BRUSSELS, Belgium/LEVERKUSEN, Germany - Specialty chemicals company LANXESS has opened an office of its own in Brussels.

"To be successful as a European company in the face of global competition in the long term, we have to intensify our active dialogue with politicians and society at a European level," said Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the LANXESS Board of Management.

The office is located on the Avenue Michel Ange and is in the immediate vicinity of European institutions. Stefan Borst, previously EU Correspondent of the news magazine Focus, will head the office.

At an evening event on May 3, the company invited high-ranking representatives from politics, industry and the media to the "LANXESS Debate 2011" at the NRW liaison office in Brussels. There, experts discussed the topic, "Europe's new transport policy – economic driver or economic disadvantage?" Joining Axel C. Heitmann for the podium discussion was: Harry K. Voigtsberger, Minister of Economics and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia; Michael Cramer, member of the European Parliament and spokesman for transport policy in the Europe fraction of Die Grünen/EFA; and Matthias Ruete, Director-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission.