3 Sep 2014
ERJ staff report (TP)
Essen, Germany – Evonik is investing €2 billion in its German operations with new large-scale industrial plants, capacity expansions, and new research centres.
The plans are part of its growth strategy from 2012 to 2016 in Germany.
"Germany has a strong and healthy industrial base. Our investments in Germany strengthen the international competitiveness of Evonik," said Klaus Engel, chairman of the executive board.
Evonik said in fiscal year 2013, some €3 billion, or 24 percent of corporate sales, were generated in Germany, where it employs approximately 21,000 people.
"Ensuring good investment conditions in Germany is the joint task of politics and business. This is where I hope for more support for industry, for example through more reliability and common sense when it comes to managing the turnaround in energy policy or a modern research funding," said Engel.
The group is about to start up a new facility for functionalised polybutadienes in Marl, Evonik's largest site worldwide with almost 7,000 employees. The material is mainly used for sealing compounds in double-glazed windows and for adhesives. The investment volume was in the mid double-digit million euro range. Important considerations for the site selection included proximity to key customers and the “excellent” infrastructure of the Marl Chemical Park.
Another investment includes the construction of a new plant for polymeric dispersion agents in Essen. The company is also planning a number of smaller capacity expansions, and “investing in modernising and maintaining the Group's domestic sites”.
Research & development in Germany is also receiving further “boosts”.
A new application technology centre for the tire industry was opened in Wesseling, the world's largest production site for precipitated silicas – which are used in low rolling-resistance tires.
Related stories:
Subscribe for unlimited access. A subscription to European Rubber Journal includes:
Already a subscriber? Log in here
