Nabaltec AG consolidates innovative capacity at the Schwandorf site

Schwandorf, 20 January 2017 - Nabaltec AG is consolidating its research and development activities by concentrating R&D/Technical Service and Plant & Process Development at its Schwandorf site. The object is to ensure that all development activities in process engineering and product development conform as closely as possible to customer requirements and their areas of application. With an innovation management system based on three pillars: "products," "processes" and "market & customers," Nabaltec AG is laying the groundwork for success; this is just one reason why Nabaltec AG has received the "Top 100" award nine times in recent years, as one of Germany's most innovative mid-size companies.

"Each of the five departments in our R&D/Technical Service division: 'Adsorption & Catalysis,' 'Coatings & Electronics,' 'Refractories & Polishing,' 'Engineering Ceramics & Ballistics' and 'Cables & Polymers' is designed for specific applications," said Dr. Michael Klimes, Nabaltec AG's Chief Operating Officer. "This clear organization of our R&D/Technical Service division allows us to build a bridge to our markets, and to focus more intensely on individual customer requirements."

As part of its innovation strategy, Nabaltec AG has been moving forward since last year with the expansion of its three testing facilities at the Schwandorf site, for extrusion, ceramics and fillers, in which new products are manufactured in small batches of 10 to 100 kilograms and subjected to application testing. Since 2005, Nabaltec has also operating a research center in Kelheim for the development of new products and processes. Due to a change in conditions at that site, however, the pilot plant in Kelheim will be relocated in its entirety to the Schwandorf site as of the second half of 2017. At that point, a total of 31 employees will be engaged in this work in Schwandorf, with 22 in the R&D/Technical Service division and nine in the Plant & Process Development division.

Johannes Heckmann, Nabaltec AG's Chief Executive Officer, said as follows: "The consolidation of R&D/Technical Service activities, as well as Plant & Process Development activities, is an important milestone in our innovation strategy. The changes to our organizational structure and the expansion of our testing facilities create new opportunities for the optimization of our product lines and the development of new applications. In the long term, this strategy will serve to strengthen our innovative capacity, so that we will continue to be able to meet the needs of our customers. We consider the cost of this project, around EUR 4.0 million, to be a good investment in the future."

About Nabaltec AG:
Nabaltec AG, with registered office in Schwandorf, a chemicals business which has received multiple awards for innovativeness, manufactures, develops and distributes highly specialized products based on aluminum hydroxide ("ATH") and aluminum oxide, as well as other raw materials, on an industrial scale through its two product segments, "Functional Fillers" and "Technical Ceramics." The company's product range includes halogen-free flame retardant fillers and functional additives for the plastics industry. Flame retardant fillers are used e.g. in cables in tunnels, airports, high-rise buildings and electronic devices, while additives have applications in catalysis and in electric vehicles. Nabaltec also produces base materials for use in technical ceramics and the refractory industry. Unlike halogenated flame retardants, flame retardant fillers contain no hazardous substances and do not require separate disposal. Rather, they actually decrease the development of fumes hazardous to human health and the environment in the event of fire. Nabaltec maintains production sites in Germany and the US and plans to continue to develop its market position by expanding capacity, further optimizing processes and quality and making strategic extensions to its product range. On the strength of its specialty products, the company strives to attain the market leadership in each segment.

Contact:
Dr. Michael Klimes
Nabaltec AG
Phone: +49 9431 53-400
Fax: +49 9431 53-260
E-mail: mklimes@nabaltec.de

Frank Ostermair/Vera Müller
Better Orange IR & HV AG
Phone: +49 89 8896906-14
Fax: +49 89 8896906-66
E-mail: nabaltec@better-orange.de