Evonik is planning to build a new production complex for the high-performance polymer polyamide 12 (PA 12) at its largest site, Marl Chemical Park in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The company plans to invest approximately €400 million in the PA 12 complex to increase its overall PA 12 capacity by more than 50 %. The complex is expected to become operational in early 2021 and to create about 150 jobs.

The PA 12 market is posting annual growth rates exceeding 5 % worldwide, according to Evonik, significantly outpacing the global gross domestic product (GDP). It has properties, such as high stability paired with flexibility, high-temperature resistance, and low weight. This makes it a replacement for steel, e.g., in the in automotive and lightweight design as well as in oil and gas pipelines. Furthermore, the material is used in the medical sector and in 3D printing.

• Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany