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MAGAZINE FOR EMPLOYEES Be Bolder Mental fitness is possible. Our experts provide the best training tips. PAGE 12 03.2025 | English Edition The New Thinking Power AI is changing our lives – many things are faster and achieve better results. PAGE 14 ONLY THOSE WHO TAKE ACTION TAKE OFF! Getting started without letting bad news distract you. This is a strength that many colleagues prove every day. We spoke with some of them. PAGE 6
EDITORIAL FROM THE COMPANY STAY CONFIDENT! DEAR COLLEAGUES! The economic situation remains challenging, but we still have to make the best of it. Many of you are demonstrating how to do this on a daily basis. You pursue the goals you have set for yourselves and do not allow your confidence to be dampened. That is contagious. That's why, in this issue, we introduce you to colleagues who are doing inspiring work in their field: like the protagonists in our focus story (from page 6) or the winners of the LIFE budget (from page 18). Our colleague Stefan Geissler is also doggedly pursuing his topic. He was named independently by many colleagues when asked: "Who in the company is committed to our sustainability strategy?" He has now been presented with the new Sustainability Pathfinder Award. Congratulations! (page 22) For anyone interested in more theoretical knowledge on the subject of "Maintaining confidence in difficult times", Irecommend the tips from the two experts Carl Naughton and Hans Rusinek (from page 12). HAVE FUN! MIRKA STEIN, HEAD OF INTERNAL RELATIONS Here you can find all issues online as well. The next Xpress will be published in December. Please send suggestions for topics or your opinion to: xpress@lanxess.com 2 Xpress | 03.2025 Imprint Published by: LANXESS AG, Corporate Communications Responsible under German press law: Claus Zemke | Cor- porate Communications | 50569 Cologne Editorial staff: Mirka Stein, Kathrin Achenbach, Annette Westhoff Layout and production: Westhoff Corporate Publishing, Bonn Printing: Wir machen Druck GmbH, Backnang Photos: LANXESS, Adobe Stock This edition was translated using the deepL translation tool. Xpress editorial office, LXS-COM-ICOM, Kennedyplatz 1, 50969 Cologne, Phone +49-221-8885-2587, Fax +49-221-8885-6022, xpress@lanxess.com Xpress is printed on 100 percent recycled paper; only mineral oil-free inks are used. statements: Forward-looking This magazine contains for- ward-looking statements, includ- ing assumptions and opinions of the company as well as state- ments reflecting the assumptions and opinions of third parties. Var- ious 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 responsi- bility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this docu- ment or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. LANXESS AG does not assume any liability (either directly or indirectly) for the information, estimates, target expectations, and/or opinions stated herein, nor should readers rely on them. Furthermore, LANXESS AG does not assume any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or incor- rect statements in this publica- tion. Accordingly, no representa- tive of LANXESS AG, any of its group companies, or any of their respective bodies accepts any responsibility whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.
04 LANXESS Worldwide FOCUS PRODUCTS & QUALITY 14 The New Thinking Power How is AI changing our everyday lives and our working lives? An overview. 18 LIFE Brings Innovations to Life The LIFE budget makes it possible: Four innovative projects from the PLA, F&F, IPG and MPP BUs have won financial support. . Lancer & Success 23 Puzzles & Winning / 24 Quality Works 6 Do It, Inspire Others, Take Off! The commitment of an individual can inspire and advance an entire team. We introduce you to col- leagues who have stuck to their goals despite some adversity. 8 Defying Setbacks Mauricio Buchdid broke new ground in Brazil with electronic auctions, ultimately managing to convince everyone. Others had similar experiences. How we care for the "everyday heroes". PEOPLE & TEAMWORK 12 Be Bolder Train your mental fitness with tips from Carl Naughton and Hans Rusinek. 22 Awarded Visionary Stefan Geissler tirelessly searches for ways to make smarter use of energy in companies. This has not gone unnoticed. 03.2025 | Xpress 3
LANXESS WORLDWIDE COUNTERACT! Worldwide. The situation in the chemical industry is cri- tical. The cost reductions from FORWARD! and the impro- vements from the Excellence Program are taking effect. However, the economic downturn is so severe that further steps are necessary. The Executive Board, BU and GF ma- nagers have discussed this and decided on several measu- res, such as the immediate halt to the IPP program in 2025 and no IPP in 2026. There is also a global hiring freeze, a request to review existing flexi models and much more. Structural measures are also being worked on. "Each and every individual can help us get the Group through these difficult times", CEO Matthias Zachert urges everyone. "At Continental, we are continuously working to improve the environmental footprint of our products. Collaborations such as the one with LANXESS and the use of innovative rubber additives such as Vulkanox HS Scopeblue help us to get closer to our goal of using more than 40 percent renewable and recycled materials in our tires by 2030." Steffen Ryssel, Head of Purchasing in Continental's tire division. The tire manufacturer is the first to use the new, more sustain- able rubber additive from LANXESS, which is also ISCC PLUS-certified. PERFORMANCE SHOW Japan/Tokyo. LANXESS shows what is possible: The transformation into a specialty chemicals company was within reach at the "Solution Day" in Tokyo. With expert presenta- tions and seminars, LANXESS demonstrated innovative solutions solutions to around 150 customers and partners in six key areas: "Batteries and Mobility", "Cosmetics and Per- sonal Care", "Electronics and Semiconductors", "Construc- its tion and Coatings", "Agricul- ture", "Food and Beverages" and "Sustainability". For example, visitors were able to find out about advanced battery materials and rubber additives for electromobility or learn about high-performance solutions for semiconductor production and data center cooling in the electronics sec- tor. All made by LANXESS. 4 Xpress | 03.2025
1400 POUNDS OF FOOD! This is the impressive amount of food collected by employees at the LANXESS site in West Hill, Canada, through their self-organized donation campaigns. This will provide food for around 650 families. Congratulations! NATURALLY DELICIOUS Worldwide. For centuries, pomegranates were considered the food of the gods, who – at least in mythology – are of dubious cha- racter. They probably didn't want to give up any of the sweet and sour fruit and let it spoil quickly. But this is now a thing of the past – at least in the USA. Since the end of 2024, the natural preservative Nagardo has been approved for surface treatment there.@ Its glycolipids adhere to the surface of the kernels and act efficiently against microbial spoilage. "This opens up new sales opportunities and reduces food waste", says Julius Tertilt, BU MPP. Nagardo@ has been permitted in soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer in the EU since 2022. Now it is also to be used in food. It is already approved for dried, smoked sau- sages in the USA. "We are seeing an increasing demand for natural preservatives and are working on new fields of application and the necessary regulatory approvals for Nagardo@ – for liquid food supple- ments or other fruit applications, for example", says Tertilt. THREE QUESTIONS TO LUCAS MARTINI, Site manager in Memphis, MPP BU, USA Ask the Colleagues! In August, 20 site managers from the Americas region met in Toron- to, Canada. Over the course of three days, they participated in more than 25 presentations, hearing from over 30 speakers. They also visited the West Hill site of the LAB business unit. You, Mr. Martini, were also there. What was your experience at this meeting? Lucas Martini: A very fruitful exchange. I was able to talk to all my colleagues about the challenges at their respective sites. We shared experiences and presented best practices to each other. If every site implements even one idea from this week, safety, operations, cost efficien- cy, and team building will improve significantly. I am convinced that this opportunity for mutual exchange is crucial to the success of each indivi- dual plant. What new ideas or practices will you now implement at your site in Memphis? I really got a lot of fantastic ideas for Memphis. What impressed me was the use of digital checklists, which were presented on the topic of predictive maintenance. There was a great presentation by Bastian Jana. I am talking to his team to introduce these digital checklists in Memphis as well, where we’ll use iPads specifically for this type of checklist. This allows us to document information in real time and take photos that we can upload directly to the system. This will make our work and the entire site management more efficient and better. Of course, this will also brings us another step forward in terms of safety. Another thing I'm looking forward to is the visit by the Operational Excellence Site Diagnostics team in Memphis. We’re excited to discuss how to implement AI tools in our distributed control system with the goal of achieving significant savings in the use of our raw materials. What was the most valuable or insightful experience for you at the meeting? Networking. For example, a quick Teams call with someone I met in person this week can trigger a valuable initiative that significantly improves our plant. This allows me to leverage our company resources without having to bring in external consultants. It's quick, easy, and much more cost-effective. It's also good to know that we in Memphis are not alone in our efforts to optimize our operations. The visit to the West Hill plant was also inspiring. The facility and the people there were impressive. And I was really glad that the tour didn't take place in winter. 03.2025 | Xpress 5
FOCUS DO IT, INSPIRE OTHERS, TAKE OFF! Mauricio Buchdid was not discouraged, even though the suppliers initially showed no interest in his electronic auctions. Laura Kovach and her interdisciplinary team did everything they could to get a customer to switch products, and Jack Conen wanted to optimize the transfer of knowledge at Saltigo. Many of them are committed, contribute their expertise, sometimes fail, but then carry on. It is precisely this attitude that will ultimately get us through a crises successfully. One commentator wrote about the final of the European Bas- ketball Championship in Sep- tember: "Once again, Germa- ny was asleep at the start and fell behind. The Turkish team played like they were unleashed, and the outcome seemed clear. The Germans were also missing im- portant players due to injury. But then the reigning world champions came to their senses and fought their way back. Sud- denly, players emerged who no one had previously thought of. They scored crucial points and, in the end, captain Dennis Schröder made the winning play for Germany. What started out so moderately ended with the title. The mixture of individual performances and team spirit had prevailed.
Confidence and trust are inner attitudes fed by experience. that are also "Unfortunately, we mostly remember negative experiences. That is a mistake. Instead, keep in mind what you have alrea- dy achieved in your life," advises Naugh- ton. (More on this on pages 14 and 15). MAKE AN IMPACT IN YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENT This advice is perhaps particularly important in these times. After all, who doesn't let themselves be dragged down by the seemingly endless stream of negative news? But that doesn't help – neither for yourself nor for those around you. Individuals cannot change the world situation, but they can change their own situation. And that can lead to a personal sense of achievement in the professional environment, which ultimately helps the entire company. A colleague like this acts as a role model. After all, motivation is also contagious. DON'T QUARREL, PREFER TO ACT Fortunately, we at LANXESS have col- leagues like this in a wide variety of posi- tions around the world. They are not com- plaining, they are acting. And because this is so important for us in order to get through these difficult times together, even for LANXESS, we would like to intro- duce some of them to you below. They are only a few examples among many not mentioned here. If you know of any great actions by a col- league, please write to us. We are happy to share positive examples. Email to: xpress@lanxess.com What applies to sports can also be trans- ferred to working life: one person can carry everyone along – in both negative and positive ways. This is also possible in a company. For example, the colleague who remains motivated despite poor economic data and realizes his project in the best possible way. The one who suffers set- backs, analyzes them coolly and carries on. The one who believes in himself and thus has a motivating effect on others. The lucky guy? "No," says consultant Carl Naughton. This is an attitude that can be trained. It doesn't have to be God-given. R E G N R B I I S S E N P P A H E H T In Japanese culture, the crane stands for a healthy, long and fulfilling life. Legend has it that if you fold 1,000 cranes out of paper, your wish will come true. Maybe start today and give this good luck charm to a colleague? You can find folding instructions on YouTube. 03.2025 | Xpress 7
FOCUS E-AUCTIONS AT MPP CONVINCING BY PERSEVERING STAY TUNED-CONVINCED F or around ten months, I have been trying to establish electronic auc- tions more and more. At first, I had great difficulty persuading suppliers here in Brazil to participate in my e-auctions. Many work according to a "monthly price list model" and have never had any experi- ence with electronic auctions. I had to do a lot of persuading and convey the neces- sary knowledge to them as simply as pos- sible. That was a big challenge. On the other hand, these tools also offer advanta- ges to suppliers: They have many more opportunities to win orders. At the same time, of course, there is also increased pressure to be undercut by other compa- nies and to lower their asking prices. Different types We have various types of e-auctions at our disposal, but we use reverse e-auc- tions most frequently. In this process, we set a maximum price, and several compe- titors submit descending bids to win the contract. This is a flexible solution. During the auction, suppliers can view their bids and their position online. Suppliers usual- ly know their ranking but not the actual bid prices of their competitors. The big advantage of this auction is that we al- ways end up with an offer. The outcome of the Dutch auction stra- tegy is somewhat more uncertain. We generally use it when there are fewer approved suppliers. In this case, the auc- tion starts at a low price, which is gradu- ally increased. The starting price is based on the supplier's reference price and the average price of the previous year. However, such auctions are tricky. I once planned eleven rounds for an auction and took a very aggressive approach, but the offer was only accepted at the 10º bid. So, there is always a risk that there will be no offer at the end and the deal will fall through. That's why the planning for this type of auction must be much more deci- sive. The pressure to accept the offer is on both sides. If a supplier accepts the current offer, the auction automatically ends with a winner. Strategy worked But it can also work out well. When I had to buy a raw material for which there were only three approved suppliers, I decided to use the Dutch auction strategy. In the first step, I requested a reference price (RFI: Request for Information) to define the auction target. We had also planned to reduce the price by 15 percent. So we set our minimum starting price. With each bid, we gradually increased our of- fer, and the supplier had time to accept or reject it. In the end, we were very satisfied with the result. We were able to reduce the price by 11 percent compared to the reference price and even by 18 percent compared to the average material price in 2024. Extensive preparatory work However, preparing for this auction was time-consuming. First, we had to inform the three suppliers about this different form of e-auction. We arranged a meeting with each supplier to remind them of the date and time of the auction. It was also important that only employees with decision-making authority on the supplier side participated in the auction. We estab- lished auction rules and coordinated with the stakeholders. These suppliers had al- ready been trained in the use of the tool. E-auctions have led to significant cost savings for us in Latin America. This method currently covers around six percent of the total expenditure of the MPP site in the IPEL portfolio. Key factors for maximizing the effectiveness of e-auctions include defining suitable ma- terials, maintaining a qualified supplier base, training users of the tools, educa- ting bidders, coordinating stakeholders, establishing clear rules, and ensuring clear communication. Although this requires some effort initially, it usually leads to significant time savings and better decision-making processes later. The exchange of experiences has proven to be extremely valuable for me. I was en- couraged to continue down this path. Un- derstanding the process, learning from initial attempts, and adapting the concept to my specific requirements were crucial to my success. It was also important to me that questions about e-auctions, such as choosing the right type or using the right tool, were answered directly by the Center of Excellence (CoE) or the Am- bassadors team. This has created a truly global community. Overall, e-auctions bring greater transpa- rency, competitiveness, and more dyna- mic negotiations. The next step for me now is to work with the sales team to share knowledge and insights. Our goal is to develop a variety of strategies that will open new business opportunities for the company. MAURICIO BUCHDID Senior Procurement Manager, GF GPL, MPP BU 8 Xpress | 03.2025
! T I O D E L I M A R T X E E H T I A L P T A N O T A T N E M G E S R E M O T S U C As part of the Commercial Excel- lence Initiative this year, the Poly- mer Additives commercial organi- zation reanalyzed and segmented our customers, identifying along the way 90 accounts that still have strong growth po- tential. The newly formed “squads” – cross-functional teams comprising repre- sentatives from sales, marketing, and technical are tasked with tapping into this potential. In addition to myself as Strategic Account Manager, our squad includes Global Product Manager Micha- el Bearer and R&D Lab Manager Emily Mayes. Our K-FLEX Dibenzoate Coalescent agent is used to reduce the volatile orga- nic compounds (VOCs) of a coating for- mulation to hit target VOC values, while maintaining the film properties for the performance of the coating. Our goal was to expand our business with a leading manufacturer of coatings and paints at three new plants. In June, we achieved this: Purchase orders were placed for the three target production sites in the US. Reliable delivery How did we achieve this? By earning an “A+” report card for our current business: on-time deliveries, 100% quality perfor- mance, and strong technical support for current business and projects. The identifying and account presenting business opportunities for growth. Our supply chain model of ha- ving product at terminals for different regions of the country was a good match for the selected companies with their plants. That was a big advantage for us. is actively Once that first order was placed, it became essential for us to deliver as pro- mised, and this is where we received cri- tical support from outside the squad: de- mand planner Timo Breitkopf and customer service representative Anita Lorch both played key roles in ensuring smooth implementation, reliable delivery, and first-class service. Close communication Weekly conference calls between myself, Anita, and the customer’s supply chain team confirmed on-going operations requirements to include in our planning, enabling us to avoid disruptions. After all, every product change involves high risks, especially transition during the LAURA KOVACH PLA Account Manager Laura Kovach reports phase, when problems can have seri- ous consequences for production and thus also jeopardize the reputati- on of individual employees at the customer. By communicating pro- actively and collectively examining and analyzing all potential difficulties in advance, we were able to gain the trust of our corporate contact and management. Include all sites The decisive factor in this case was that we communicated with both the operations and commercial stakehol- ders, offered them practical solutions, and anticipated problems. Beyond this immediate success, we have also received impetus for further joint de- velopment projects that could ex- pand future business even further and we are in direct contact with the customer's teams. Our Customer’s Category Manager has already expressed his great confi- dence by requesting direct project updates from me for these new pro- jects and has confirmed that our approach works for both him and the company. technical 03.2025 | Xpress 9
FOCUS KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AT SALTIGO TOGETHER TO THE BEST SOLUTION How do the others actually do it? production We have often asked ourselves this question when faced with complex challenges in the develop- ment or optimization of a recipe. Be- cause even if our products and systems are different, we all face similar tasks: Designing processes efficiently, defining parameters pre- cisely and combining system functions optimally. There is therefore a great deal of specialist knowledge in the plants at Saltigo - but no way of sharing this in a structured way. Solutions are developed multiple times, even though they have long existed elsewhere. This costs time, money – and energy. And we wanted to change that! The idea was therefore to set up a knowledge exchange project for auto- mation engineers. As the Saltigo plants work with different process control therefore also with systems and different programming languages, methods and structures, it quickly became clear that the meetings would have to take place on site instead of in the meeting room in order to develop a real understanding of the other area and the "wording" that prevails there. So two companies always got together and organized dates for visits and return visits. More than just spectators Very practical questions from our daily technical routine were involved: How is a nutsche operated or a process step carried out? How do you define the end of a filtration process, for example? The guest automation engineer gains access to the local system and thus a deep insight into the work processes. 10 Xpress | 03.2025 Perhaps the other company has a more efficient way of carrying out a work step and your own company could benefit from this. The first meetings have shown that valuable impulses have been generated for both sides. We have also already identified some approaches that can offer added value across all locations but have so far only been used in one plant. The aim of future longer exchanges will be for the guest to create a recipe for one of the existing products – using their own logic and methodology. This will then be compared with the original and discussed together. The project shows that it is not about finding the perfect system. Every plant has its own strengths and challenges. But if we create transparency and share good ideas, we can achieve so much more together. JACK CONEN Process Expert Automation, Saltigo, Plant 4 I I R O F N O T A Z M T P O S S E C O R P I R E M O T S U C E H T I H T W R E T S A F I G N T N U O C C A A customer calls and wants to buy a product in a different container size. A simple re- quest, really. But internally, this means handling a process that involves up to 30 steps in multiple systems and in- volves up to 15 people - including Sa- les, Marketing, Controlling and Quality Management. Processing took around 30 days on average - which naturally led to frustration. Because as long as the new material master data has not been created in the system, no order confirmation can be sent - and the customer could drop out. Our goal was clear: to equalize the workflow and reduce bottlenecks. The challenge: every business unit is orga- nized differently - some have higher- level data teams that control the entire workflow; Others work decentrally. It is therefore not always easy to find a so- lution that works for everyone. We therefore entered into an intensive dia- log with our contacts.
CARSTEN SEGSCHNEIDER Group Function Accounting, Team Master Data Services After a year of intensive project work with the business units, IT and the Commercial Excellence team, we now have a leaner, more efficient workflow. We have removed as many steps as possible from the "critical path" so that a larger part of the process can now run in parallel. This means that the overall duration is not necessarily extended if one point takes longer. With a new dashboard, we can also specifically monitor where certain steps are particularly time-consuming. This allows us to target these areas in the event of anomalies. Our ideas are having an impact: It cur- rently takes an average of just 17 days to create new logistics materials, such as finished products or raw materials. And we can do even better: 10 days is our declared goal. But we can only achieve this if everyone pulls together. If you extrapolate the potential time savings to the 5,000 or so data re- cords that we create each year, we can make a significant difference - both for LANXESS internally and for the satis- faction of our customers. COMEX ACADEMY IN THE USA MORE KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO MORE SALES The Commercial Excellence Aca- focuses off against each other. Recently, there have been cases where customers have told us that MPP and PLA have made statements about pricing different structures with to customs duties. We want to either avoid such situations. regard Or we want to have a good explanation for them in advance as to why the BUs approach certain issues differently. Due to the specialization of our individual BUs, each of us must remain in contact with customers. However, we must convey a consistent message across all BUs. In addition, we should always look for further opportunities to offer our customers solu- tions beyond the current offerings of the individual BUs. We need to find ways to leverage existing relationships between business units and customers to increase LANXESS's overall sales. We want to create a culture where collaboration between BUs becomes the norm. There are still many opportuni- ties for growth. In fact, MPP and PLA recently had a joint meeting with an agricultural company. ROB CASTANEDA Industrial Preservation & Coatings Market Segment Manager, MPP BU 03.2025 | Xpress 11 on demy growth initiatives. And there is still plenty of room for improvement. For various reasons – such as the pandemic, acqui- sitions, and internal obstacles – we had become too focused on internal matters. Now we needed to refocus on our custo- mers. The training brought everyone to- gether: We gathered ideas on how we could improve and collaborate across business units. In my more than eight years at LANXESS, this was a first for me, and I really appreciated it. While this project focused on CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elasto- mers), MPP and PLA also have common customers in the areas of water treat- ment, agriculture and plastics. My colleague Michael Bearer, BU PLA, and I had already noticed a year earlier that we had a very large overlap of mutual customers. At that time, we decided to work more closely together. Now we used the Academy to formalize this. The benefits of this kind of cooperation are already clear, especially with custo- mers who are important to both MPP and PLA. For example, we once knew that a customer still had growth potenti- al. PLA was in closer contact with the contact person in the purchasing de- partment than we were. Thanks to PLA, we received information that we could use to generate further growth with this customer. Specifically, we have identified five im- portant CASE accounts in our training courses. Our goal is to coordinate these major accounts in order to discover growth opportunities and potential colla- borations. Another important aspect is that customers do not try to play the BUs
PEOPLE & TEAMWORK BE BOLDER! Those who are mentally fit perform better. This is good for the company, but above all for the employees themselves. At their events during „Mental Health Week“, the two experts Hans Rusinek and Carl Naughton will explain how you can succeed in shaping your own working life with optimism and confidence. The news just won't get any bet- ter - neither inside nor outside the company. The wait for an economic upturn is grueling. I personally can't change the fact that it's not coming. "That's true. But whether it comes or not is independent of the de- cision to commit to a project at work. Keeping an eye on external circumstan- ces is important, but they don't prevent us from taking action ourselves," says futurologist Carl Naughton. Good, but looking outside affects our mood, in other words, our motivation. The expert has an answer for that, too. He has answers to quite a few questions that only allow one conclusion: Those who are committed, even if they make mistakes or suffer set- backs, are more likely to succeed in the end, feel better about themselves and make a valuable contribution to the com- pany. the THE BASIS FORMS THE COURAGE FOR THE FUTURE Carl Naughton developed term "future courage" from the concept of "psychological capital". "It is easier to understand, evokes optimism and no associations with Freud and Marx," he says. The aim is to exploit the psycholo- gical capital that each of us has. "Studies show that people with high psycholo- gical resources are more motivated, more productive and more resilient," says the language psychologist with a doctorate. But how can you develop this in times of daily negative headlines? "Through confidence, trust, robustness and realistic optimism. Through these four dimen- sions, many things can succeed," says Naughton. CONFIDENCE AS INNER ATTITUDE And so one could ask: How can I gain confidence in the face of the many crises and uncertainties in this world? "That can be trained," Naughton is convinced. Confidence in particular is a question of inner attitude. Do I assume that the new project the boss has just presented won't work out anyway? Or do I have the attitu- de: 'Yes, I see this new project as an op- portunity, I want to help shape it and play a part in making it a success'? "We're not talking about blind optimism here. We take a close look and also gain certain- ty by imagining possible future problems 12 Xpress | 03.2025
and thinking of solutions." Even after ut- ter failure, the confident colleague asks: "And what do we try next?" In this way, he also motivates his team and inspires them. Confident people remain capable of taking action, look for solutions and al- ternatives and become creative. Naugh- ton adds: "Studies show that confident teams are more stress-resistant and develop better solutions because they invest their energy in action rather than brooding." CONFIDENCE ARISES THROUGH EXPERIENCE Confidence, on the other hand, is a question of how much I believe in my self-efficacy. We all know the moment when another change comes along: a new program, a project with comple- tely new parameters - everything seems difficult. Now it is once again the inner attitude that decides. It can help to re- member what you have already achieved and which challenges you have alrea- dy actively tackled with a lot of energy and mastered despite a few stumbling blocks. "Research shows: People who have confidence in themselves remain more motivated, are more resilient and enjoy their work more," says Naughton. Crucial for the company It is precisely this attitude that is of the utmost importance for companies: "Con- fidence is the basis for willingness to change and innovation." After all, only those who believe in their own creative power will try out new things and drive change. "In times of transformation, con- fidence is therefore not a luxury but a core competence - for each of us and for all of us together," he concludes. ROBUSTNESS MAKES SUSTAINABLE Nelson Mandela once said: "I never lose. Either I win or I learn." This quote from the Nobel Peace Prize winner stands for extraordinary resilience. Even after spending a long time in prison, he never lost it. When it comes to our work, this means that no matter what we do or tackle a new, there will always be setbacks. How we deal with them is crucial. Do we sink into frustration and become passive or do we try to use setbacks as a springboard to learn from our mistakes and improve? Change is rarely straightforward According to Naughton, robustness is a key to a company's future viability. Major setbacks can be endured with robustness and even used proactively. "This allows us to remain capable of acting as a team - even in stormy times," he says. REALISTIC OPTIMISM STRENGTHENS TEAMS Those who attribute setbacks more to external circumstances see them as temporary and can be more optimis- tic about the future and take action. Realistic optimism is particularly import- ant in teams, says Naughton. It acts as a mood anchor: When the others have doubts, it reminds them that progress is possible. This maintains a balance between sober analysis and a motiva- ting view of the future. "Managers who exemplify realistic optimism create an atmosphere in which employees find confidence and direction even in difficult times," says Naughton. For him, realistic optimism is the attitude that sustains change. It combines clarity with hope and a sense of reality with drive. "And that's exactly what we need to move into the fu- ture with courage and success." THREE QUESTIONS FOR HANS RUSINEK, who completed his doctorate at the University of St. Gallen, where he continues to research the changing world of work. Mr. Rusinek, you are campaigning for a better future of work. Let's say I find myself in a crisis with my work. What should I do? First of all, crises always have a positive side. They are often the impetus for change. In your case, I would advise you to have an open discussion with your line manager. The conversation is our best "repair software". Explain in detail why you are frustrated and what you could do for the company. Then give your boss at least three months to react. He will do something. It takes courage to seek such a conversation ... That's true, but you only have something to gain. You spend about a third of your time working. This third should also be meaningful. Studies show that people who find meaning in their job perform better, experience more appreciation and are also much more balanced and happier in their private lives. There are interactions between these areas. The model that is often described - I go to work, spend my time there to earn money and live my real life in my private life - doesn't work. If we no longer feel anything at work, then we will feel the same in our private lives. People cannot divide themselves in two. Courageous employees are of great value to companies. Why? In one experiment, students were placed in a waiting room in which smoke was slowly building up. When the test subjects sat alone in the room in the first setup, they quickly left the room to get to safety from an apparent house fire. In the second setup, groups of three were always led into the waiting room. Again there was smoke, but now much more time passed before one of them called for help. Everyone relies on each other - and in the end, it may be too late before someone draws attention to a problem. So be brave and move forward! 03.2025 | Xpress 13
PRODUCTS & QUALITY THE NEW THINKING POWER STUDIES FORECAST, THAT AI COULD INCREASE GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTPUT BY UP TO 15 TRILLION US DOLLARS BY 2030. 14 Xpress | 03.2025 800 MILLIONS users worldwide use ChatGPT regularly – that's around 10% of the world's population. Source: OpenAI THE DEVELOPMENT OF AR 1950 1956 TURING TEST Alan Turing publishes "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" and asks the question: "Can machines think?" BIRTH HOUR OF AI The term "Artificial Intelligence" is coined at the Dartmouth Conference - the starting point of AI research.
Whether in the laboratory, in production or in the office - Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future scenario. It helps us to manage floods of data, operate systems more securely and develop new ideas faster - and is changing the way we work. An overview. "AI is one of the most far-reaching technologies, that we are working on as humanity - more profoundly than fire or electricity." Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONTO AI ASSISTANTS ON THE JOB: "Can you summarize this?" THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 1997 2011 2012 2022 DEEP BLUE BEATS KASPAROV WATSON WINS AT "JEOPARDY"! An IBM chess computer defeats the reigning world champion - a milestone for AI. IBM's "Watson" beats human champions in a quiz show - a breakthrough for NLP and knowledge processing. DEEP LEARNING REVOLUTIONIZES AI A neural network wins the ImageNet competition - the starting signal for modern AI applications. CHATGPT IS PUBLISHED OpenAI launches ChatGPT - generative AI becomes suitable for the mass market. 03.2025 | Xpress 15
PRODUCTS & QUALITY ACCOMPANYING CHANGE Only 1% of companies are considered "AI-ready" at - in other words, they have fully integrated AI processes. 63% of companies do not have a clear guideline for the use of generative AI. Only 36% of employees feel are well prepared for the use of AI Source: KPMG study "Generative AI in the German economy 2025" 16 Xpress | 03.2025 XCHAT - OUR DIGITAL COLLEAGUE AT LANXESS The internal AI chatbot Xchat (link on the Xnet home- page) has been available to all colleagues worldwide since April 2025. The Group Function IT team is continuously working on further improving the tool. THIS IS NEW SPEECH-TO-TEXT You can create prompts by voice input using the microphone icon. FILE SIZE The file upload has been increased from 5 to 15 MB per document (max. 5 documents per session) ONE CLICK The new copy button allows content with formatting to be pasted directly into an Office document. OPTIMALLY CONNECTED In future, important internal knowledge sources such as the Knowledge Portal or Xdirect will be integrated in order to deliver even better results. 150 USE CASES ... ... for AI is currently driving LANXESS IT forward. Many projects have already been successfully implemented. The new AI compass provides an overview.
PROMPT SUCCESS! Man, machine - machine man: With a clear instruction - the so-called prompt - you will receive the best results. SMALL TALK IS WORTH IT! Be polite (this has been proven to promote cooperation), give the AI assistant feedback on its answers and feel free to ask for feedback on your communication yourself. BE PETTY! What response do you expect in terms of tone, length and format? What do you need the informa- tion provided for (presen- DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING! AI assistants can also make mistakes. Therefore, always check the answers for correct content, grammar and tation, style. social media post, email to a customer, etc.)? Specify which sources and templates the AI assistant should use, for example attached files. Even more tips can be found at the Prompting-training cour- ses. The dates (from the end of October) can be found on Xnet. PROFESSIONAL TIP ROLE PROMPTING Put a hat on the AI by assigning it a clear role for a chat. Example: You are to act as a bilingual translation agent and translate my input from German into English. This prompt is only ever valid for the individual chat session, but can be used again at any time. Tailor-made suggestions for the best prompts are provided by the new "Prompt Buddy" – now available in the "AI Exchange" community in Teams. 03.2025 | Xpress 17 03.2025 | Xpress 17
PRODUCTS & QUALITY LIFE BRINGS INNOVATIONS TO LIFE! LIFE stands for LANXESS Innovation Fund & Energizer. As unwieldy as the resolution may sound, it is true for the four winners of the LIFE budget. LIFE's financial support ensures that the PLA, R&F, IPG and MPP business units can develop their most innovative and economically promising new products for technology, agriculture, electricity storage and industrial plants. SUSTAINABLE CABLE CLUTTER A biologically harmless Plasticizer: This is how BU PLA convinced the LIFE jury. There is a great call for sustainable and harmless plasticizers. After all, 40 to 50 percent of many PVC products are made from them. Even if the issue of sustainabi- lity is taking a back seat in difficult econo- mic times, Jan-Gerd Hansel, Head of Re- search and Development in the Polymer Additives business unit, is convinced that it will become more important again: "And then we will be ready." The business unit is researching such a plasticizer for PVC applications. The initial focus is on the wire and cable in- dustry. "In our research, we can draw on knowledge that we gained years ago," says Hansel. JAN-GERD HANSEL Head of Research, PLA BU
In the new project, particular attention is being paid to the selection of suitable raw materials. To this end, the team is current- ly investigating various synthetic building blocks that come from renewable sour- ces or can be produced in a CO₂-neutral way. Collaboration with other business units plays a key role here. The aim is to procure the right sustainable raw materi- als competitively. "This is a crucial as- pect," says Hansel. The cost pressure among PVC manufacturers is enormous: China is flooding Europe with cheap products, meaning an environmentally friendly plasticizer must remain below certain price thresholds. that even Environmentally friendly production This production process produces no salts or environmentally harmful waste, only water. This simplifies the entire pro- duction process. "And we also comply with the strict European and US regula- tions," says Hansel. The project convinced the LIFE jury: They approved the team's budget for two years. "That's what we were counting on," says Hansel. Now they can employ a laboratory technician who, together with the applica- tion technology department, will devote himself entirely to the tests to obtain the plasticizer with the best properties. "Of course, we are also in contact with our customers and want to tailor the product to their requirements," says Hansel. took this into account Plasticizers account for around a fifth of the PLA BU's turnover. The new green high-performance plasticizer could take up a greater share of this or open up another business segment. The team also its application. "Together with our colleagues Gizem Cinar from Application Technology and Miriam Bührle from Production as well as our colleague Max Siebenbrock from Marketing, we were able to present a convincing application concept," says Hansel. in CRISP ON THE SHELF Mold is a problem for farmers - a sustainable fungicide from the F&F BU is now helping them fight it. Since 2020, the F&F business unit has become involved with agriculture. To- gether with a partner, they are seeking to obtain approval for a fungicide in accor- dance with the EU regulation for the first time. "Our partner has expertise in the agricultural sector, while we have experti- se in benzoic acid and formulation de- velopment," says Senior Project Manager Doris Pfeiffer. The product based on ben- zoic acid as an active ingredient is awin- ner – the acid has been used in the cos- metics and food industry for decades and is therefore on the GRAS list ("Generally recognized as safe") in the USA. "Howe- ver, approval in the EU is a challenge due to the rules and regulations," says Pfeif- fer. "That's why we initially only applied for approval for apples, pears, tomatoes and ornamental plants in greenhouses in the Netherlands, Greece, Italy and Spain," says Andre Grossmann, Head of Innovati- on and Business Development at the F&F BU. Even with this restriction, the scope of the required studies is enormous. Replacing the organic solvent In the meantime, Grossmann's team has received feedback from its partners and from the various field studies. The conclu- sion was that the product could be signi- ficantly improved if the organic solvent was replaced. "The brilliant idea came to ANDRE GROSSMANN Head of Innovation and Business Development, F&F BU "With Styraxo@ 3.0 we offer farmers a biodegradable, rapidly degradable and sustainable alternative." 03.2025 | Xpress 19
PRODUCTS & QUALITY us in a meeting with our cooperation partner. We wanted to try it with our ben- zoic acid in water," recalls Torsten Groth, external consultant. This approach was passed on to Amber Yarnell, head of the research laboratory in Kalama, F&F BU. After one and a half years of successful research, the optimized product Styraxo® 3.0 is now available: a sustainable and effective fungicide based on biodegrada- ble, nature-identical benzoic acid. A patent application has been filed for the new formulation. Improved solution for farmers Based on the good biodegradability data, Pfeiffer and Grossmann expect that Sty- raxo® 3.0 can be applied up to a few days before harvest. Normally, fungicides may be applied to the fruit for the last time 30 days before harvest. "This is often a prob- lem for farmers, as many fruits are parti- cularly sensitive shortly before and after the harvest," says Grossmann. Styraxo® 3.0 would provide them with an impro- ved solution for this situation. For Styraxo® 3.0, registrations are cur- rently being prepared in several countries with different climate zones. As each country has its own regulations, F&F needs a suitable registration partner in order to get through the regulatory jungle more quickly. For example, the efficiency of the product in the respective country must be proven in two to four seasons on the target plants. These field studies and the preparation of the respective dossiers are time-consuming and expensive. "Thanks to financial support from LIFE through 2028, we will now reach our goal much faster," Grossmann is convin- ced. The Innovation Excellence Committee justified its decision as follows: "With Sty- raxo® 3.0, LANXESS is setting new stan- dards in the field of sustainable plant tre- atment. It is a strong signal for innovation and responsibility." 20 Xpress | 03.2025 MURAT GÜRSOY Head of Innovation, IPG BU CLEVER SAVED With iron phosphate as a precursor for LFP cathode materials, the IPG BU is one of the very few western suppliers worldwide. One thing is certain: wherever electricity is generated and used, storage is neces- sary. Whether it's wind turbines, solar pa- nels, or even electric cars, China is lea- ding the way in this area and flooding the world with its batteries. “We want to use our iron phosphates as precursors in bat- tery technology to help reduce this de- pendency,” says Murat Gürsoy, Head of Innovation at the IPG Business Unit. He estimates the economic potential of lithi- um iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to be very high: “We would be one of the few Western suppliers in this field.” Sustainable battery materials This convinced the LIVE jury. The rese- arch project will now receive financial support until 2028. The jury justified its decision as follows: “The project gives LANXESS a strategic advantage in the rapidly growing market for LFP batteries and positions the company as a pioneer in sustainable battery materials.” Gürsoy and his team are currently still in the development phase. “We are testing our samples on a small scale first and then in our pilot plants. After that, we will send them to our potential customers. Their feedback is very important to us.” This work – testing, analyzing, modifying – requires time and, of course, expertise. But Gürsoy is optimistic: “We expect to be able to produce the first quantities in 2027.” Interest is high. As far as is known, iron phosphate manufacturer with significant capacity on the North American conti- nent. is currently no there Iron phosphate consists of iron and phos- phorus, both of which are harmless to the environment and are readily available. This is in contrast to the precursors com- monly used lithium-ion batteries, which consist of nickel, cobalt and man- ganese. "The largest supplier of nickel is Russia, cobalt is mined under question- for "We see great economic potential in iron phosphates, which we can now leverage more quickly thanks to LIFE."
MPP WINS WITH THE SOURSWEET- PROJECT The business unit is working on a new active ingredient. The research project is still in its infancy. Initial molecule development and testing are taking place at the MPP research laboratory in Wilmington, USA. For patent reasons, however, it is not possible or permissible to disclose much more at this time. Xpress will report on this in detail at a later date. Suffice it to say that the project also has a cross-busi- ness unit aspect. The scaling from laboratory scale to initial pilot production is to be carried out jointly with the Saltigo business unit in Leverkusen. In line with the ONE LANXESS strategy, development for large-scale production is also to be carried out jointly with Saltigo. “Precisely because we are still in the early stages of development, we are very pleased to have secured the LIFE budget. This will enable us to strengthen our research laboratory in Wilmington, build new research capabilities, and advance the project more quickly,” says project manager Mark Kubik, MPP BU, adding: “The additional resources will allow us to conduct further development experi- ments, which will increase the chances of a successful market entry.” 03.2025 | Xpress 21 able conditions in the Congo, and the EU has once again classified manganese as a critical raw material for battery chem- istry in 2023," says Gürsoy. LFP batteries also offer major advantages in terms of safety: for example, they are less flam- mable. Exemplary organic growth The pro- duction of iron phosphate would initially take place in Krefeld-Uerdingen. This area of battery chemicals is a new busi- ness area for the IPG BU and could repre- sent exemplary organic growth within the Group. New business structures would also have to be created, such as in mar- keting and sales. Gürsoy's optimism is based on facts: Even though sales of electric vehicles are currently weakening, the market for sta- tionary storage stations is undergoing very positive development. In addition, the EU has made it clear through various funding programs and statements that it wants to become independent of Chine- se manufacturers. The project would also benefit from the high tariffs that currently apply to Chinese products in the USA. "We are already in contact with US manu- facturers who are interested in our rese- arch," says Gürsoy.
PEOPLE & TEAMWORK With the new "Sustaina- bility Pathfinder" Award, the global sustainability community at LANXESS recognizes colleagues who are particularly committed to LANXESS's sustainabili- ty goals - and thus generate cost savings or new busi- ness opportunities. The first winner is Energy Manager Stefan Geissler (CEO PTSE), who received the award in the Cologne Tower from Inga Cramer (CEO DEV) and Sebastian Röhrig (CEO COM). AWARDED VISIONARY A "tireless advocate for his subject" – this is how colleagues describe Stefan Geissler. The expert from Global Energy Management (PTSE GF) has a clear vision: to use energy smarter in our operations. He has now been awarded the new "Sustainability Pathfinder" award for this. When Stefan Geissler talks about energy, images come to mind that stick. There is distillation, which works like a saucepan: heat at the bottom, condensate at the top – which in one company simply escapes into the waste water, while another urgently needs precisely this energy. "Energy cannot be touched. It rushes invisibly through pipes, drives pumps and heats reactors," he says. "My job is to make these flows tangible and work with the companies to find out how we can use steam, electricity and gas as efficiently as possible." Geissler has been pulling the strings in global energy manage- ment in the Group Function PTSE for eight years – a task that requires technical exper- tise, strategic vision and a good dose of te- nacity. Four times a year, he brings together the energy officers of the business units, in- forms them about new legal requirements, shares best practice examples and provides impetus. He does not see himself as a lone fighter but as an intermediary between manage- ment and the companies. "I can't achieve anything on my own. You need people in the companies who are willing to try out new," he clarifies. And fortunately, the- re are already a few such people, as the figures show: Between 2021 and 2024, LANXESS has reduced its annual energy consumption by around 200 GWh. "That saves us around EUR 12 million every is year,"says the expert. And Geissler convinced: "We are nowhere near tap- ping the full potential." But the path is not easy. Additional equipment costs money, conversions involve risks and approvals take time. He therefore also sees great opportunities through the possibilities of digitalization and AI. "New monitoring systems, which are al- ready being used in the first farms, crea- te a completely different form of transpa- rency. In the future, artificial intelligence could check operating reports and pro- vide information on how we can ma- nage our energy flows even better," he reports. The award, which has been prominently displayed on his desk for a few weeks now, is therefore above all an incen- tive for him to keep going. "For me, the Pathfinder title is clearly the result of great, cross-divisional teamwork – for the economic success of our company and the protection of the climate." 22 Xpress | 03.2025
PUZZLE & WIN! 1. WHERE DOES WHAT BELONG? How do the six pieces have to be put together to create the area shown? 2. HOW MANY INNOVATIONS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY LIFE? a. Were there two? b. Or four? c. Or maybe eight? 3. ERROR FINDER Five differences are hidden in the picture below. But where? S S E X N A L : s o t o h P LANXESS MEANS ... Lancer: Frank words With the new CFO town hall format, Oliver Stratmann is creating space for his finance team to exchange ideas, be transparent and be close – directly and globally. The idea came from Philipp Här- le, Head of Global Controlling & Strategy (GF Accounting). He says, "Especially in challenging times like these, it is import- ant to gather colleagues around the world, provide them with additional information and strengthen collaboration." This is exactly what Stratmann has achie- ved with the new format. Success: Excellent LANXESS had impressive results in numerous categories at the Extel 2025 Europe & Emerging EMEA Equities Awards. The company ranked among the top 3 in almost all areas and took second place overall in the Chemicals Sector. Our Investor Relations team took first place in several categories, including best IR team in the small and medium-sized companies category and best IR team overall. The IR program and the investor/analyst event were also both finished in first place. "To receive such an award in these times speaks for the quality of our IR work. The team does a great job every day - and that deserves recognition," emphasizes CFO Oliver Stratmann. JOIN IN Where is my bag? Where is my child? With Apple AirTags you can find everything quickly. We're giving away two. Send us the Answer to question 2 at xpress@lanxess.com. Employees of LANXESS and its subsidiaries (except Corporate Communications) are eligible to participate. Each partipicant may only take part once. Legal recourse is exclu- ded. The solution will follow in the next Xpress. The winner of the quiz in the Xpress 02.2025 is Li-Foong Wee, Germany. The correct solution to the 2nd question was answer c. 03.2025 | Xpress 23
QUALITY WORKS. HEROES OF EVERYDAY LIFE If cardiac arrest sets in, a shock helps. This is the purpose of defibrillators when cardiac arrest occurs. They are designed to restart the heartbeat and thus en- sure survival. lithium Defibrillators in public places save lives in an emergency. Every sec- ond counts. To ensure that these life-saving devices are always ready for use, they usually con- tain a thionyl chloride battery, characterized by high re- activity and a very low tendency to self-discharge. Thanks to these properties, batteries with thionyl chloride are not only extremely durable but also function reliably in a wide temperature range with a service life of several decades. Our thionyl chloride from the AII business unit in Leverkusen is the central component of this battery – an invisible hero of everyday life.