Effective March 31, Bayer MaterialScience will acquire the remaining shares in the 50:50 systems house joint venture Baulé from Eximium and other shareholders.

The joint venture was established in 2008 by the Leverkusen-based company and Michel Baulé, which later was renamed Eximium.

Baulé is a global leader in the development, formulation and processing of polyurethane (PU) cast elastomers. Based in Romans, France, the company has subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and China. The transaction affects 139 employees, all of whom will be retained. Financial details have not been disclosed.

"The complete acquisition of Baulé enables us to expand our potential for cast elastomers and also provides us with even greater access to this attractive market," says Dr. Wilhelm Lamberts, the assigned President of Baulé and current Managing Director of the systems house Bayer MaterialScience Oldenburg in Oldenburg, Germany. "This also emphasizes Bayer MaterialScience´s strategic orientation on growth markets."