Press release
Middle East and Africa
March 1, 2018

Evonik Acrylics Africa now a wholly owned Evonik company

Evonik Acrylics Africa (EAA), a specialty plastics manufacturing company within Evonik Industries announced that it is now a wholly owned Evonik enterprise with no joint venture partners.

As a result of the liquidation (and subsequent re-opening) of Ampa Plastics Group in 2017, Evonik Industries AG acquired the 49% Ampa Plastics Group JV share in Evonik Acrylics Africa. The share purchase is in line with Evonik’s worldwide core market strategy and reaffirms the commitment to strengthening the company’s position as the exclusive manufacturer of PLEXIGLAS® acrylic sheet in the African market.

“The transition did not have any effect on our customers, since EAA was already firmly in the hands of the Evonik management team. Evonik achieved favorable growth in 2017 and customers benefitted from global manufacturing network structures and short lead times on deliveries,” said Holger Morhart, General Manager of Evonik Acrylics Africa. “Being a wholly owned Evonik enterprise adds to our ability to service the market better and secure distribution rights for complimentary products. We are more agile and therefore more responsive to meeting our clients’ needs.”

Evonik Acrylics Africa has also recently been appointed as a distributor for SABIC specialty shapes. This will allow EAA to enter the industrial roofing and construction markets as a strong partner with an extensive high performance thermoplastic sheet offering.


About Evonik Acrylics Africa
Evonik Acrylic Africa (EAA) extrudes acrylic sheet under the brand name PLEXIGLAS® at a state of the art production facility in Elandsfontein, South Africa, for local consumption and export into Africa. PLEXIGLAS® is a uniquely versatile, UV stable material that lends itself to many applications ranging from signage and displays, aircraft construction to structural glazing, transportation, electronics, communication, packaging, furniture, as well as lighting technologies.

The Acrylic Products Business Line of Evonik’s Performance Materials Segment manufactures the inspiring brand plastic PLEXIGLAS® and offers a wide range of specialty semi-finished products for a variety of future-oriented applications. Major markets for PLEXIGLAS® are the aviation industries, architecture and the construction industry, lighting and design applications, electronics and communication, and trade show booth construction as well as store fixtures. With production facilities in Europe, North America, South Africa and Russia and a global sales network, AP is one of the leading producers of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) worldwide.

Evonik’s PMMA products are sold under the PLEXIGLAS® trademark on the European, Asian, African and Australian continents and under the ACRYLITE® trademark in the Americas.

About Evonik

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The focus on more specialty businesses, customer-orientated innovative prowess and a trustful and performance-oriented corporate culture form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. They are the lever for profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company. Evonik benefits specifically from its customer proximity and leading market positions. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world with more than 36,000 employees. In fiscal 2016, the enterprise generated sales of around €12.7 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.165 billion.

About Evonik Performance Materials

The Performance Materials Segment is managed by Evonik Performance Materials GmbH. The segment focuses its global activities on developing and manufacturing polymer materials and intermediates, especially for use in agriculture and in the rubber and plastics industry.

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.