"In the future we will be even better positioned to serve our customers as their partner of choice," says Wolfgang Schmitz, Managing Director of Saltigo, in the run-up to this year's Chemspec Europe tradeshow. "We see attractive potential in all the areas of activity that our company pursues, and will develop and utilize this vigorously," adds Schmitz.

Custom manufacturing remains Saltigo's core business. In the agricultural sector, new business in particular is benefiting from sustained economic growth driven by burgeoning demand for agricultural products. Saltigo, a wholly owned subsidiary of specialty chemicals company Lanxess, also offers expertise in the synthesis of new fungicidal active ingredients from the carboxamide family, which are also known as SDHI (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors) fungicides. Fungicides containing this active ingredient are specifically for use on cereals and offer a number of advantages, including a broad spectrum of activity.

"In the first few months of this year alone, we have acquired half a dozen new agricultural projects," explains Schmitz. He attributes this to the emergence of agriculture as a major global megatrend and to the decades of expertise and experience in the industry that his workforce offers - an asset that customers greatly appreciate.

Another aspect of the company's operations is its use of processes that safeguard resources and protect the environment. Dr. Boris E. Bosch, head of project management in the Saltigo Manufacturing Strategy unit, will be addressing this issue at the "Green Chemistry" workshop on the second day of Chemspec. In a presentation entitled "Green Custom Manufacturing - The importance of the development of greener processes in a competitive market environment", he will focus in particular on process development.

In the pharmaceutical sector and cGMP production, Saltigo is to place a greater emphasis on large-volume ISO projects as part of clinical phase III and commercial production.

When it comes to the multi-customer products that are not manufactured exclusively, head of marketing Jörg Schneider points not only to key intermediates with strong sales figures - such as chloroformates and 1,2,4-triazole - but also to the insect repellent Saltidin, which is particularly important in Europe in the summer months. "We produce this highly effective active ingredient, which is helping global efforts to combat infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever that are primarily transmitted by blood-sucking (flying) insects. Raising the international profile of Saltidin and the potential it offers will enable us to tap into new business opportunities. Our production facilities are already geared up and ready." The active ingredient can be used for more than just formulating pure insect repellent. It can also be added to suncreams or body lotions or impregnated into textiles, such as mosquito nets, tents and outdoor jackets.

Unlike other repellents, hardly any incidences of resistance or tolerance are so far known for the active ingredient icaridin (1-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperidine, Saltidin). Several dermatological studies have also shown that the active ingredient is harmless to adults and children, even by stringent standards. This is partly because Saltidin only penetrates human skin to a very limited extent and is quickly removed from the body.

Finally, Saltidin exhibits a repellent effect not only against flying insects, but also against ants and cockroaches, for example. "Its broad spectrum of activity and attractive ecotoxicological profile make Saltidin an excellent option as an insect repellent," concludes Schneider. Saltigo is running an international campaign aimed at raising awareness among experts of this knowledge and conviction. The initiative was launched in May 2012 at a two-day specialist conference in Tabanan, Indonesia.