Bayer to set up PU systems house in Noida in early 2007

New Delhi, June 30 (UNI) Germany-based Bayer Material Science today said it will launch its first PolyUrethane (PU) systems house at Greater Noida by early 2007, for rapid expansion in the Asia-pacific region.

''With the systems house becoming fully operational by early next year, we will be able to cater to the rising demand for polyurethane, which is growing at 10 per cent annually,'' Bayer MaterialScience Pvt Ltd Managing Director Stephan Gerllch said.

Targeted at the core business of health-care, nutrition and high tech materials, the company's global network of polyurethane systems houses operates under the brand name of BaySystems, he added.

The new facility at Noida will serve the PU industry in a better way, he added.

The products to be manufactured in the centre include molded parts, automative, insulation, footwear and cost elastometers.

Meanwhile, Mr Gerllch said that Bayer Diagnostics India Ltd is all set to flourish under the guidance of the global Siemens Group, which is technologically more advanced in the concerned sector.

''The process of take-over will be completed by the year-end,'' he told reporters here, following the worldwide sale of the Bayer Group's diagnostic business to Simens AG for a price of 4.2 billion Euros.

Further, Mr Gerllch opined that the promising growth of high tech materials in Indian Sub-continent has made them invest in this sector.

A total of 45 per cent sales have been comprised of PU in the last fiscal with an average annual growth rate of the company at 6 per cent, he added.

Attributing their success to the system houses, R&D and innovations and applications technology, Polyurethanes (Indian Subcontinent) Head Business Unit Ajay Durrani said, they are targeting the automotive, construction, footwear, sports and leisure and appliances sectors.

Bayer is already engaged in raw material business in India having a 8-10 per cent market share. A technical polyurethane unit has been also been set up at Cuddolore, Tamil Nadu, the products of which are used by the Indian Railways.

Moreover, the company is also catering to the automotive industry having a market share of 25-30 per cent.

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