Altana facts for kids
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| Aktiengesellschaft | |
| Industry | Chemicals |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Herbert Quandt |
| Headquarters | , |
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Key people
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| Revenue | € 3 billion (2024) |
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Number of employees
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around 8,400 (2024) |
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Altana AG is a German company that makes special chemicals. It is based in Wesel, Germany. The company started in 1977. It was formed when parts of the Varta Group became a new company. Herbert Quandt was the first leader of Altana.
Altana has four main parts. These parts make different chemical products.
- BYK makes special liquids for coatings and tools.
- Eckart creates shiny metal colors for paints and inks.
- Elantas produces materials that insulate electrical items.
- Actega makes coatings and sealants for packaging.
The Altana Group has many factories around the world. It also has many labs for research. In 2024, the company had about 8,400 employees. They earned over €3 billion in revenue that year.
Contents
How Altana Started
Altana's story began a long time ago. In 1873, a man named Heinrich Byk started a chemical factory. It was called Dr. Heinrich Byk Chemische Fabrik. This factory was in Oranienburg, Germany.
Growing into a Big Company
The company grew bigger over the years. In 1931, its name changed to BYK-Gulden Lomberg. Later, in 1941, another company called AFA took control. AFA then changed its name to VARTA in 1962.
Becoming Altana
In 1977, VARTA split into three separate companies. One of these new companies was Altana. This is how Altana was officially created.
Altana and the Stock Market
From 1977 to 2010, Altana's shares were traded. This means people could buy and sell parts of the company. It was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany. Altana shares were also traded in the New York Stock Exchange from 2002 to 2007.
Selling the Medicine Business
In 2006, Altana made a big change. Most of its owners voted to sell the medicine part of the company. This part was called the pharmaceuticals division. It was sold to a Danish company named Nycomed.
This medicine division was a very important part of Altana. About 9,000 of Altana's 13,500 employees worked there. This division also made two-thirds of the company's total money. After the sale, Altana's total earnings went down by about 60 percent in 2006. However, they started to grow again in 2007.
Why the Medicine Business Was Sold
The main medicine product was for stomach ulcers. Its special protection (patent) was going to end soon. This meant other companies could then make similar medicines. Altana's leaders said they sold the business because it was getting harder to get new medicines approved. Also, research costs were increasing.
The medicine division was sold for €4.6 billion. All this money was given back to the company's owners. Each owner received an extra €33 for every share they owned.
Focusing on Chemicals
Before 2007, Altana had two main parts. One was the medicine part, and the other was special chemicals. After selling the medicine business, Altana focused only on special chemicals. The company also changed its logo to show this new focus.
Becoming a Private Company
In 2008, the main owner of Altana, SKion GmbH, wanted to buy all the remaining shares. This would make Altana a private company. This means its shares would no longer be traded on the stock market. SKion made an offer to buy shares for €13 each. Later, in 2009, they offered €14 per share.
By June 2010, SKion owned almost all of Altana's shares. Because of this, Altana was removed from the MDAX stock index in Germany. On August 27, 2010, trading of Altana shares stopped completely. Altana became a private company.
See also
In Spanish: Altana para niños
