He added that the company planned to expand its international network of system houses under the umbrella brand BaySystems. It has set up its first integrated systems house on the Indian subcontinent in New Delhi, operating under the name BaySystems India.

BaySystems will serve to customers who want different formulations of polyurethane products in line with their own industries.

Frank Grunert, regional marketing head of the polyurethanes business unit at Bayer MaterialScience AsiaPacific, said that was why the company had set up BaySystems.

After India, the company plans to set up BaySystems in others countries in Asean. Thailand will be the first, and BaySystems here is already under construction and will be open by mid-2007. The company also has a Taiwan factory producing polyurethane formulations. This is Bayer Polyurethanes Taiwan Ltd in Kaohsiung.

Grunert said customers in Japan were served by Sumika Bayer Urethane Co Ltd in Amagasaki.

With BaySystems, Bayer MaterialScience aims to create a global customer service quality standard for its systems-house customers, Grunert said.

Polyurethane is a raw material for several products in various industries. The company wants to develop of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served will be the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, and sports and leisure industries.

"We foresee a strong rise in demand for polyurethane raw materials with a broad range of applications and will demonstrate our capability to work with our customers to develop the materials they require," Grunert said.

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation

Shanghai