Chemtura Launches Adiprene Direct

Chemtura: “We Can Succeed Only When Our Customers Are Successful”-—Exclusive Interview of Mr. Matthew Hellstern

2011-10-08 [Source:Pudaily]

PUdaily, Shanghai On September 8, 2011, the Asian Polyurethane Exposition (the Ninth Utech Asia/PU China 2011 Expo) in Shanghai concluded and Chemtura’s Urethanes Business unit took part in the exposition. Chemtura is one of the world’s leading specialty chemical companies and the General Manager of the Global Urethanes Business, Mr. Matthew Hellstern provided an exclusive interview to PUdaily.

Mr. Hellstern confirmed that Chemtura is a global technological leader in the hot cast urethane market and is committed to the development of high-performance castable urethane systems to meet our customers diversified needs. Chemtura has a global leadership position with its castable urethane prepolymers business and also provides polyurethane dispersions, polyester polyols and other products to their customers in China and other parts of the world.

Mr. Hellstern shared with PUdaily that Chemtura provides its customers a comprehensive product line, best product quality and consistency, as well as technical support and innovation. All the elements come together to enable the Urethane Business Unit to offer world-class products and services to customers. “Technical support is provided to help our customers select the right products for their application. It is very important to match the right products to each application, making sure our customers are successful”, Mr. Hellstern said.

Chemtura has a global manufacturing footprint including a production facility in Nanjing, China. Chemtura has also recently announced a significant investment in Nantong, China where a new plant will be built to produce many of Chemtura’s newer urethane technologies; this vast production and technology capability closely links Chemtura’s Urethane Business Unit to their customer’s growth ambitions, particularly in China.

Chemtura is well-known for its ‘Value-Added’ solutions for customers and strives to understand their customer’s business needs, seeking win-win solutions. “Take the China market for example, we built an Application Development Center located in Nanjing to provide technical support to our customers. This facility helps our customers grow sustainably with new applications, improve productivity with customized urethane solutions. Meanwhile we have invested in research and development, creating new products to help customers expand into new markets, in that way, they will have a sustainable and comfortable business”, said by Mr. Hellstern. He also added, “together, with our customers we help them to grow faster and be more profitable. Once they succeed, so do we”.

In pursuit of better service and support for customers, Chemtura’s Urethane business unit launched an innovative business model - Adiprene Direct. The model was developed in response to feedback received from the smaller but very important customers and has been adopted in North America and Europe. Mr. Hellstern explained, “It is an extension of the existing Urethanes business. Account Managers and Technical Services personnel will work together closely, collaborating with each other and sharing information so that we can provide all of our customer’s better products and technical services. ”

Chemtura is a global multinational company and understands it is also very important to respond quickly to the market and local customer needs. “We think the best way is to partner with our customers. We are in a global business and have the capability of leveraging the knowledge globally to share among the regions to support local production, product development and technical services”, Mr. Hellstern told PUdaily. “To satisfy our clients with better products and services and develop sustainably in the market”.

In addition to serving customers, Chemtura’s Urethanes Business Unit is also committed to the Responsible Care® program. They have developed safer, healthier and more environmentally-friendly products. For example, the Chemtura Urethanes Business Unit has low free monomer prepolymers and more recently has introduced Adiprene® Duracast® and mercury-free Quasi system. These products can provide superior performance, safer working environments and growth opportunities that are friendly to the environment.

Referring to successful business people, Mr. Helllstern shared his ideas about two leaders, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and the concept of “Customer-centered” was again mentioned. Mr. Hellstern said that Bill Gates was very good at seeking opportunities by understanding customers’ needs and executing on these ideas while Steve Jobs had excelled in innovation and successfully led customers in a new era. “Both of them are not only successful in business but also in changing people’s life for the better”, Mr. Hellstern said. “The world is changing and new customers are emerging with fantastic new ideas. Thus innovative technology is of great need to the new market to help customers”.