Evonik, a global speciality chemicals company, has announced a significant reorganisation of its management structure and business segments. The changes, set to take effect on 1 April 2025, aim to streamline operations, enhance strategic focus and position the company for long-term growth and sustainability.

New Business Segments

The company will replace its current four-division structure with two new segments: Custom Solutions and Advanced Technologies. These segments will directly report to members of the Executive Board, eliminating an entire management layer and reducing bureaucracy.

• Custom Solutions will focus on innovation-driven business models, catering to niche markets with customised solutions. This segment, employing around 7,000 people, includes additives for paints, coatings, and products for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
• Advanced Technologies will emphasise efficiency, operational excellence, and cost leadership. It employs approximately 8,000 people and includes high-performance polymers and hydrogen peroxide production.

“The Supervisory Board supports the Executive Board’s strategy and the structural development of the Group,” said Bernd Tönjes, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. “We are convinced that Evonik will be able to exploit its full potential for profitable growth with the new structure.”

The two segments collectively generate annual sales of around €6 billion each and are expected to complement each other. Custom Solutions will drive growth, contributing disproportionately to adjusted EBITDA, while Advanced Technologies will focus on generating cash flow.

Management Overhaul

Evonik is implementing a leaner management model as part of its “Evonik Tailor Made” programme. This programme will reduce costs and streamline decision-making by 2026. The number of management levels will be cut from ten to six, and over 3,000 organisational units will be eliminated.

As part of the restructuring, Lauren Kjeldsen, currently head of the Smart Materials division, will lead Custom Solutions, while Claudine Mollenkopf, head of the Specialty Additives division, will oversee Advanced Technologies. Both will join the Executive Board in April 2025.

“Our Executive Board is becoming more international and will have more women,” said Christian Kullmann, Chairman of the Executive Board. “Lauren and Claudine have been very successful leaders, and I look forward to working with them. Together, we will make Evonik better.”

Leadership Transitions

Harald Schwager, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board since 2017, will retire at the end of the year, along with Johann-Caspar Gammelin and Joachim Dahm, two other senior executives.

Praising Schwager’s contributions, Tönjes said: “Harald Schwager has made lasting contributions to our company. This applies particularly to Research and Development, which has steadily increased its innovation power under his leadership.”

Kullmann echoed the sentiment: “For eight years, I worked very closely with Harald in an atmosphere of mutual trust. He has done a great job for our company, particularly in the areas of operational excellence and innovation.”

Thomas Wessel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labour Director, will take on additional responsibilities, including overseeing Infrastructure and the new NextGen Technologies function, which focuses on technological sustainability.

Focus on Sustainability

Evonik is also driving its sustainability transformation forward. The company aims to increase the share of its NextGen Solutions—products with significant sustainability benefits—to over 50 percent by 2030.

“We have significantly improved the quality of our portfolio in recent years,” said Kullmann. “Our new management model takes this approach into account.”

Evonik’s restructuring is expected to create a more agile organisation, enabling the company to respond effectively to market demands while continuing its focus on innovation and sustainability.

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Tegeta Green Planet opened the Light Vehicle Diagnostics course at Tegeta Academy with a presentation for attendees aged 17 to 33. Beyond their chosen vocational field, participants learned about automotive waste management and environmental responsibility.

Shalva Akhvlediani, the organisation’s director, outlined its activities and goals while emphasising Extended Producer Responsibility. The session examined how the automotive sector connects to environmental duty and why used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries must be collected and managed properly.

Tyre management and RECSOL featured prominently. Attendees traced a used tyre’s path from collection to recycling and learned how waste becomes a source of new resources. RECSOL, Tegeta’s tyre recycling plant, is a significant infrastructure project in used tyre recycling, processing tyres into materials for various uses and supporting circular economy principles.

A core aim is a system where waste is not an endpoint but the starting point for new resources, which requires infrastructure alongside greater public awareness and information on proper disposal. For participants, the meeting linked professional education with environmental awareness, stressing that future automotive professionals should understand this responsibility early.

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Tyres Europe, alongside ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) and CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), has dispatched a joint communication to EU decision-makers concerning the possible broadening of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream goods. The move comes as trilogue discussions approach.

Tyre producers form part of an automotive value chain already bearing carbon-related expenses for steel and aluminium manufactured within Europe. The proposed expansion would draw additional products into the mechanism’s remit before the existing framework has demonstrated its effectiveness. Resulting costs and administrative requirements would land on downstream manufacturers, tyre makers included, with signatories cautioning that a conceptually sound regulatory effort could become an operational and financial strain.

Endorsing the mechanism’s aims, the signatories nonetheless urge a proportionate scope that shields the entire value chain from carbon leakage while preventing that risk from being pushed further downstream. They advocate extending the mechanism only where a material carbon-leakage danger is evidenced, and request that policymakers ease compliance demands, including via more fitting default values mirroring real production routes.

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NEXEN TIRE has extended its partnership with Zalgiris, reinforcing its commitment to basketball in Europe, particularly across the Baltic region. The renewal builds on a relationship that began in 2024 and reflects the company’s broader strategy of linking its brand to performance, innovation and mobility.

The tyre maker has pursued sports partnerships as a way to connect with fans, sharing in the passion and excitement of supporting favourite teams during major matches and memorable moments. It also values the teamwork, dedication and collective achievement that define team sports, using such ties to build authentic connections and deepen engagement in key European markets. Its collaboration with clubs including Zalgiris and FC Bayern München forms part of this approach.

Under the extended agreement, NEXEN TIRE will gain greater visibility among sports fans in the region. The partnership offers branding opportunities at Zalgirio Arena, such as synchronised on-screen advertising and promotion on LED stands near the court, in a position visible on television during EuroLeague and LKL home games.

The arrangement also includes a hospitality programme allowing NEXEN TIRE to welcome guests and business partners at Zalgiris home fixtures. Through the strengthened alliance, the company aims to share its passion with more fans while raising brand awareness across the region.

Ricky Lee, Managing Director, NEXEN TIRE Poland, said, “Our cooperation with Zalgiris has developed positively since 2024, and we are pleased to extend and strengthen this partnership. Basketball has a particularly strong following in the Baltic region, making Zalgiris an important partner as we continue to grow our presence and engage with fans. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the season and doing our best to create positive experiences for both the players and their passionate fans.”

Paulius Jankunas, President, Zalgiris, said, “We are delighted to continue our cooperation with NEXEN TIRE and build on the partnership we started two years ago. NEXEN TIRE brings extensive experience in sports marketing, and we are proud to work together on creating meaningful projects and experiences for our fans. We look forward to another successful period of cooperation and to welcoming NEXEN TIRE’s guests and partners to our games and events.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has widened its tyre portfolio through the addition of four new lines under the Multi-Mile Tyres banner. Serving as a value step-up brand, Multi-Mile gives dealers a strong mix of broader product coverage and improved consumer advantages crafted to drive better retail margins, helping retailers offer greater value while lifting profitability. With this expansion, the portfolio now reaches over 85 percent of the vehicle market, offering dealers more ways to satisfy customer demand.

Among the additions are tyres built for rugged and mud terrain use, boasting self-cleaning treads that push out mud and stones alongside dependable traction both on and off the road. Also joining the range are commercial and C-metric speciality tyres tailored to heavy-duty regional and long-haul trucks, together with all-weather tyres that hold the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe snow rating and are made for high mileage and consistent year-round use.

A prominent name in the replacement tyre segment, Multi-Mile carries cutting-edge touring, high-performance and broad-line tyres suited to passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs. Meanwhile, the upgraded Mile After Mile Protection Plan warranty now delivers broader coverage, adding three-year roadside assistance, a three-year road hazard protection plan and a 60-day ride guarantee on top of its extensive treadwear warranties.

Rachel Tibor, Chief Marketing Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, “For more than 70 years, Multi-Mile products have offered cost-efficient, reliable and durable tyre options that enhance safety and performance. With this expanded portfolio, Multi-Mile strengthens its position as a value step-up brand, giving dealers more opportunities to meet evolving consumer needs while offering a product mix designed to support stronger retail margins. We’re continuing our longstanding tradition of supplying the right products at the right time for every type of vehicle and application.”

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