Heraeus acquires Clevios, expands product lineup for electronics industry

HANAU, GERMANY: By acquiring H.C. Starck's Conductive Polymers Business Group, Heraeus is engaging in targeted expansion of its product portfolio as the world's leading provider of high-quality coating materials for important growth markets in the electronics industry.

The range of products sold under the brand name Clevios will be expanded with new, innovative, and customer-specific applications for functional coatings, especially in the electronics, display, glass, and solar industries.

Dr. Roland Gerner, CEO of the Heraeus Precious Metals Business Group, is optimistic about the rapidly growing electronics markets. He said: "The Clevios product portfolio represents an essential component in the long-term expansion of Heraeus' leading technological position in the market. We are opening up completely new approaches in the important growth markets in the electronics industry for our customers around the world and bringing to market innovative metallic and organic materials that enable unique, client-specific solutions thanks to their combination of high conductivity, transparency, and ease of processing."

The Clevios product portfolio includes liquid polymer chemicals for anti-static and conductive coatings, screen coatings, plastics, and conductive polymer coatings, each tailored to specific applications (such as organic LEDs or as electrodes in capacitors).

The transfer of Clevios to Heraeus, announced in early September, was completed on December 1, 2010. Both parties have agreed to keep the purchase price confidential. At Heraeus, Clevios is being integrated into the Heraeus Precious Metals Business Group as the Conductive Polymers Division. The advantages of the well-established international organization will provide tremendous benefit to customers, the majority of whom are located in China, Japan, and Korea.