PHILADELPHIA - Rohm and Haas has completed a major reorganization of its adhesives business unit, along with a complete restructuring of all functional areas. No area of the company's adhesives operation has been untouched.

According to Nick Gutwein, vice president, global business director, adhesives and sealants, "Our newly designed organization is now regionally oriented to meet every customer's needs with greater speed and better cost-efficiency." The effort is part of the company's sharp focus on its adhesives business following the acquisition of Morton International late in 1999.

Mark Douglas is moving from Singapore to become the newly appointed North American Region general manager. Douglas had previously served as the company's global business manager for pressure sensitive adhesives. Also in transition will be the company's adhesives laboratory in Woodstock, Ill., which is being relocated to newer, more modern facilities in the Chicago area.

The North American Region currently accounts for approximately 40% of the company's $700-million adhesives business. The company's specialized adhesives business units include Transportation, under the direction of newly appointed Business Manager John Channon; Packaging and Converting, now headed by Business Manager John Norder; and Pressure Sensitive and Construction Adhesives, now headed by Business Manager Chris Urheim. The newly appointed marketing manager for the North American Region is Steve Sebastian.

For more information, visit www.rohmhaas.com.