Previously, three business groups within the company handled products for the coatings industry. In the future, customers will be able to get all the key components for a coating formulation from a single supplier. In addition to the binders and polyisocyanates that were always handled by LS, other components include inorganic pigments, organic pigments and colorants.

Starting April 1, 1999, Ulrich Koemm assumed the position of general manager of the new division. He succeeded Wilhelm Held who began his pre-retirement leave on that date. Koemm has been with Bayer since 1980, most recently as the head of the Inorganic Pigments Business Unit.