2017-08-22

LANXESS pigments used in Formula E

• Prefabricated concrete elements colored with Bayferrox for the Hydro-Québec Montréal ePrix
• Concrete barriers with aesthetic appeal for the city race course for electric-powered cars

August 22th, 2017, Shanghai – Bayferrox inorganic pigments from global specialty chemicals company brought color to the race course at the Hydro-Québec Montréal ePrix, the racing category for electric-powered cars. The race took place in Montréal, Canada, at the end of July 2017. The Inorganic Pigments (IPG) business unit supplied nearly 37 metric tons of charcoal-colored Bayferrox 340 pigments to Canadian pre-cast concrete producer Beton Brunet based in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Québec, for the construction of 5.5 kilometers of concrete barriers that lined both sides of the 2.75 kilometer race course. 

The race in Montréal was the last of the FIA Formula E circuit 2017’s third season that began in Hong Kong and toured eight other cities, including Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Paris, Berlin and New York. In motor sport, Formula E is a “sports platform for sustainability.”

Concrete barriers with aesthetic appeal separate race course

Formula E features full electric-powered cars and uses city streets for the race course. The concrete barriers used to block off the course and separate the crowds from the raceway were specially designed and constructed for the event at twice the size of standard barriers, and were adorned with Montréal’s city logo, adding aesthetic appeal.

“We were delighted about this exciting project, especially as sustainability is a great priority in Formula E,” said Lise Charron, Account Manager North America for the IPG business unit based in Montréal. “The theme of sustainability that this whole project is about is a great fit, as it aligns with many of the values of our business. The Bayferrox pigments used in the project are SCS-certified. Scientific Certification Systems is one of the leading companies for independent certification and determines, for example, the proportion of recycled raw materials used in an industrial production process.” The barriers were engineered to last and be re-used for several more seasons, as Montréal has signed a three-year contract to host the race.

“Prior to this project, we had only worked with pigments on a small scale, so our experience in regards to usage and color targets was limited,” said Isabella Bégin, Project Leader at Beton Brunet. “We were happy to partner with LANXESS on this project and receive their support with color selection and handling. The pigment experts were able to recommend a package size that could be directly dropped into our production process, eliminating dust, waste, extra handling steps and potential weighing errors.”

LANXESS is the world's largest manufacturer of iron oxide pigments and a leading producer of chrome oxide pigments. Both pigment types have proven effective for decades in a wide variety of applications for coloring building materials, paints and coatings as well as plastics and paper.

About LANXESS

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.7 billion in 2016 and about 19,200 employees in 25 countries. The company is currently represented at 75 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals and plastics. Through ARLANXEO, the joint venture with Saudi Aramco, LANXESS is also a leading supplier of synthetic rubber. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World) and FTSE4Good.

LANXESS China

On Jan. 31, 2005, LANXESS AG was initially listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and its subsidiary LANXESS Chemical (China) Co., Ltd. officially began operations. Today, LANXESS has 17 subsidiaries including 3 joint ventures, 9 production sites as well as 9 R&D centers with about 1,900 employees in Greater China. LANXESS works closely with its local partners to develop market-oriented solutions that meet local market needs.

Forward-Looking Statements

This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of LANXESS AG to differ materially from the estimations expressed or implied herein. LANXESS AG does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions, contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of LANXESS AG or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person's officers, directors or employees accept any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.

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