Wesel/Bitterfeld, February 18, 2021 – The specialty chemicals group ALTANA has completed the acquisition of the business of TLS Technik GmbH & Co. Spezialpulver KG, thus strategically expanding its ECKART division. TLS, based in Bitterfeld, Germany, has more than 25 years of experience and is one of the leading international specialists in the production of high‑quality metal powders for industrial 3D printing. The business will operate under the name ECKART TLS GmbH as of immediately. The acquisition was announced on September 14, 2020.
“TLS’s expertise in the manufacture of metal powders and alloys for metallic 3D printing supplements the strengths of ECKART as an experienced specialist in the atomization of metals,” says Dr. Wolfgang Schütt, President of ALTANA's ECKART division. “With the acquisition, we are expanding our business with functional applications and positioning ourselves in a technological market of the future.”
The takeover includes the production facility in Bitterfeld and some 40 employees. “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues. Together, we will offer our existing and future customers high‑quality solutions for metal-based 3D printing, from the development phase to industrial application,” says Dr. Harald Weiss, the managing director of ECKART TLS GmbH, who has been responsible for global research and development at ECKART since 2015.
All 3D printing activities are bundled in ECKART TLS GmbH. Among them is alloy development, including the patented special alloy A20X for lightweight components of the British company Aluminium Materials Technologies Ltd. (AMT) that ALTANA already acquired last year. Hence the Bitterfeld site will become a center of excellence for metal-based 3D printing. In the future, ECKART will drive the optimization and development of metal powders, from aluminum to zirconium alloys, for 3D printing from this location together with the TLS and AMT experts, thus opening up new areas of application. In addition, metal powders for coating processes and other powder applications will be produced here.
3D printing enables decentralized industrial production. The technology is revolutionizing the industrial value chain because global supply chains can be made more time- and cost-efficient.
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, special 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 47 production facilities and 65 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group more than 6,500 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2019,
ALTANA achieved sales of more than €2.2 billion. About 7 percent of sales is invested in research and development every
year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the most innovative, fastest growing, and profitable chemical companies in the world.
About ECKART
The ECKART Group, a company of ALTANA AG, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of effect pigments. With around 1,750 employees worldwide, the group of companies develops, produces, and distributes metallic effect and pearlescent pigments in powder, paste, and pellet form as well as concentrates, dispersions, and printing inks. ECKART products are used in the paint and printing industry, the plastics and aerated concrete sectors, and in cosmetic products. In the future, ECKART will additionally drive the optimization and development of metal powders for 3D printing, thus opening up new areas of application. ECKART has a presence in over 70 countries.
Comprehensive information about the company and its products can be found on the Internet at www.eckart.net