Dr. Axel C. Heitmann

As part of a reorganization of Bayer AG in 2004, the chemicals activities and parts of the plastics business were spun off and transferred to the newly founded company LANXESS.
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In terms of sales, the LANXESS Group is the seventh-largest listed chemical company in Europe. In Germany, the company ranks third. The company has an extensive portfolio of around 5,000 products in the fields of specialty, basic and fine chemicals as well as polymers. LANXESS is headquartered in Germany and has around 20,000 employees at over 50 sites in 18 countries worldwide.
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The company is divided into the four competence areas Performance Chemicals, Chemical Intermediates, Engineering Plastics and Performance Rubber, to which 17 business units are assigned. Sales in 2004 amounted to approximately EUR 6.8 billion.
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Dr. Heitmann studied chemistry at the University of Hamburg and the University of Southampton (UK), graduating with a doctorate in 1988. He joined Bayer AG in 1989 and held various positions in research, rubber application technology and rubber production. After two years as plant manager, he moved to Bayer UK as head of the Bromsgrove rubber site. In 1996, Dr. Heitmann took over as Head of Production & Technology at Polymer Latex, a joint venture between Bayer AG and Degussa AG. From March 1999 to January 2002, he managed the Bayer subsidiary Wolff Walsrode. He then took over as Head of the Rubber Division of Bayer AG before being appointed to the Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience in July 2002. In September 2004, Dr. Heitmann was appointed Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG.

Status: Beginning of 2006