The Stock Indices Working Group of Deutsche Boerse AG decided at its meeting today to include LANXESS AG in the German benchmark index DAX 30. The specialty chemicals group will form part of Germany's leading share index, effective September 24, 2012. LANXESS shares closed on September 5 at EUR 60.00.

The DAX (Deutscher Aktien IndeX) is a stock market index consisting of the 30 major German companies trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Prices are taken from the electronic Xetra trading system. According to Deutsche Boerse AG, the operator of Xetra, DAX measures the performance of the 30 largest German companies in terms of trading volume and market capitalization.

"After seven successful years in the M-DAX, we are pleased that we will soon be included among Germany's 30 largest listed companies,” said Axel C. Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. “This is a proud moment for us all and at the same time challenges us to continue to strive for profitable growth. My thanks go to all of our employees worldwide, without whose unremitting efforts we would not have come such a long way."

"In the future, we will continue to focus on the emerging markets and on innovative premium products for the global megatrends of mobility, agriculture, urbanization and water," Heitmann added.

Short and eventful history

LANXESS was entered as an independent company in the Cologne commercial register on January 28, 2005. The stock was first listed for trading on January 31, 2005, and included in the stock index DAX for just one day to enable the DAX to be correctly computed. Its closing price then was EUR 15.75. On that day the German blue-chip index comprised 31 companies for the first time in its history.

LANXESS has transformed itself into a fast-growing specialty chemicals group, occupying a strong position on the world market thanks to its innovative product portfolio and pioneering technologies. LANXESS products are leaders in their respective markets. The company has also built on its historical roots, which include the invention of synthetic rubber by Prof. Fritz Hofmann back in 1909. Today, LANXESS has customers in a broad range of industries – from tires, automotive, agriculture and construction to electrical/electronics and pharmaceuticals. A major focus is on high-performance rubbers for the production of fuel-efficient, energy-saving “Green Tires”.

Profitability improved

LANXESS has steadily raised its profitability during the short period since its founding. The Group's EBITDA pre exceptionals nearly doubled from EUR 581 million in 2005 to EUR 1,146 million in 2011. LANXESS plans to achieve an operating result of EUR 1.4 billion in 2015.  The specialty chemicals group focuses on three segments comprising a total of 13 business units.

Another hallmark of the Group is its price-before-volume strategy. Says Heitmann: "The company would rather forgo business than sell its products at prices that don't reflect their true value."

LANXESS' strategy in recent years has been to grow both organically and through acquisitions. Annual sales of roughly EUR 1 billion have been added through acquisitions such as the Brazilian rubber producer Petroflex or the specialty rubber EPDM business of the Dutch company DSM.

LANXESS is steadily expanding the global production network for its portfolio of several thousand specialties. The most recent examples are three new plants in Asia: the new facilities for butyl and Nd-PBR rubbers in Singapore and the world's largest facility for synthetic EPDM rubber at Changzhou in the Chinese province of Jiangsu.

Read about the history of LANXESS AG – a young company with strong roots – at LANXESS History

For current photos of the LANXESS Board of Management and company facilities, please go to LANXESS Photos