KfW IPEX-Bank contributes loan to new Clariant research and development center

Frankfurt am Main (ots) -

- KfW IPEX BANK supports Swiss specialty chemicals company in
pooling its international R&D activities in Germany
- Tailor-made investment loan in two-digit million range
- "Clariant Innovation Center": energy-efficient lab and office
building at Industriepark Frankfurt Höchst

KfW IPEX-BANK is providing a tailor-made investment loan in the
two-digit million range to support the Swiss specialty chemicals
company Clariant in pooling its global research and development
activities (R&D) in Germany. The "Clariant Innovation Center", a
particularly energy-efficient lab and office building providing
office space of over 20,000 square metres, is being built at
Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt am Main. "Structured innovation
processes and the resulting developments are essential for
maintaining the competitiveness of the German and European economies.
We are pleased to contribute to this effort with our financing. And
if at the same time this is achieved as energy-efficiently as is the
case with the new Clariant center, we are twice as pleased," said
Markus Scheer, competent Board Member of KfW IPEX-Bank. Due to the
low annual primary energy requirement of the new building,
low-interest funds of the KfW energy efficiency programme were
included in the financing with a term of five years. The new building
falls greatly below the admissible limits in accordance with the
Energy Conservation Ordinance (EnEV 2009).

Clariant is one of the leading companies for specialised chemicals
in the world. Germany is already today an important research and
production location of the Swiss company. The improved innovative
environment achieved by pooling the R&D competencies in an
interdisciplinary manner at one site is intended to strengthen the
cooperation with customers, universities and industrial partners of
Clariant AG, while consolidating and expanding its competitiveness.

About KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH

Within KfW Bankengruppe KfW IPEX-Bank is in charge of
international project and export finance. It is responsible for
providing financing to support the German and European economy, a
task derived from the legal mandate assigned to KfW Bankengruppe. Its
prime focus is on medium- and long-term lending to boost the export
economy, develop economic and social infrastructure and support
environmental and climate protection projects. KfW IPEX-Bank operates
as a legally independent group subsidiary and plays a major role in
fulfilling the promotional mission of KfW Bankengruppe. It has 531
employees (as of 31 December 2011) and is represented in the key
economic and financial centres around the globe.

Pressekontakt:
KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, Palmengartenstraße 5-9, 60325 Frankfurt
Pressestelle: E-Mail: thomas.krick@kfw.de
Tel. 069 7431 2984, Fax: 069 7431 9409,
E-Mail: info@kfw-ipex-bank.de,
Internet: www.kfw-ipex-bank.de