LANXESS Does Its Part, Both in Big Ways and Small Ways

Reduce. Re-use. Recycle. These words are officially part of our collective lexicon, encouraging individuals to take action in protecting our environment and conserving our natural resources. Imagine the impact possible when large companies put a focus on environmental sustainability. For a company like LANXESS Corporation, efforts to reduce, re-use and recycle, large or small, can yield significant results.

One major way the Findlay township-based company contributes to environmental protection is by engaging its chemical expertise to design and develop products that help consumers reduce fuel consumption and emissions. LANXESS's patented plastic/metal hybrid technology for automobiles significantly reduces a vehicle's weight, thereby improving fuel economy. This technology not only makes vehicles lighter, it also improves their structural strength and component integration, increases cost efficiencies, and creates greater design flexibility.

The rolling friction of tires also directly relates to fuel consumption; in fact, calculations made by a leading tire manufacturer show that the rolling friction of a vehicle's tire consumes an average of 25 percent of the fuel it uses, and a 30 percent reduction in rolling friction yields fuel savings of about eight percent. LANXESS offers a solution styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) for tire treads that reduces rolling friction and can cut fuel consumption, compared to conventional tires.

LANXESS is also working with leading auto makers to develop a new generation of ion exchange resins for fuel cell vehicles. Because these ion exchange resins can withstand intense heat, their use can significantly lengthen the service life of fuel cells, making it easier and more practical for fuel cells to power vehicles.

LANXESS's contributions to environmental protection go farther than their innovative products. The company is also doing its part from within, by investing in initiatives for greener manufacturing processes at its plant sites. At its Orange, Texas manufacturing facility, the company developed an initiative to recycle solvent from two different waste streams by shipping it to a company that will distill, separate, and use the materials as an additive for industrial-grade gasoline and diesel. This project has the potential to reduce waste by 2 million pounds and reduce the plant's Annual Toxics Release Inventory by 52 percent.

Its Chardon, Ohio site has started recycling its waste oil by shipping it to other users for re-use. This project alone will reduce the amount of oil disposed of in landfills by 3,000 gallons per year. The site has also replaced its current lighting system with new fluorescent fixtures that greatly reduce energy consumption, and has replaced waterheated and cooled machines with new ones that save 200,000 gallons of water per month.

While these large initiatives contribute in a major way to reducing the world's collective environmental footprint, LANXESS does not discount other ways to do its part on a smaller scale. At its Pittsburgh headquarters site, measures have been taken to make it easy for office employees to recycle. The company has provided every employee with a paper recycling bin to keep at their desk to encourage them to recycle unwanted papers rather than tossing them in the trash. There are also bins in the kitchen areas of each floor for recycling cans, glass and plastic bottles.

LANXESS has also stopped printing and mailing pay stubs to employees who utilize direct deposit. Its electronic payroll system conserves paper, reduces costs and better protects employee privacy.

As a way to encourage driving less, the company recently began bringing outside vendors into the building to serve a hot lunch several days a week. If this can save just 20 people from getting in their cars and driving a few miles at lunchtime, it can still help to significantly save fuel and reduce emissions.

Whether it's major initiatives such as developing scientific breakthroughs and investing millions to improve manufacturing processes, or minor ones such as helping employees recycle, large companies have the potential to make a huge impact to aid the cause of environmental protection and sustainability. LANXESS Corporation is an example of a company exploring both the major and minor ways to make a big difference.

About LANXESS

LANXESS is a leader in specialty chemicals with 2007 sales of EUR 6.61 billion and around 15,200 employees in 21 countries. The company is represented at 41 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacture and sale of specialty chemicals, plastics, rubber and intermediates.