10/24/2014 12h29

Evonik opens new production facility for cosmetic ingredients in Americana

Plant creates 80 new jobs and expands the company’s position in South America; Production capacity is estimated to reach 50,000 tons per year

Investe SP with information from Evonik
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    The new production facility will create 80 job opportunities and produce 50,000 tons of material per year

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    The president of Investe SP, Luciano Almeida, highlighted the importance of the partnership between German and Brazilian companies for the economic

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    More than 100 people attended the event

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    “With today’s opening, we have reached a milestone in the journey towards our future success,” said Klaus Engel, global president of Evonik

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    For Claus Rettig, Head of Consumer Specialties, the new plant will enables us to satisfy the demand of customers from South America

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    Weber Porto, Evonik’s president for the South American Region, made the official opening

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    The Secretary of Economic Development of Americana, Luiz Carlos Martins, highlighted the partnership with Investe São Paulo

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    The new plant will produce approximately 50,000 tons of products per year


On October 15, the president of Investe São Paulo, Luciano Almeida, participated in the opening ceremony of Evonik’s new production facility, which will produce ingredients for the cosmetics and household care industries. The plant is located in Americana, 130 km from the state capital. The new plant is estimated to produce 50,000 tons of ingredients per year, employing 80 people.

“It is really good to see that companies from many different sectors are bringing their business to Americana and region, because economic diversity is essential for development. In addition, this investment helps to further strengthen the relations between Brazil and Germany. We have hundreds of German companies that are very welcomed here, and we have contributed for this to continue in the future,” said Almeida during his speech, representing the state governor Geraldo Alckmin in the event.

The Secretary of Economic Development of the Municipality highlighted the partnership with Investe São Paulo for the development of several projects in the city: “Investe São Paulo has been a major partner of Americana. We know how much this and other investments represent for the development of the city.”

The new plant of Evonik will supply not only to the Brazilian customers but to the entire Latin America. With today’s opening, we have a reached a milestone in the journey towards our future success and the success of our customers, whose growth we can now support from our local production facilities,” said Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG, during the opening ceremony attended by 200 guests.

The new production facility has high strategic importance for the South American business of Evonik's Consumer Specialties Business Unit, since about 80 percent of customers are located in the economically important state of São Paulo.

Evonik supplies its customers with a broad range of ingredients and raw materials for the production of cosmetics and personal care products, especially for hair and skin care, as well as fabric softener. “Our new plant now enables us to satisfy the growing demand for local, sustainable products in South America more quickly and directly,” said Dr. Claus Rettig, Head of the Consumer Specialties Business Unit.

Although it already operates production facilities in Europe, the USA, and Asia, Evonik wants to profit more from the medium-term positive economic growth in Brazil and South America. According to company executives, the opportunities are good, especially in a country where people pay high attention to their outer appearance and personal care. Experts estimates that Brazil is overtaking Japan as the second largest market for cosmetics in the world.

With its new production plant in Brazil, Evonik can now respond faster and more specifically to its customers’ requirements. Costs and complexity in the supply chain and logistics are also reduced. These measures play a large role towards increasing Evonik’s competitiveness in South America. “Together with our customers we want to promote innovations and, by doing so, intensify our partnerships,” said Rettig, to the customers from the cosmetics and consumer goods industries who were present at the event.

The product portfolio that Evonik plans to manufacture locally is based on renewable resources which fit nicely with the consumers’ requirements for a higher level of sustainability in the production of consumer goods.

Silica Plant

The same morning, the directors of Evonik also attended a ceremony unveiling the foundation stone of the highly dispersible silica plant, which will also be located at the industrial hub of the company in Americana. The new production facility should start operating in 2016 and will be the first to manufacture this product in South America.

This high-growth silica is used mainly for providing high quality to low rolling resistance tires, the so-called green tires. With this new plant, Evonik will also meet the needs of the growing regional business in attractive specialty segments in South America’s food, animal feed, and agricultural industries.

Patrik Wohlhauser, Executive Board Member and Chief Operating Officer of Evonik Industries, says: “With this investment in Brazil, we are positioning ourselves as an innovative provider of advanced inorganic materials for resource-conserving applications in the important South American market.”

Johannes Ohmer, head of Evonik’s Inorganic Materials Business Unit, said: “The new plant in Americana will enable us to offer high quality silicas from the local production to our Brazilian and regional customers, in combination with our outstanding services. This consolidates our leading global market position.”

The tire industry profits from the growth in the automotive industry, which has recorded considerable increases in sales in South America over the past years. The market for low rolling resistance tires and, consequently, for HD silicas, has been reporting a much stronger growth than the market for conventional tires in South America. Evonik estimates an additional demand resulting from the Brazilian Tire Labeling Program, which will clarify the differences between tires to consumers.

Weber Porto, CEO of Evonik for the South American Region, highlights the importance of the region to the growth program of Evonik. This investment consolidates our industrial hub in Americana, where we will open later this year, a production facility of ingredients for the cosmetics industry and household care.

Tires that reduce fuel consumption

The use of silica in combination with silanes means that tires can be produced with a much lower rolling resistance, which can reduce fuel consumption by up to eight percent (compared to conventional automobile tires). Consequently, low rolling resistance tires contribute towards climate protection. Johannes Ohmer explains: “We are the only manufacturer that offers both components and are thus a competent partner for high-performance tire compounds for our customers in the tire and rubber industries.”

Evonik is expanding its silica capacities throughout the world: By the end of 2014, it is expected to report a growth of approximately 30 percent compared to 2010. In Chester (USA), a plant for precipitated silica with an annual capacity of about 20,000 metric tons is scheduled to begin operations in 2014. The expansion in North and South America follows expansions that have already been completed in Europe and Asia, such as the extension completed in Thailand in March 2014, for example.

Evonik is one of the leading producers of silicas. In addition to precipitated silica, the group also produces the fumed silica AEROSIL® and silica-based matting agents under the ACEMATT® brand. In total, Evonik has a global capacity of approximately 550,000 metric tons of precipitated and fumed silicas and matting agents per annum.

About Evonik

Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. Its activities focus on the key megatrends of health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms.

Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In the fiscal year 2013, more than 33,500 employees generated sales of approximately €12.7 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.0 billion.

In Brazil, the history of Evonik Industries started in 1953. The company currently hires approximately 500 employees in the country and its products are used as raw material in key industrial sectors, such as: automotive, agrochemical, biodiesel, rubber, construction, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal nutrition, pulp and paper, plastic, chemical and paints.