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Special Interest

Monday - March 23, 2009

Trade show premieres at the 2009 HANNOVER FAIR

Bayer Technology Services unveils its ProteXXion® platform

Identification of counterfeits / Track & trace applications in supply chain optimization

Leverkusen, March 23, 2009 – Bayer Technology Services GmbH (BTS) will be showcasing its latest innovations in the field of authentication technology in Hall 17, Stand A38, at Hannover Messe (the Hannover Fair) from April 20 to 24, 2009. The company’s ProteXXion® technology, which recently won the Hermes Award, is far more secure as a method of identification than existing biometric methods, such as fingerprinting or iris scanning, because of its higher resolution. This makes it practically impossible to forge products protected by ProteXXion®. ProteXXion® has been developed primarily to help identify counterfeits and to support track & trace applications in the area of supply chain optimization. Based on the Laser Surface Authentication technology invented by Ingenia Technology Ltd. in the United Kingdom, ProteXXion® has been developed by BTS for applications in industry and expanded into a platform.

ProteXXion® technology is now available in the form of ProteXXion® Tracking – a complete solution for robust industrial applications with sensors, software and database hosting.

The ProteXXion® Secure Label application is geared specifically towards customers who need labels for purposes of transparency. It is also ideal for products whose surface is not rough enough for the laser-optic method.

Also making its debut at the trade fair is a technology combining ProteXXion® readers and ID cards made of Makrofol ID®. A special security film containing tiny metallic particles known as OVDots® has been developed for this purpose by Bayer MaterialScience. Because of the unique distribution of the OVDots®, this Makrofol film possesses a distinct reflection characteristic, which is generated as a code. This code is recognized by the ProteXXion® readers and compared with the code stored in the central data base. This ensures a high degree of security, because the code is not electronically stored on the card, but actually integrated into the material from which it is made.

ProteXXion® Tracking
Tracking parts in production and maintenance without using markings is a common challenge, which can now be mastered effectively using ProteXXion® Tracking. In the case of metal parts, the surface is scanned at a specific point using the ProteXXion® Sensor ST10. This unique information can be used at any point in the production process or supply chain for unambiguous identification. The complete solution includes sensors, software, database hosting and a full range of services, taking in everything from consulting, design, project management and adaptation of the packaging line to installation and system maintenance.

ProteXXion® Secure Label
If customers require products to be labeled or if the surface of the product is not rough enough to employ the laser-optic method, customers can now take advantage of pre-registered labels from BTS, known as ProteXXion® Secure Labels. Once applied, the labels cannot be removed without being damaged. Customers can apply these labels themselves to any products, or use them as seals on packaging. ProteXXion® Secure Labels enable unique authentication/verification worldwide over the Internet without the products themselves having to be scanned. The layout of the labels can be tailored to meet customer requirements.

ProteXXion® readers for Makrofol® ID cards with OVDots®
The ProteXXion® Cards system will also be making its European debut at Hannover Messe this year. Bayer Material Science has developed Makrofol® ID film containing OVDots® that enable unique authentication when used in combination with a ProteXXion® reader. This product utilizes the visible, invisible and forensic properties that result from the random distribution, position and alignment of the OVDots® in the film and subsequently in the body of the card. Chief applications include bank cards, credit cards and IDs.

Bayer Technology Services GmbH offers fully-integrated solutions along the life cycle of chemical/pharmaceutical plants – from development through engineering and construction to process optimization for existing plants. The Bayer subsidiary employs nearly 2,600 people worldwide at its headquarters in Leverkusen and other German locations, as well as in regional offices in the United States, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, India, the United Arab Emirates and the People's Republic of China.
2008 sales totaled approx. EUR 420 million.
Further information about Bayer Technology Services, Bayer MaterialScience and ProteXXion® is available at www.bayertechnology.com, www.bayermaterialscience.com and www.protexxion.de. TV editors can download or order updated film footage about ProteXXion® free of charge at www.bayer-tv.com.

For more information, go to www.bayer.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports, which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.