Feb 5 2011
Muttenz, February 3, 2011 – Comar Chemicals (Pty) Ltd will establish a second production site for its organo metallic catalysts and nano-particle chemicals at Clariant’s new “Infrapark® Baselland” in Muttenz, Switzerland during the course of 2011.
This plant will service European and other overseas customers of Comar Chemicals (Pty) Ltd (“Comar”).
Within Infrapark® Baselland, Comar will utilize a multi-storey modern production building that has a footprint of approximately 1200 m2. A complex specialty chemicals process plant will be established, that makes full use of existing utility infrastructure provided at the Infrapark® Baselland. Amongst the new location's activities will be Comar’s R&D efforts to develop innovative specialty chemicals. Overall, employment opportunities will be generated in due course for some 30 personnel.
Comar’s products include rare earth catalysts that are used in the synthetic rubber industry to manufacture advanced rubber types. These are used to produce car tires with the least rolling resistance, leading to lower CO2 emissions of cars.
The nano-particle chemicals are used in advanced proprietary pollution abatement systems.
The announcement, which follows the signing of a framework agreement between Comar and Clariant Produkte (Schweiz) AG on January 7, 2011, makes Comar the first company to settle at Infrapark® Baselland since its launch at the beginning of January 2011.
Infrapark® Baselland is a new industrial park aimed primarily at research and manufacturing companies from the chemicals and life science industries. Owned by Clariant, it is located on the company’s site in Muttenz in the Swiss Canton of Baselland, which lies at the border triangle of Switzerland-Germany-France. The park offers comprehensive services for successful research, development and manufacturing activities at one location.
Comar will join PanGas, Bayer and Aprentas, the training association of the Basel chemical and pharmaceutical industry, who were already operating in the area prior to its transformation into a dedicated industrial park.
The management of Comar Chemicals (Pty) Ltd comments: “Comar’s primary reasons for choosing the Infrapark® Baselland above other European sites, are Basel’s excellent chemical industry service infrastructure, the location of Basel in the centre of Europe, and the technical excellence of Swiss higher education institutions that create a general high standard of education and productivity among Swiss employees. Together these factors can contribute to Comar’s chemical technology development.”
Renaud Spitz, Country Manager of Clariant Schweiz and Manager of the Infrapark® Baselland, adds: “Clariant is very pleased to welcome Comar to Infrapark® Baselland. We would like to thank BaselArea Economic Promotion and the Volkwirtschafts and Gesundheits-Direktion of the Canton Baselland for their joint efforts and support in making this possible. We see Comar with its specialty chemicals portfolio of catalysts and nano-particle chemicals, as an excellent contributor to the development of a highly specialized chemical industry in the Basel area that is able to provide innovative products that are at the fore-front of technological developments in their respective fields”.