Evonik has officially opened its new “double-digit million-euro” production plant for cosmetic emollients at Steinau, Germany. This will use an enzymatic esterification process from the company’s biotechnology platform to convert vegetable oils. “This investment helps us lower our footprint, while supporting the beauty industry in its transformation – meeting the demand for more responsible, eco-friendly solutions,” said Johann-Caspar Gammelin, president of the Nutrition & Care division.

Evonik has completed the expansion of DL-methionine production at Singapore’s Jurong Island, bringing the total capacity to 340,000 tonnes/year. Following shutdowns in Q4 2023 and Q2 2024, the facilities are now running at full capacity. The methionine is used in animal feed.

Evonik is establishing a new business segment named Botanicals & Natural Actives within the Nutrition & Care division. This brings together various legacy products and recent acquisitions to meet demand for botanical extracts and natural actives. These include:

* Argentine firm Novachem, which offers natural and sustainable active ingredients for skin and hair care applications

* Swiss sustainable botanicals pioneer Botanica

* Alkion Biopharma, a specialist in biotechnologically developed cosmetic active ingredients

During its 2023 results presentation, Evonik announced that it will establish a new organisational structure by the end of 2026. Under ‘Evonik Tailor Made’ it will eliminate administrative activities that do not directly support its businesses and bundle key tasks in the new structure.

Three speciality chemicals companies signed agreements to source more renewable electricity for key sites in February. In Europe, Evonik concluded separate long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for solar and wind power, while Arkema signed multiple agreements covering four main sites in the US and Sasol and Air Liquide have concluded a third PPA in South Africa.

Evonik has manufactured the first product from its industrial-scale biosurfactants facility at Slovenská Lupca in Slovakia. This has thereby become the first plant anywhere in the world to produce sustainable rhamnolipid biosurfactants.

Slovenská Lupca produces rhamnolipids via a proprietary fermentation process that uses European corn sugar as the main raw material. They are fully biodegradable, with a low toxicological and ecotoxicological profile, as well as being entirely biobased.

Evonik has revealed that it is building a $7.9 million plant to produce ultra-high purity colloidal silica at its site in Weston, Michigan. Due onstream in 2024, this will be the first of its kind in North America. The investment was supported by a $900,000 performance-based grant under the Michigan Business Development Programme.