Evonik to invest €2 billion in German operations

Evonik is investing in its German operations with new large-scale industrial plants, capacity expansions, and new research centers. The company plans to invest some €2 billion of the extensive investment programme it has developed as part of its growth strategy from 2012 to 2016 in Germany.

The Group is about to start up a new facility for functionalized 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.

A few weeks ago, a partial facility for crosslinking reagents, which have applications in solar panels and other industries, went into operation in Wesseling near Cologne. The investment volume was in the lower double-digit million euro range. The new production site was integrated into an existing facility, which produces one of the source materials.

Other Evonik investments include new capacities for C4-based products in Marl, the expanded specialty silicon production in Essen, and the construction of a new plant for polymeric dispersion agents at the same site. The company is also planning a number of smaller capacity expansions, including for PA12 in Marl. Furthermore, Evonik is investing in modernizing and maintaining the Group’s domestic sites.

“Germany has a strong and healthy industrial base. Our investments in Germany strengthen the international competitiveness of Evonik. Ensuring good investment conditions in Germany is the joint task of politics and business,” said Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board, Evonik.