Armin Meyer, chairman and CEO of Switzerland-based Ciba Specialty Chemicals, announced a simplified
company structure aimed at increasing profitable growth.The core of the strategy features an
alignment of business operational activities along customer industries. Ciba hopes this will
increase its speed of decision-making and accelerate the companys repositioning away from offering
just products to offering total integrated solutions with one face to the customer.The existing
nine business units will be grouped into five segments, and the divisional level will be
dissolved.Plastic Additives is headed by Felix Meyer and comprises the old Polymer Additives and
Process and Lubricant Additives business units. Coating Effects includes the Imaging and Coating
Additives and Colors for Inks, Paints and Plastics business units. It is headed by Hermann Angerer.
Water and Paper Treatment, a combination of the Paper Chemicals and Water Treatments business units
is headed by Mark Garrett. Textile Effects, headed by Christoph Biedermann, joins the Colors for
Textiles and Textile Chemicals units. Home and Personal Care, led by Tim Schlange, remains focused
on the same industry and will be adapted according to the new organization.Armin Meyer said, The
new simplified structure is aimed at increasing growth and profits and not at primarily saving
costs. We are creating five strong segments focused on their respective markets with all the
opportunities to respond faster and more efficiently to customer needs, to increase customer
relationships and to boost innovation.
April 2001
