German Industriepark Höchst has reached another milestone. On January 31, 1863, exactly 150 years ago, "Theerfarbenfabrik Meister, Lucius & Co.", the predecessor of Farbwerke Hoechst and Hoechst AG, was established. Today, Industriepark Höchst is one of the largest research and production sites in the European chemical and pharmaceutical industry and a key driver of the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main economic region. 2013 is dedicated to "People. Site. Value" in the spirit of this special landmark.

Large number of anniversary activities
The park's tenants have written the latest chapters in its long success story and driven its dynamic development. The anniversary celebrations are a joint project, too. Akzo Nobel, Bayer CropScience, Celanese, Clariant, Infraserv Höchst, Sandoz, Sanofi, Siemens, Aqura, LyondellBasell, Eurest, Grillo, Kuraray, Maritime Tauchtechnik, Provadis and TÜV Süd Chemie Service are all participating.
The commemorative activities include an official ceremony in May, a concert at the Rheingau Music Festival in August, several lectures, and the "Long Night of Industry" on June 18, 2013.

Since the anniversary will obviously figure prominently in the storied Höchst Castle Festival, all of western Frankfurt will be joining in the celebrations in June and July. Sports events will be included as well - such as the Company Cup, which will be hosted with the Frankfurt Skyliners. There will be plenty of special activities, including park and company tours that provide a glimpse into how tenant companies research, develop and produce products at Industriepark Höchst. More information about the anniversary is available online at:
www.150jahre-menschen-standort-werte.de (in German only).

Colorful anniversary visual harks back to first product
The celebration will be colorful - not just in the diversity of its activities, but also in terms of its main visual. Filled with graphical elements, this dynamic collage is dominated by one color: violet. This is a nod to fuchsine, a bluish-violet dye and the factory's first blockbuster product. The visual harks, in other words, back to the company's origins and symbolizes its colorful success story.

„People" in focus
People are the driving force behind this success story: people such as the company founders who in 1863, during Germany's industrial revolution opened a factory based on a new technology for manufacturing synthetic coal-tar dyes; people such as the many outstanding scientists whose trailblazing innovations drove progress in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry; people such as the currently 22,000 employees whose energy and dedication has been the bedrock of the park's success; and the people in the surrounding communities who have been living with and from the site for generations.

The park is also important for the future: over 400 young people start traineeships here each year, while more than 1,200 are currently receiving advanced vocational training and building a solid foundation for personal and professional growth. Over 700 men and women are attending classes at the Provadis School of International Management and Technology in addition to work or vocational training.

„Site" in Europe's heartland
Industriepark Höchst is an important site for around 90 companies with research, development and production facilities at the park. It is one of the largest, most successful industrial estates in the German and European chemical and pharmaceutical sector, and its success continues to grow as it attracts new companies and millions of euros in investment from tenants each year. It offers many logistics advantages: a central location in Europe's heartland, excellent access to the highway and national railway system, a state-of-the-art port, the ability to transport products and raw materials by ship, and close proximity to Frankfurt Airport.

Its technical infrastructure is ideal, too, with modern waste management facilities and efficient energy generation plants that have made the site energy-independent. In short, Industriepark Höchst is one of the most attractive sites around for production, research and development operations. In the Rhine-Main Region, generally viewed as a financial and services powerhouse, Industriepark Höchst is the most important manufacturing site - and the city's largest trade tax payer.

Create „value", provide benefits
Industriepark Höchst has always created value; it offers a unique blend of tradition and innovation. The achievements of Höchst scientists and researchers are and have been valuable to society in many ways: drugs that relieve suffering and cure illness, from the first antipyretics to modern-day insulin; high-performance plastics used in numerous applications; or crop protection agents that improve agricultural yields and improve the worldwide food supply. Industriepark Höchst is synonymous with sustainability, future viability and corporate social responsibility.

The site, in short, is an integral part of the region. The "Factory" has had a much greater impact on western Frankfurt, the surrounding communities and the entire region than any present-day manufacturing enterprise. It is and has been a fundamental part of social life in the region, for employees and neighbors, for politicians and scientists, for associations and institutions.