ELANTAS’ most important sales region by far is Asia, and par-
ticularly China. A high proportion of global manufacture
of electrical and electronic components and consumer goods
is concentrated in this region. The division has had its own
production sites in China, India, and Malaysia for years. After
China, its most important sales markets are the U.S., India,
and Italy.
On the basis of comprehensive expertise in the manufacture
and application of liquid insulating systems, the divi-
sion is steadily expanding its activities. It seeks to tap new application
fields and thus growth potential by developing
new insulating materials and applying specific polymerization
knowhow. The global trend towards electromobility should
ensure additional growth in this area.
ACTEGA
The ACTEGA division’s portfolio is tailored to the needs of the
packaging and graphic arts industries. It produces specialty
coatings, printing inks, adhesives, and sealants used by customers
to achieve functional and visual effects.
ACTEGA is managed by the holding company ACTEGA
GmbH, based in Wesel. Its business activities are divided
into three business lines: Flexible Packaging, Metal Packaging
Solutions, and Paper & Board. In the area of research and
development, activities are bundled in four technology groups.
The products are distributed and manufactured by subsidiaries
in Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, China, the U.S.,
Brazil, Canada, and Chile.
Important product groups of the division include water-
based coatings and printing inks, as well as sealants and
adhesives used to make packaging materials. A focal point of
its product portfolio is the specific needs of the food indus-
try with its high quality requirements. In addition, there is a
demand for ACTEGA’s printing inks and overprint varnishes
among customers in the graphic arts industry. The division’s
largest sales region is Europe, followed by the Americas.
Its most important individual markets are Germany and
the U.S.
Together with the packaging industry, and in direct
contact with brand manufacturers, ACTEGA develops new
and improved optic and haptic functionalities. Its innova-
tion activities primarily aim to improve the safety and shelf
life of packaged foods.
In recent years, the division has invested in a targeted
way in the acquisition and further development of new
technologies in order to tap new growth potential in the me-
dium to long term for its existing business, to prepare its
entry into new markets, and to make additional progress in
the area of packaging sustainability. For example, the start-
up ACTEGA Metal Print was able to win its first beta customers
and a distribution partner for a novel technology that
achieves decorative metallic effects with significantly less material,
costs, and production time than the processes commonly
used to date.
Important Influences on Business Development
ALTANA’s different sales markets are influenced by various
short-, medium-, and long-term trends.
Short- and medium-term fluctuations in demand result
mainly from economic developments. The current devel-
opment of consumer behavior is not the only factor. Our customers’
expectations regarding the short-term develop-
ment of the end markets downstream in the value chain also
have a significant impact on their purchase behavior. This
appraisal largely determines how much storage is reserved
along the value chain.
In addition, actual and expected changes in the prices
of essential raw materials impact the sales situation. When
raw-materials prices continually rise, customers look for alter-
native input materials and this influences overall sales or
the product mix. The same applies to significant changes in
other cost components that have a strong influence on
48 Group Basics