Evonik develops sustainable amorphous poly-alpha-olefins for the adhesives industry  

• Adhesive raw materials made from >90 percent biomass
• Reduction in use of fossil resources through certified mass balance process
• Further CO₂ reduction through use of green electricity

Essen/Marl, Germany. 

Evonik is expanding its portfolio of amorphous poly-alpha-olefins for the adhesives industry to include a sustainable product range. The new products are marketed under the brand name VESTOPLAST^® eCO and consist of more than 90 percent ISCC PLUS-certified, mass-balanced sustainable material. The use of these sustainable raw materials significantly reduces CO₂ emissions compared to the qualitatively equivalent, petrochemical-based VESTOPLAST^®. By using renewable energy in production, the CO₂ footprint can be further reduced.

VESTOPLAST^® is mainly used as a raw material for hotmelt adhesives applied in various industries, such as the hygiene, automotive, packaging, and wood processing branches. The biomass content of VESTOPLAST^® eCO is calculated according to the mass balance method: In other words, the product is manufactured using a mix of bio-based and fossil-based resources, with the resulting physical properties identical to those of the classic portfolio.

“As a specialty chemicals company, we are taking important steps to reduce the impact of our products on the environment. With the new VESTOPLAST^® eCO product portfolio, we want to reduce the use of fossil resources in the adhesives industry in favor of bio-based,” explains Roberto Vila-Keller, head of the Coating & Adhesive Resins business line. “With the mass-balancing approach, Evonik is committed to increasing the use of biomaterials and reducing our customers' dependence on fossil resources.”

Company information

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €12.2 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €1.91 billion in 2020. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. More than 33,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow.

Asia Pacific is a strong driving force of the global economy and an important source of innovation.  Consequently Evonik endeavors to further grow its business in the region.  Sales reached €2.84 billion in 2020 and the company employs over 5,000 people at more than 50 production sites in Asia Pacific.  In Taiwan, we now employ over 200 employees which including 1 office based in Taipei and 1 production site based in Taoyuan.

About Smart Materials
The Smart Materials division includes businesses with innovative materials that enable resource-saving solutions and replace conventional materials. They are the smart answer to the major challenges of our time: environment, energy efficiency, urbanization, mobility and health. The Smart Materials division generated sales of around €3.24 billion in 2020 with about 7,900 employees.

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties.  Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment.  Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.