Evonik Plans New Polyamide 12 Complex in Marl, Germany

Evonik is planning to build a new production complex for the high-performance polymer polyamide 12 (PA 12). The Group intends to increase its overall PA 12 capacity by more than 50%. Polyamide 12 is required in attractive growth markets such as the automotive industry, oil and gas pipelines, and in 3D printing. 

After successful basic engineering, Evonik plans to invest approximately €400 million in the PA 12 complex at its largest site, Marl Chemical Park in North Rhine-Westphalia. The existing PA 12 production is to be supplemented with additional manufacturing facilities for the polymer and its precursors. The complex is expected to become operational in early 2021. The investment will make a substantial contribution to reaching Evonik’s margin goal and will generate an annual cash flow in a three-digit million euro amount over the long term. The project is to be implemented over the course of four years as part of the annual budget for growth investments.

“We are planning Evonik’s largest investment in Germany,” said Christian Kullmann, chairman of the Evonik Executive Board. “This investment is a perfect fit to our strategy of consistent focus on specialty chemicals since polyamide 12, as a high-performance polymer for specialty applications, is an important part of our strategic Growth Engine Smart Materials.”
 
Kullmann considers Germany an attractive and competitive industrial location.
 
“Our workforce in Marl is highly qualified, and our investment will create about 150 jobs,” he said. “Moreover, we can make optimal use of synergies with our existing infrastructure. That creates highly favorable conditions to sell our specialty products on a global scale.” 

The PA 12 market is posting annual growth rates exceeding 5% worldwide, significantly outpacing the global gross domestic product. In the specialty application of 3D printing, growth rates even reach double digits.
 
“The demand for polyamide 12 is showing steady, dynamic growth,” said Claus Rettig, chairman of the Board of Management of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH. “The planned capacity expansion will further strengthen our leading market position for polyamide 12. For our customers worldwide, our commitment translates into long-term availability and reliability of supply for their existing and future applications.” 

Thanks to its outstanding properties, such as high stability paired with flexibility, high temperature resistance and low weight, the high-performance polymer is used in many demanding applications as a replacement for steel: in automotive and lightweight design as well as in oil and gas pipelines. In addition to current applications in the automotive sector, Evonik is also very well positioned for the future production of hybrid and electric vehicles. Furthermore, the material is used in the medical sector and in 3D printing.