CHT Switzerland AG is a system supplier for specialty chemicals, and the CHT Group’s competence center for textile dyes. The company offers a complete choice of dyes and special chemicals for textiles. The comprehensive product range is divided into basic, advanced, high-performance and special application products and includes reactive dyes, acid dyes, metal complex dyes, vat dyes, direct dyes, disperse dyes, cationic dyes, dyes and pigments for printing, as well as dyeing, printing and flocking products.
Together with the textile auxiliaries supplied by the parent company CHT, BEZEMA Colour Solutions are used to create a value of high-quality products ranging from fashionable garments, home textiles to stylish carpets and technical textiles.
The broad product portfolio is rounded off by laboratory and analytics, consulting and training as well as logistics services on a just-in-time basis. The CHT Group headquarter is located in Tübingen, Germany, and was founded by Reinhold Beitlich in 1953 as Chemische Fabrik Tübingen.
CHT Switzerland AG was established in 1971 as BEZEMA AG. Since the 1980s, the Group has been owned by the Reinhold Beitlich Foundation to secure the company’s long-term existence and independence.
“The Foundation supports youth welfare services and medical research projects, science and research in the area of chemistry and research projects on renewable raw materials,” explains Ralf Kattanek, Managing Director of CHT Switzerland AG and Group Vice President Textile of CHT. “It is a sign of our commitment to Europe as a manufacturing location and to the principles of sustainable development. We want to keep as many jobs in Europe as possible and are looking for new application areas instead of sacking people. And as a chemical enterprise, we put great emphasis on the environment and its protection.”
CHT Group has just completed a major rebranding initiative aimed at uniting all activities under one umbrella brand: CHT. As part of the initiative, a new brand claim was created – smart chemistry with character – which reflects the company’s passion for innovative and sustainable chemicals.
CHT now positions itself with three subbrands: Textile Solutions, Industry Solutions and Science & Service Solutions. Textile Solutions comprises textile auxiliaries, textile dyes and textile care products. Textile dyes will be promoted as BEZEMA Colour Solutions and sold globally directly by CHT Switzerland AG in Switzerland.
“BEZEMA Colour Solutions points to two main development directions,” says Mr. Kattanek. “On the one hand, it stands for our continued supply of customized solutions in the field of innovative, premium-quality, sustainable dyes. On the other hand, it means that we are advancing our entry into other application and market segments beyond textile and garment production and dyes for new application fields.”
The second CHT sub-brand, Industry Solutions, covers the Group’s nontextile solutions such as consumer care products, leather, paper and construction chemicals as well as silicone elastomers. Last but not least, Science & Service Solutions includes all CHT research and development, laboratory and analytics, technical support as well as customer services and the Brand & Retail Management.
CHT is a medium-sized global player with approximately 2,000 employees at operations all over the world, including production sites in Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Pakistan, India, China and South Africa.
The company produces approximately 150,000 t of specialty chemical products annually and has more than 9,000 customers in over 120 countries across the globe. “We have a clear vision,” states Mr. Kattanek. “We aim to be the preferred partner and leading reference for sustainable chemical solutions in our markets worldwide. We are pursuing this vision by contributing to sustainable development through smart chemistry as a reliable partner to customers in the textile, construction and other industries.”
As the sustainable reference in the textile dyes market, CHT Switzerland AG has developed a completely new, standard-setting line of reactive dyes which is marketed under the BEZAKTIV GO label. “BEZAKTIV GO supports dyeing processes at temperatures of a mere 40°C instead of 60°C, and thus saves a lot of energy,” explains Mr. Kattanek. “It also reduces water and salt consumption. Nevertheless, BEZAKTIV GO delivers first-rate colour intensity, ensures a high level of process safety and enables short processing times which are unrivaled.”
CHT Switzerland AG has 200 employees and turns over 100 million CHF. The company ships approximately 90% of its dyes and specialty chemicals abroad. “Our main export markets are Europe, Turkey, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Latin America,” says Mr. Kattanek. “We are presently looking for opportunities in China and India, in close cooperation with our customers.”
To acquire new customers, CHT Group exhibits at ITMA and all other important textile fairs. ITMA is the world’s leading meeting place for the textile and garment industries, which is organized every four years. While developing new application fields, the company also sees great potential in the area of technical textiles.
“Technical textiles are textiles that are used, for instance, in the automotive industry,” explains Mr. Kattanek. “They are used as insulating material or for interior decoration. We can supply all required dyes and additives for such applications.”
As a foundation, CHT has a long-term orientation with a strong focus on sustainable development and constant technological innovation. “Sustainability and innovation are our main strengths,” states Mr. Kattanek. “In addition, we have a very solid financial background and excellent processing expertise. And we are very close to our customers and a highly reliable partner.”
As part of CHT Group, CHT Switzerland AG has internalized the Group’s vision, strategy and customer philosophy. “We are one company, a globally operating group which continues to grow through further improvement of textile refinement and by developing related market segments,” concludes Mr. Kattanek.