Dexter, still based there, makes a variety of specialty materials, and it is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

He said he was quite ready to shed lackluster businesses, and concentrate on prime growth areas like industrial automation, aerospace services and specialty materials.

Ventures in electronics, specialty materials and biotechnology are growing, but slowly; last year they accounted for 4 percent of the company's revenues.

However, the scale-up of a specialty material like DBBB is no small feat.

Chris Walken" - who has been host six times, most recently in 2003 - "he always gets the specialty material.

Six divisions worked in aviation while the other seven worked in specialty materials.

MgF and, to a lesser extent, other alkaline earth difluorides are specialty optical materials.

Valéron is a sustainable specialty material and can be 100% recycled in a polythylene waste stream.

Some of the most important specialty materials are steam turbine and gas turbine blades, which have to withstand extreme mechanical stress and high temperatures.

These divisions are natural gas-related chemicals, aromatic-related chemicals, functional chemicals, specialty functional materials and a real estate business.