-mark licence allowing it to market the CBA underthe Porofor name in China and certain other coun-tries and also to supply LANXESS. According toBalzer, LANXESS customers will therefore con-tinue to receive Porofor of the same quality andstandard of service as previously.

LANXESS recently reported preliminary fig-ures for fiscal 2004. Sales rose some 7% to�6.77 billion from �6.31 billion in 2003 whileearnings (EBITDA) increased by 44% to �447million. Net financial debt was reduced toaround �1.1 billion. The fourth quarter showedstrong year-on-year increases, with sales up16% to �1.73 billion and EBITDA beforeexceptionals of �62 million compared to a lossof �14 million for the same period in 2003.

In other company news, LANXESS has alsorecently announcement the completion of itssupervisory board, with the appointment ofstockholder and employee representatives.

Contact: LANXESS, Bld K10, D-51368Leverkusen, Germany; tel: +49-214-30-1;URL: www.lanxess.com

Additives for Polymers May 2005

8

NEWS AND VIEWS

BASF light stabilizer receivesFDA approvalUvinul® 5050 H, a light stabilizer supplied byBASF, has been granted a Food ContactNotification (FCN) by the US Food and DrugAdministration (FDA). This allows Uvinul 5050 Hto be used in polyolefins that come into contactwith food, in accordance with the requirements anddefinitions laid down in 21 CFR 177.1520 of FDA.Application examples include woven tape bagslike big bags for flour and grain, packaging filmsand milk containers.

Uvinul 5050 H is a sterically hindered amine. Itprevents plastics from degrading by scavengingthe free radicals that are formed when plastics areexposed to ultraviolet light, thus rendering themharmless, BASF says. The light stabilizer is notonly suitable for food-packaging applications, butalso performs very well in fibres, greenhouse films

and injection-moulded parts, the companyreports. It has the advantages that very little wateris carried over in the manufacture of plastic tapes,it has little interaction with fluorinated elastomersand has excellent compatibility with pigments. Itis supplied in free-flowing, low-dusting granularform, making it clean and easy to process.

Uvinul 5050 H is a new addition to BASF’swide range of light stabilizers with approval foruse in food-contact applications.

Contact: BASF AG, Carl-Bosch-Straße 38, D-67065 Ludwigshafen, Germany; tel: +49-621-60-0; fax: +49-621-60-42525; e-mail:info.service@basf-ag.de; URL: www.basf.de

SGL, Mitsubishi cooperationfor improved carbon fibreSGL Carbon and Mitsubishi Rayon Corp (MRC)of Tokyo, Japan have agreed on a strategic cooper-ation to improve carbon fibre. Under the terms ofthe agreement, SGL will receive certain technolo-gies, special raw material and support from MRC.This will assist SGL to produce a highly improvedcarbon fibre at its plant in Inverness, UK.

The performance potential of this new carbonfibre has already been proven in pilot plants atSGL and MRC. SGL claims that it combines theperformance and high quality of regular small-tow carbon fibre with the efficient productioncapacities SGL has developed in its Invernessplant. The new fibre will allow SGL to developand capitalize on new applications including auto-motive, wind energy, infrastructure and concretereinforcement applications, from 2006 onwards.

As part of the strategic alliance, MRC will receivein return up to 750 tons of this new carbon fibrefrom SGL under a long-term supply agreementstarting from 1Q 2006. Both sides are viewing thecooperation as a first step together, and haveexpectations to further build the partnership. Thecooperation strengthens SGL’s global competitiveposition in the carbon fibre market especially forhigh-quality products, in terms of technology, rawmaterial and capacity utilization. FurthermoreSGL Technologies’ own downstream business inprepreg composite and carbon/ceramic materialswill benefit from the new carbon fibre quality.SGL’s Carbon Fibre business has a current