Reliable partner for the pharmaceutical industry and fine chemistry

With its comprehensive service range based around the exclusive synthesis of chemical agents and intermediates, Saltigo GmbH, a globally active subsidiary of the specialty chemicals company LANXESS, will be at CPhI Worldwide 2021, which will take place in Milan, Italy, from November 9 to 11. In addition to the agrochemical industry, customers of the Leverkusen-based specialist in exclusive synthesis include pharmaceutical companies and buyers of fine chemicals.

Focus on quality and delivery reliability

In relation to precursors and intermediates for the pharmaceutical industry in particular, where consistently high quality and high delivery reliability are key, Dr. Christoph Schaffrath, Head of Marketing and Sales at Saltigo, also sees good market opportunities for the future. “For a long time now, we have had an ongoing working relationship with numerous pharmaceutical companies who value our reliability and expertise,” he explains. One example of such a precursor is 1,2,4-(1H)-triazole, which is not produced exclusively and is used to make an antiviral active ingredient for oral application. 1,1’-carbonyldiimidazole is also widely used in coupling reactions in the process of making pharmaceutical active ingredients.

In the area of exclusive synthesis, it is the core competencies of Saltigo in particular, including hydrogenation in a pressurized environment and at high temperatures or catalyzed coupling reactions that attract a high level of interest from customers. Services such as process development, pilot testing, analytics and supporting customers through the registration of new substances complete the portfolio.

“Customer, technology and project need to be a good fit”

Synthesis steps under clean room conditions, at low temperatures, with complex reagents or in an inert gas atmosphere, as they are frequently encountered in the process for making active ingredients, also play an important role in other areas. This enables synergies to be exploited in respect of expertise as well as the technologies involved.

For example, a current field of activity at Saltigo in the fine chemistry sector is electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. “Thanks to our broad-based technological expertise, we are extremely well positioned there too. Generally, the industry is less important than the customer, technology and project being a good fit,” says Dr. Michael Zobel, Chief Executive Officer of Saltigo GmbH, with conviction. Organic redox flow batteries could open up further prospects in the future as soon as the technology is market-ready. Redox-active electrolyte systems are required for this. “In this context, various substances are currently being tested for their suitability, and we can well imagine supporting appropriate manufacturers from scaling up the laboratory regulations up to production for the market launch and beyond,” explains Schaffrath.

Detailed information about the comprehensive range of services offered by Saltigo in the area of exclusive synthesis can be found online at https://saltigo.com/.

Saltigo GmbH is one of the leading providers in the field of custom synthesis. The company, which is part of the specialty chemicals company LANXESS, belongs to the Consumer Protection segment, which recorded sales of EUR 1.110 billion in fiscal year 2020. Saltigo, which has its corporate headquarters in Leverkusen and production facilities in Leverkusen and Dormagen, employs around 1,200 people worldwide.