LSI launches as an independent global specialty chemicals business

  • Lonza Specialty Ingredients business (LSI) successfully carved out from Lonza Group
  • Independent business well positioned for long-term growth in the microbial control and specialty chemicals markets
  • Experienced management team and Board appointed to lead the business
  • Marc Doyle (ex-DuPont) appointed Chief Executive Officer
  • New brand to be launched in the coming months

Basel, Switzerland – 02 July 2021 -- LSI today announces that it has launched as an independent business, following the completion of the carve out of Lonza Specialty Ingredients from Lonza Group. Marc Doyle has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of LSI, effective immediately.

LSI is now held by Herens HoldCo Ltd., an entity controlled by private equity firms Bain Capital and Cinven.

 

Commenting on the launch of LSI, Marc Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of LSI, said:

“This carve out is a transformational opportunity for LSI, enabling it to accelerate its growth strategy within the microbial control and specialty chemicals markets with the strong, long-term support of our new owners. As we continue to build on the solid foundations created by Lonza Group, independence will allow LSI to be a more responsive and agile business, developing unique, innovative solutions to help customers protect their products from microbial spoilage, improve health and safety and reduce their environmental footprints. We are also firmly committed to building and investing in LSI’s sustainability strategy, enabling the business to respond and adapt to long-term environmental and social changes that are having a significant impact on the industry.”

LSI has a strong track record of delivering continuous growth and profitability, providing a solid foundation for future growth as an independent business. LSI has a world-leading, talented global team of 2,900 experts driven by the business’s core values of performance, collaboration, passion, and care.

LSI is committed to long-term growth and is focused on strengthening the position of both the Microbial Control Solutions (MCS) and Specialty Products Solutions (SPS) businesses through strategic M&A opportunities and internal investment, particularly in innovation and its production assets. LSI serves its customers in end markets ranging from consumer-facing markets including health, hygiene and home and personal care, to industrial markets including paints and coatings, advanced composites, electronics and wood treatment. LSI is focused on expanding its geographic footprint and the scale and depth of its capabilities, with the ultimate vision of building a world-leading specialty chemicals business.

Marc Doyle is a highly experienced industry executive, having spent more than 25 years at DuPont, including as Chief Executive Officer of DuPont de Nemours Inc., and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of DowDuPont. Alongside Marc on the leadership team, Frank Stahl will continue to lead the MCS business and Antje Gerber the SPS business. Both Frank and Antje have more than 20 years’ experience in the specialty chemicals industry, having held various leadership positions at large international companies.

The LSI board will comprise four directors from Bain Capital: David Danon, Youssef Salha, Michael Siefke and Stephen Thomas; four directors from Cinven: Anthony Cardona, Pontus Pettersson, Bruno Schick and Tom Thomasson; and Antonio Trius, who has been appointed as an independent director. Antonio is a trained chemist bringing circa 40 years’ industry experience to the Board. Antonio was previously CEO of Cognis GmbH and has held board positions at several companies including Lonza Group Ltd.   The world-class production facility in Visp, Switzerland remains central to LSI’s operations, and LSI will continue to invest in the site to enhance its technical capabilities and expand its portfolio of high-quality specialty chemicals. LSI will share the Visp site with Lonza to continue its close collaboration with the provision and the receipt of various complementary services and products.

LSI intends to re-brand in the coming months to reflect its position as a new, independent business.

 

 -- ENDS --

 

Media Enquires

 

LSI
Birgit Gronkowski, Head of Communications, LSI
Tel: +41 61 316 2054
Email: birgit.gronkowski@lonza.com

FTI
Consulting Stephanie Cuthbert/Rob Winder
Tel: +44 20 3737 1000
Email: LSI@fticonsulting.com

 

Notes for editors | Management Biographies

 

Marc Doyle, Chief Executive Officer

Marc Doyle is a highly experienced executive with a 25-year career at DuPont. Marc served as Chief Executive Officer of DuPont de Nemours Inc., having previously been Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of DowDuPont and Senior Vice President of DuPont’s Safety and Protection Platform. Marc joined DuPont’s central R&D organization in 1995 and held various business, business development, marketing, strategic planning, and R&D management positions over his career. Marc served on the boards of DuPont, Hemlock Semiconductor and Hagley Museum. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, CA, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

Antje Gerber, Head of Specialty Products Solutions (SPS)

Antje has a 25+ year international career in the specialty chemicals industry, with a broad and deep understanding of the overall market and the LSI segment. She joined LSI in August 2019 as Senior Vice President of the Specialty Chemicals Services business and has successfully led the LSI organization as Chief Operating Officer through the sales process over the past year. Prior to joining LSI, she held leadership and executive positions at various international companies including Venator, Huntsman, HB Fuller and Evonik. Antje studied business and chemistry (Diplom Kauffrau) at the University of Hamburg, Germany, and has undertaken several executive development programmes, including at INSEAD in France.

Frank Stahl, Head of Microbial Control Solutions (MCS)

Frank Stahl has a 20-year international career in the chemicals sector with a particular focus on antimicrobials. Frank has led LSI’s MCS business since the beginning of 2020 where he has been focused on strengthening LSI’s market leadership position. Frank joined LSI in January 2019 as the Business Unit Head Professional Hygiene. Before joining LSI, he held senior positions at global companies including Schülke & Mayr, BASF and Cognis. Frank holds a PhD in chemistry from the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and a chemistry diploma from the University of Munich, Germany.

 

About LSI  

LSI, formerly part of Lonza Group, is a global specialty chemicals business with leading positions in Microbial Control Solutions (MCS) and Specialty Products Solutions (SPS). LSI provides a broad portfolio of differentiated products targeted at a range of end markets, supported by its leading regulatory capabilities, IP expertise, and established track record in R&D.

LSI’s MCS business is a world leader addressing six target markets: hygiene, home and personal care, paints and coatings, crop protection, material protection and wood protection. MCS is built on industry-leading regulatory expertise, the broadest set of bioactives and the widest range of registrations in the world, which are critical to maintaining the integrity of its customers’ products.

LSI’s unique SPS business provides complex, high-quality technologies and chemistries to customers across a range of industries within its three divisions: performance intermediates and chemicals, composite materials, and the custom development and manufacturing organization. The two businesses work closely together to provide complementary expertise and deliver unique, innovative solutions to help customers protect their products from microbial spoilage, improve health and safety and reduce their environmental footprints.   LSI has a global footprint spanning 32 countries across five continents. Its world-leading team of around 2,900 employees serve over 5,800 customers across a wide range of industries.

LSI is held by Herens HoldCo Ltd., an entity controlled by Bain Capital Private Equity and Cinven.

To learn more about LSI, please visit: LSIwebsiteLSIon LinkedIn

 

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