Evonik has built a new production facility for organomodified silicones and a large tank farm at its Essen Goldschmidtstraße site in North Rhine-Westphalia at a cost of €52 million. Organomodified silicones are an important product group within Evonik’s international silicone production network. These custom-formulated additives are used, among other things, in polyurethane foams for insulation materials, mattresses, and car seats, as well as in adhesives, paints, coatings, and cosmetic products.
“With this expansion, we are strengthening our silicone platform, increasing our supply chain resilience, and enabling profitable growth,” said Lauren Kjeldsen, a member of Evonik’s Executive Board responsible for the Custom Solutions segment, to which the business belongs. “The investment underscores the important role that innovative sites in Germany play in the success of our global production.”
As a central production site for the silicones platform, Essen Goldschmidtstraße forms a close network with other German sites in Geesthacht, Obernburg, and Wittenburg, as well as Pandino in Italy, Shanghai in China, and Hopewell in the US. “The investment in Essen strengthens our global production network and helps us supply customers worldwide even more reliably,” explained Roberto Vila-Keller, Head of the Interface & Polyurethane Additives business line. “We are significantly expanding our production capacity, avoiding bottlenecks, and can thus tap into additional market potential.”
The new facility relieves pressure on the international production network, as fewer intermediate and finished products need to be transported between sites. In addition, an optimized logistics infrastructure ensures more efficient production: A 150-meter-long pipe bridge now connects four plants and 15 production facilities to the new tank farm. Five stainless-steel tanks—the tallest of which measures 24 meters—can now store large quantities of key raw materials. This makes processes more stable and less dependent on short-notice deliveries. The tank farm has expanded the plant grounds from 32 to 35 hectares.
The expansion took place while operations continued and in a very confined space—a major feat for approximately 80 Evonik employees and more than 230 workers from 25 outside contractors. “Especially in challenging times, investments of this magnitude send an important signal to Essen’s economy and beyond,” says Essen’s Mayor Thomas Kufen. “They secure high-quality jobs, strengthen competitiveness, and demonstrate the international appeal of our industrial location.”
The strategic importance of the Essen Goldschmidtstraße site is also reflected in the vision statements Evonik recently defined. For each of its six major production sites in Germany (Essen Goldschmidtstraße, Marl, Wesseling, Darmstadt/Weiterstadt, Rheinfelden, and Hanau), the company has established a distinct profile that will serve as the basis for their further development in the coming years. The Essen site is positioning itself as a center of excellence for formulations—that is, customized chemical formulations.
Source: chemanager-online.com
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