Actega welcomes Stuart Hayes as new managing director for North America

Stuart Hayes has over 25 years of experience in the speciality chemicals industry, holding a range of operational, strategic, managerial and commercial roles. Having worked for companies such as BASF and Evonik, including a three-year stint in Germany, he has an international outlook and a thorough understanding of a multi-functional environment. During his time at Evonik, Stuart was involved in developing a holistic sustainability roadmap for the North American region, which highlights his commitment to environmental stewardship. He holds degrees in chemical engineering and business administration.

Stuart Hayes on his new role: ‘I am very excited to be taking on this great challenge as Managing Director of Acteca North America. We will be taking a big step forward in 2025 with the move to the impressive Kings Mountain facility and further investments in our plant in New Jersey.’

Expansion and investment

The company says it is committed to expanding its operations and improving the services it offers. Accordingly, an important part of this strategy is the construction of a new 238,000-square-foot facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, which is scheduled for completion in 2025. This production site combines four existing locations in North Carolina and Indiana and underscores Actega’s commitment to investing in cutting-edge technology. The size of the new building provides an ideal platform for expansion, particularly for the production and operation of the Flexible Packaging and Metal Packaging Solutions divisions. The site will bring together all ink technology under one roof, promoting synergies in research and development, technical service and quality control.

Thorsten Kröller, Division President, welcomed Stuart Hayes, saying, ‘Stuart’s visionary leadership and expertise make him the ideal choice to lead Actega North America into a successful future. I am sure that, as a member of the global management team, he will continue to drive our continuous growth and innovation.’