From megatrends to business

Bayer MaterialScience is committed to help meet the global challenges of energy shortages and climate change through innovative and sustainable technologies and processes. This is the company's central message at K 2010, (Düsseldorf, October 27-November 3) which was presented during an international press conference held in Leverkusen (Germany) on June 11. The company aims to be a prominent part of the solution in tackling the effects of global megatrends such as the growing population and increasing urbanization. Under the motto "From Megatrends to Business", the company will showcase its leadership in polymer materials and its focus on sustainable solutions and developments in the areas of climate, technology, mobility, living and health.The company high-tech materials business had a successful start to 2010 and Bayer MaterialScience is confident of future development. Sales in the first quarter of 2010 were up by 36 percent, to 2.22 billion euro (Q1 2009: 1.64 billion) from the very weak prior-year quarter, which was greatly hampered by the economic and financial crisis. Business also gained 9.9 percent over the fourth quarter of 2009 and in the second quarter of 2010 the company subgroup anticipates further growth in sales.Sustainable solutions from Bayer MaterialScience to face the effects of the global megatrends are different and destined for a number of application fields. In 2030 more than eight billion people will live on the Earth, five billion of them in cities. Today, buildings are responsible for about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 40% of global energy use. So the need for renewable forms of energy is clear. Retrofitting materials to combat climate change has significant benefits, and if buildings were retrofitted with polyurethane insulation - by far the most effective insulating material per unit weight - then real reductions in carbon dioxide emissions could be achieved.Furthermore, today over 14% of all greenhouse gases worldwide came from the transportation sector. Lightweight composites can cut a vehicle's weight by up to 30%, resulting in a significant reduction in fuel consumption. Replacing very energy-intensive steel and glass components in vehicles with polymers - which are much less energy-intensive and require much less energy to manufacture, and also reduce the weight of the vehicle - offers significant reduction potential.