LEVERKUSEN, April 7, 2008 -- Effective April 15, 2008, specialty chemicals group LANXESS will increase its prices worldwide for the Lewatit and Ionac ion exchange resin ranges. In Europe and Japan the prices will rise by 7 to 9 percent and in the NAFTA region by 12 to 15 percent. In the APAC region -- excluding Japan -- the prices are being raised by 15 to 18 percent. The reasons for the measure are the continued very high cost of the raw materials and the increase in energy prices, which also lead to more expensive transportation.
The premium products of the Ion Exchange Resins business unit play an instrumental role in industrial water treatment, food processing, the purification of water and manufacture of ultrapure water and the remediation of contaminated areas, such as those with a high arsenic content.
The Ion Exchange Resins business unit is part of the Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved sales of EUR 1,970 million in fiscal 2007.
LANXESS is a leader in specialty chemicals. Its core business is the development, manufacture and sale of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals.
###
