Originally Published MPMN November 2004

INDUSTRY NEWS

Bayer Creates Future Business Group

Analee Zelaya

In an effort to foster innovative medical technologies, a materials supplier has launched the Future Business Group. “Innovation is a business imperative,” says Robert Kumpf, PhD, vice president of future business at Bayer MaterialScience LLC (Pittsburgh; www.bayermaterialsciencenafta.com).

The Future Business Group is divided into three categories: creative center, new technologies, and industry innovation. The creative center identifies demographic, population, and societal trends that affect product needs, ideas, and purchasing behaviors. It is also responsible for determining new product development. The new technologies component researches how polymers affect that development and also monitors technological trends. The final subgroup analyzes information gathered by the other two and works closely with customers on product, technology, and process implementation. Bryan Iams, Bayer spokesperson, notes that they are creating new products for tomorrow and are looking into which materials will match those needs.

The firm began operating in the Americas on July 1, 2004. However, according to Kumpf, “We’ve already begun to identify and develop innovative opportunities within many new product, technology, and market areas.” Weight-saving composites, self-cleaning plastics, nanoscale functional additives, smart polymer surfaces, and mass customization are among the considerations. Kumpf says that there are many untapped areas where polymers “can help shape next-generation product development.” He adds, “This is just the beginning.”


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