Plastics are true “enablers”. Thanks to their flexibility and adaptability, companies from various industries are able to find answers to the major challenges of our time – from growing mobility to increasing urbanization and climate change. Millions of people worldwide benefit from plastics every day.

For years, Covestro has been at the forefront of plastics development. Flagships such as polycarbonate and polyurethane have dominated the market for many decades. Innovative material solutions from Covestro often make all the difference, for example, in battery cells for electric cars or in the insulation of buildings. Thanks to the versatility of high-performance materials from Covestro, designers are able to let their creativity run free – for example, in growth sectors such as the automotive or electrical and electronics industries.

Innovation is embedded in Covestro’s DNA and is fostered by the company's unique values – curious, courageous and colorful. Trend-setting ideas, groundbreaking solutions, and innovative products are often the result of teamwork. Since June 2019, employees have had the opportunity to discuss their ideas on the digital platform “idea.lounge”. Covestro intensively cultivates the principle of “open innovation” both inside and outside the company.

The goal is to fully exploit the innovation potential within the company. This also includes the German sites. To this end, the more than 7,250 employees in Germany are to become true innovators and be able to fully live out their entrepreneurial spirit. Covestro has created the perfect conditions to turn this into a reality. One example is the Covestro Start-up-Challenge. New approaches should not only advance classic research and development, but also further improve company organization, working life, and the workflow in project teams.

Award-winning innovations from Germany

In Germany, Covestro has received various awards for its innovations. You can find out more here:

Covestro was one of ten winners of the "NRW - Economy in Transition" competition. The materials manufacturer received the award for its contribution to the development of the circular economy in the region. The expert jury led by NRW Economics Minister Mona Neubaur paid particular tribute to the climate-friendly and resource-conserving production at Covestro's three sites in Leverkusen, Dormagen and Krefeld-Uerdingen.

The company is currently focusing fully on the circular economy. The long-term goal is to produce plastics and their components in a climate-neutral manner. Covestro is already reducing its ecological footprint – with alternative raw materials, renewable energy, and fewer emissions. The company is also developing innovative technologies to drive the recycling of end-of-life products and unavoidable waste. To this end, Covestro is planning to devote around one billion euros to projects promoting circular economy by 2030.

Covestro once again took part in last year's survey of corporate research and development in Germany, receiving the "Innovative through Research" seal of approval. The seal is awarded by German Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft to recognize commitment to support Germany as a strong innovation location.

The science statistics of the Stifterverband regularly collects data on research and development activities of companies in Germany on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The statistics on research and development are not only part of the reporting of the Federal Government, the EU and the OECD, but also a determinant for the orientation of research and funding policy.

A research team has succeeded in producing aniline from plants. The substance is considered a true all-rounder in chemistry. It forms the basis for many everyday objects – such as synthetic fibers, dyes, and medicines. Together with partners, Covestro has developed a process for the climate-friendly production of aniline from biomass at its site in Leverkusen.

So far, aniline has been derived from crude oil. But this is where it gets complicated: The fossil raw material is not only finite, but is also subject to strong market fluctuations and its processing releases climate-damaging CO₂. The chemical industry must therefore develop environmentally friendly alternatives to the production of aniline. The latest breakthrough is a first important step in the right direction.

Covestro was honored for this achievement with an innovation award from the Federal Government of Germany and the German industry. The award went to a team consisting of representatives from Covestro, Bayer, the CAT Catalytic Center in Aachen, and the University of Stuttgart. The partners are now working on transferring the process to larger technical scales.

Employees play a key in the development of innovations at Covestro. At the site in Brunsbüttel, three trainees received awards for their concept to optimize the company’s own steam generator. In 2018, they received the Responsible Care Award from the Northern Regional Association of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI).

The new process significantly reduces the use of valuable resources. Thanks to the technical modification, Covestro now emits approximately six tons less CO₂ each year at its site in Schleswig-Holstein than in the past. An additional benefit: The company saves large amounts of drinking water. 600,000 liters to be exact. That’s as much as three four-person households consume in one year.

In 2020, the site in Brunsbüttel finished in second place for the Responsible Care Award. Covestro received the award for its sophisticated online analysis system that enables the thermal and material use of steam condensates from several plants. This also saves valuable resources. Depending on production capacity utilization, up to 500,000 cubic meters less drinking water per year will be needed in the future thanks to the online process for steam generation. Another innovative idea that promotes the sustainable use of water at Covestro Brunsbüttel Industrial Park.

Developing new solutions together and driving them forward successfully as a team: This is the formula for pushing boundaries. Covestro promotes creative thinking and the inventiveness of its employees. The company therefore received the special prize "Best Innovation Culture" of the Corporate Culture Award. The Serviceplan Group, culture analyst Deep White, HR consultancy Promerit and the ZEIT publishing group expressly recognized the commitment of Covestro employees.

Five winners were selected from the more than 150 participants. Covestro’s innovation-driven, cross-border approach was decisive for the award. The company has been organizing an internal start-up competition for several years. The prize for the winning team is that they are relieved from their regular responsibilities to dedicate their time to their business idea in order to put it into practice – with financial support from Covestro. More than 500 international business ideas were submitted to this first “Covestro Start-up Challenge”.

Innovations at the Covestro sites in Germany

Covestro works continuously to develop new material solutions and optimize established production processes. You can find out more about Covestro’s innovative projects here: