InterviewGerman Saltigo grows on ag, pharma

04 September 2008 17:48  [Source: ICIS news]

By Clay Boswell

NEW YORK (ICIS news)--German fine chemicals producer Saltigo expects continued strong growth in sales from agricultural and pharmaceutical customers through the rest of the year, managing director Wolfgang Schmitz said on Thursday.

“Our 2007 numbers were up over 2006, and we expect this trend to continue through 2008,” Schmitz said. He attributed the company’s positive trend to strong demand from the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors.

A subsidiary of German specialty chemical firm LANXESS, Saltigo does not release revenues for any single business line or unit, but Schmitz said the company’s pharmaceutical business-line had achieved double-digit sales growth last year.

“I see very good growth potential in the pharmaceutical sector because big pharma companies are outsourcing more and more to concentrate on their core strengths,” he said.

Demand from agrochemical companies has also increased, Schmitz said.

“This comes from the increasing demand and interest in biofuels and changing eating habits, particularly in Asia,” he said.

In January, Saltigo announced the establishment of a facility in Redmond, Washington, to meet growing demand from the pharmaceutical sector.

Schmitz said the company will continue to make investments. In Germany, the company intends to spend about €50m ($72m) by the end of 2010.

“We are looking for opportunities for investments in general and are open to any suggestions that will help us make our range of services even more attractive to our customers,” he said.

“If [for example] China would develop into a new hub of innovation, then we certainly might want to be present there as well,” Schmitz added.

($1 = €0.69)

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Author: Clay Boswell
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