Ciba Specialty Chemicals Creates New Colors Division

Ciba Specialty Chemicals has announced the creation of the Colors division from the combination of its Pigments and Textile Dyes divisions, resulting in the first specialty chemicals business focusing solely on the colors industry. The division will be headed by the Global President of the Textile Dyes division, Jean-Luc Schwitzguebel.

As part of this focus on the colors industry, the existing dyes and printing auxiliaries business (DPA) of the Textile Dyes division will be transferred, together with the textile treatment business of the Water Treatments division, to the Consumer Care division. Here they will join the fabric finishing businesses of Consumer Care to form a new business segment, Fabric Processing and Finishing. This will be a strong global player in the textile processing and finishing industry.

"With this bold move we will create the first specialty chemicals business which focuses exclusively on the colors market, as well as creating a center of innovation in the textile processing and finishing business," said Hermann Vodicka, chief executive officer, Ciba Specialty Chemicals. "These latest moves indicate our commitment to aggressive and creative management of our portfolio in order to support continued profitable growth."

The Colors division and transfer of the DPA business to Consumer Care will be effective September 1 with completion of these changes planned for end December. The Colors division will focus on the colors markets; textiles, inks, paints, fibres and plastics.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals is one of the world's leading developers and producers of specialty chemicals and operates on a global basis with sales in 117 countries and manufacturing facilities in 29 countries.