Evonik announces restructuring and management changes
Evonik announces a restructuring aimed at streamlining operations and fostering growth. The company will adopt a new segment structure with a focus on innovation and technological efficiency.
Evonik has unveiled a significant restructuring initiative, which will introduce a more streamlined management model and shift its focus to two new business segments: Custom Solutions and Advanced Technologies. This change follows a strategic realignment of the company’s operations to strengthen its position in both innovation-driven and efficiency-driven markets.
Christian Kullmann, chairman of Evonik’s Executive Board, emphasised that the restructuring reflects the company’s improved portfolio and its strategy to enhance growth, resilience, and geostrategic balance. “Focusing solely on specialty chemicals no longer differentiates us sufficiently. Our new management model will allow us to leverage our core strengths, which are innovation and efficiency,” Kullmann explained.
New segments to drive future growth
The reorganisation, effective from April 2025, will divide Evonik’s chemical businesses into two segments. Custom Solutions will target niche markets, offering highly customised solutions with a strong focus on customer proximity. This segment will employ approximately 7,000 people and includes areas such as additives for paints and coatings, as well as products for the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries.
On the other hand, Advanced Technologies will concentrate on operational excellence and cost leadership, driven by technological expertise. This segment, which includes high-performance polymers and hydrogen peroxide production, will employ around 8,000 people. Both segments are expected to generate approximately EUR 6 billion in annual sales, with Custom Solutions contributing significantly to EBITDA and Advanced Technologies focusing on cash flow generation.
Evonik’s ambition is to ensure that more than 50% of its products are sustainable NextGen Solutions by 2030, a target that will be central to both segments’ strategies.
