Michael Fooken, Ph.D., has been named to take over the Research and Development activities for the H.C. Starck Group in Goslar, Germany, effective September 1. Fooken reportedly has extensive experience in the field of research and development in the chemical industry. Over the past 12 years, he has held various global positions within the Honeywell Group, including head of Research for the Fine Chemicals division. Before that, he spent many years in production and research and development.

“As an experienced expert in the field of specialty chemicals, Dr. Fooken is an excellent addition to H.C. Starck, and we are very pleased to have him on board,” said Andreas Meier, Ph.D., president and CEO. “With his scientific expertise and management experience, he will successfully drive on further advancements in our research and development activities, and thus play an important role in the overall success of the entire company.”

His predecessor, Gerhard Gille, Ph.D., is retiring on October 31. With more than 20 years at H.C. Starck, Gille reportedly played a key role in the company’s growth, thanks to his new procedures for manufacturing reaction mixtures, customized components for carbides and cermets, and nanoscale hard material powders.

“Under the direction of Dr. Gille, many research projects were launched and carried out that made major contributions to H.C. Starck’s global success,” Meier said. “These include the magnesium reduction of highly capacitive tantalum and niobium powders, the development of ceramic cells for SOFC technology, and the development of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, to name a few. We would like to thank Dr. Gille for his many years of successful work at H.C. Starck, and wish him all the best in the next stage of his life.”

For additional information, visit www.hcstarck.com.