Interview
Material innovation, customer partnerships, and the future of co-creation
Sustainability and performance are no longer a trade-off — they are becoming one value proposition. We spoke with Monique Buch, Chief Commercial Officer at Covestro, about material innovation, customer partnerships and the future of co-creation.
Story · July 20, 2026
Monique Buch, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro
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How have customer relationships changed compared to five or ten years ago?
“There has been a significant mindset shift. In the past, customers often came to us with very specific material requirements and specifications. Today, they increasingly come to us with a challenge and ask: ‘This is what we want to achieve — can you help us find the right solution?’ That changes the nature of the partnership. Instead of only asking about price, we now ask: What value do we need to create together? This opens up much more space for collaboration and allows us to bring in our expertise much earlier.”
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for material innovation today?
“Two areas stand out for me: healthcare and automotive. In both industries, we see increasing demand for materials that combine different requirements — for example biocompatibility, lightweight design, durability and sustainability. The real opportunity lies in bringing these requirements together. Customers are looking for solutions that help them address cost pressure and performance needs, while also contributing to more sustainable and circular products. That is where material innovation can make a very tangible difference.”
What advice would you give customers who want to future-proof their materials strategy over the next decade?
“A material is not just defined by what it is, but by what it can enable. Future-proofing a materials strategy means involving material expertise early, keeping the end goal in mind and jointly exploring which solutions can create the greatest value. That requires co-creation. When customers bring in their application needs and market perspective, and we bring in our material expertise, we can identify opportunities that may not be visible at first glance. Materials often contribute much more than what can be seen in the final product — including performance, durability, sustainability and long-term value.” For Monique, the future of material innovation will be shaped by earlier collaboration, a stronger focus on value creation and the ability to combine sustainability and performance from the start.