[pageLogInLogOut]

#Textile chemistry

Covestro creates the foundation for sustainable growth with its new Group structure

Covestro has restructured its organization and thus achieved a milestone in implementing its new “Sustainable Future” strategy. © 2021 Covestro
Covestro has restructured its organization effective July 1, 2021, and successfully reorganized its previously three segments – Polyurethanes, Polycarbonates, and Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties – into seven new, tailored business entities. The company has thus achieved a first milestone in implementing its new “Sustainable Future” strategy, which the Group had presented in February 2021. The vision of Covestro to become fully circular is the guiding principle of this strategy.

• The guiding principle: to become fully circular

• Milestone in implementing the new strategy achieved

• Business reorganized into seven business entities

• Future reporting in two segments

• Focus on customer centricity and sustainability

“We’re very serious about sustainability and are systematically working toward a circular economy. That will enable us to position Covestro ideally for the future,” said CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. “Our new structure now forms the foundation for further implementing our strategy and achieving sustainable growth. We’ll become an even better partner to our customers and thus increase our competitiveness further.”

Orientation toward customers’ needs and market requirements

In keeping with the first chapter of the strategy – “Become the best of who we are” – the Group has now focused its businesses even more closely on the requirements of individual markets and aligned them to a greater degree with its customers’ needs. In its new structure, Covestro has organized the seven business entities in a setup based precisely on their individual success factors and integrated all operational activities throughout the value chain that are critical to success into these new entities.

The Group now distinguishes the two segments “Solutions and Specialties” and “Performance Materials.”

• Solutions and Specialties: This segment comprises the six business entities Tailored Urethanes, Thermoplastic Polyurethanes, Coatings and Adhesives, Elastomers, Engineering Plastics, and Specialty Films. The focus here is on complex products with a high pace of innovation, which Covestro combines with application technology services.? 

• Performance Materials: This business entity forms a separate segment comprising the businesses with standard polycarbonates, standard urethane components and base chemicals. The focus here is on reliably delivering standard products at competitive market prices.

Covestro will report in the two new segments “Solutions and Specialties” and “Performance Materials” for the first time in the third quarter of 2021. The Quarterly Statement is scheduled to be published on November 8, 2021.



Focus on sustainable growth

In the second chapter of the strategy – “Drive sustainable growth” – Covestro combines the consistent alignment of products and processes with its customers’ needs with an even sharper focus on addressing sustainability in a profitable way.

“We want to generate sustainable growth. That means we’ll also consistently align our investments and acquisitions to the two aspects of profitability and sustainability,” said CFO Dr. Thomas Toepfer. “Due to the optimally allocated resources, our new structure now allows us even better to develop our portfolio in a targeted manner by investing in attractive and sustainable market segments. Our growth activities will be given an even sharper orientation.”

Covestro’s long-term vision is to be realized in the third strategic chapter: “Become fully circular.” As part of that, the Group intends to accelerate transformation to a climate-neutral and resource-conserving economy.



More News from Covestro AG

#Smart Textiles

Covestro, FILK Freiberg, and OUT e.V. develop flexible, conductive polymer smart textile system

As the smart textiles market continues to grow across healthcare, personal protection, sportswear, and automotive applications, developers are seeking new ways to integrate electronic functionality directly into textiles, without the rigidity and complexity of conventional wiring. To address this challenge, FILK Freiberg Institute, an independent research institution with expertise in polymer coatings for textile applications, collaborated with Optotransmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie (OUT) e.V. The joint project, funded under the German Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) program of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE), focused on developing flexible, conductive polymer surfaces for next-generation smart textiles.

#Techtextil 2026

Covestro to exhibit solutions for a more sustainable and productive textile industry at Techtextil 2026

Covestro will present a broad portfolio of material innovations for textile coatings, adhesive films and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) at Techtextil 2026 (Hall 11.0, Booth C79). The exhibits will demonstrate how advanced solutions can enhance durability, recyclability and manufacturing efficiency across applications such as automotive, infrastructure, protective apparel and sportswear. A particular focus will be on more sustainable coating technologies, including antimicrobial systems based on INSQIN® in combination with AGXX from Heraeus Precious Metals, as well as the integration of Pontacol® thermoplastic adhesive films into Covestro’s offering.

#Technical Textiles

Covestro showcases monomaterial concept in autonomous SUE People Mover

UE | STUDIOS has unveiled the fully autonomous electric minibus “Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle” (SUE), placing strong emphasis on sustainable material design. Developed within a project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and the European Union, the vehicle will begin public road testing this year. At the core of the concept is the consistent use of recyclable monomaterials to improve circularity at end of life.

#Textile chemistry

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

More News on Textile chemistry

#Textile chemistry

Nicca names Archroma exclusive ZELAN™ distributor, extending a decade-long legacy

Archroma and Nicca Chemical are collaborating to support the continued growth of ZELAN™ non-fluorinated durable water repellents (DWRs) across the global textile industry. The announcement follows Nicca’s acquisition of the ZELAN™ business from The Chemours Company in March 2026 and extends Archroma’s decade-long legacy with the ZELAN™ brand.

#IGATEX 2026

BW Converting, Archroma and Monforts to highlight precision spray finishing at IGATEX Pakistan 2026

BW Converting, Archroma and Monforts will participate in IGATEX Pakistan 2026, held Oct. 15–18 at the Expo Centre Lahore, at Al-Ameen Trading Corporation’s stand F-2-09 in Hall 2. Together, the companies will highlight precision spray-finishing technology, textile chemistry expertise and application-development support to help Pakistan’s textile manufacturers evaluate opportunities to improve finishing performance and production efficiency.

#Recycled Fibers

Circ and Huafon partner to scale textile-to-textile recycling in China

Circ® and Huafon, a leading spandex producer in China, are partnering to build and scale a new multi-phase textile-to-textile recycling site in China, expanding Circ's global pathway to industrial scale. The project will be located within Huafon's industrial footprint and will use Circ's technology to process polycotton textile waste and recycle both inputs, recovering recycled PTA, recycled MEG and recycled cellulosic pulp for use in new textiles. The site will be developed in phases, with Phase 1 designed for approximately 200 metric tons of textile waste per day and additional capacity planned.

#Research & Development

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.

Latest News

#Associations

EURATEX urges Member States to prioritise competitiveness in the next EU budget

Ahead of crucial discussions among EU Member States on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, calls on European leaders to safeguard ambitious funding for industrial competitiveness and ensure that these resources translate into concrete investment support in European companies.

#Associations

Brazil: The Italian textile and textile-machinery sector takes centre stage at two workshops

From 19 to 24 October 2026, Brazil will host a mission showcasing Italian excellence in the textile and textile machinery sectors, with two workshops scheduled for 20 October in the state of Santa Catarina and 22 October in São Paulo. The initiative will bring together Italian companies specialising in textile machinery, yarns, fabrics and clothing accessories, with the aim of strengthening commercial and industrial ties between the two countries and opening up new opportunities for collaboration.

#Functional Fabrics

ROICA™ presents stretch textile innovations from nine partners at PERFORMANCE DAYS 2026

ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei will return to PERFORMANCE DAYS Munich on October 13–14, 2026, presenting textile developments from seven European partners and two Japanese specialists under its global brand message, “STRETCH YOUR FUTURE.” Visitors can discover the developments at Booth P10 in Hall A4.

#IGATEX 2026

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase flat knitting and digital design solutions at IGATEX Pakistan 2026

Leading computerized flat knitting technology provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Pakistani representative ALMURTAZA MACHINERY CO., (PVT) Ltd., will exhibit at the upcoming International Exhibition for Garment, Textile Machinery and Accessories (IGATEX Pakistan 2026) in Lahore, Pakistan, from October 15–18. SHIMA SEIKI will introduce computerized flat knitting machines, 3D design software and various web platforms as proposals for sustainable production through innovative shaping technology and the latest digital solutions.

TOP