Friedrich Hofmann, a chemist at Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer in Elberfeld from 1897 to 1918, developed the first synthetic rubber for which the Imperial Patents Office granted a patent on September 12, 1909 under patent no. 250 690.

Administration building and scientific laboratory at the Elberfeld site of Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. taken in 1911.

View of a scientific laboratory at the Elberfeld site of Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. taken in 1896. In one of these laboratories in 1909, the chemist Friedrich Hofmann succeeded in producing an elastic substance: Methyl isoprene paved the way for synthetic rubber.

View of a scientific laboratory at the Elberfeld site of Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. taken in 1908.

Rubber processing on a roll calender in the central rubber laboratory in Building K 10, the present headquarters of specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG in Leverkusen; taken in 1938.

Employee in the central rubber laboratory measures the temperature of a tire after a speed test. Photo taken in 1958 in Building K 10 at what is now Chempark Leverkusen, the present headquarters of specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG.

Roll mill with stock blender in the rubber pilot plant of the central rubber laboratory. Photo taken in 1959 in Building K 10 at what is now Chempark Leverkusen, the present headquarters of specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG.

Employee in the central rubber laboratory removes a finished tire from the tire press. Photo taken in 1950 in Building K 10 at what is now Chempark Leverkusen, the present headquarters of specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG.

Employees in systems engineering give the finishing touches to a boot with a rubber sole. Photo taken in 1940 in the rubber department of Building K 10 at what is now Chempark Leverkusen, the present headquarters of specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG.