- ALTANA’s ELANTAS division and SARALON have entered into an innovation partnership in the growth market of printed electronics
- Products are already successfully in use
Wesel / Chemnitz, December 20, 2022 – The specialty chemicals group ALTANA has acquired a stake in the tech startup SARALON. The young company specializes in the development of inks for printing electronics. In addition, it offers prefabricated electronic components that enable printers to quickly build capacities for printing electronics. The parties have agreed not to disclose the investment sum.
SARALON was founded in Chemnitz, Germany, in 2015. Since the seed phase, the TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen has been supporting the company as a venture capital investor. The startup has continued to expand its portfolio of innovative solutions for printed electronics. “With its conductive inks and electronic components, SARALON has developed innovative and sustainable solutions that are already in use today. With its years of market experience, ELANTAS supports SARALON in the further development of its products and their introduction to the printed electronics market across the board,” says Dr. Gerd Krämer, Chief Technology Officer at ELANTAS.
SARALON’s functional inks can already be used to print batteries, for example. The products are also utilized in the logistics industry. Printed electronic sensors in packaging measure humidity, temperature, and pressure, among other things. This enables efficient and sustainable monitoring of cold chains, for instance.
“With ALTANA, we are gaining a strong and innovative partner for our business model who will help us fully tap the growth potential of our products,” says Dr. Moazzam Ali, CEO and cofounder of SARALON.
A recent study commissioned by the German Chemical Industry Association shows that a lack of funding inhibits chemical startups. By investing in SARALON as part of its corporate venturing strategy, ALTANA is bucking the trend and promoting technology-driven startups that have high growth potential.
About ALTANA:
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative, environmentally compatible solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector, and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, specialty coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA’s four divisions, BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, all occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation, and service.
Headquartered in Wesel, Germany, the ALTANA Group has more than 48 production facilities and 65 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group, more than 6,700 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2021, ALTANA achieved sales of around € 2.7 billion. About 7 percent of the total sales is invested in research and development each year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the world’s most innovative, fastest growing, and most profitable chemical companies.
About ELANTAS:
ELANTAS, a part of the ALTANA AG, produces protective and insulating materials for the electrical and electronics industry. They are used in electric motors, household appliances, cars, generators, wind mills, transformers, capacitors, lighting, and sensors and support product design engineers to construct ever smaller and more powerful electrical and electronic devices, thus saving materials and energy. At the same time the products enhance the life cycle of such electrical and electronical devices. The ELANTAS group has twelve manufacturing companies in all major regions worldwide. In 2021, ELANTAS employed a total workforce of 1.061 people.