LANXESS Celebrates 100 Years of Catalyst Laboratory
COLOGNE, Germany – Specialty chemicals company LANXESS celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the Catalyst Laboratory, in Leverkusen, Germany, on Dec. 17, 2018. The Catalyst Laboratory was founded 100 years ago in Leverkusen, where the CHEMPARK is located today. At that time, the scope of activities was outlined as “work on catalytic reactions involving organic substances.” The laboratory now belongs to LANXESS and operates as a cross-divisional competence center for catalysts and their applications.
On the occasion of the anniversary ceremony, Dr. Dirk Müller, Head of the Global Technology & Innovation team within the Production, Technology, Safety & Environment Group Function, emphasized the importance of catalysis for the chemical industry, “Experts estimate that 80 to 90 percent of all industrial chemical synthesis routes today contain at least one catalyzed reaction step. Catalysts ensure that the desired products are formed under mild conditions, safely, selectively and in high yields. Catalysis is therefore a key factor for energy and resource efficiency. It makes a decisive contribution to sustainability and cost-effectiveness.”