Schmitt visits RENOLIT in Worms - focus on the importance of energy-intensive companies and training
Rhineland-Palatinate is a strong industrial centre whose success is largely dependent on the energy-intensive industries. To emphasise the challenges and importance of these companies, Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt visited RENOLIT SE in Worms today. She was accompanied by Michael Kundel, CEO of RENOLIT SE, Dr Hans-Detlef Luginsland, Division Manager of Röhm GmbH, and Marc Böttger, CFO of Profine GmbH. Together, they highlighted the economic importance of their companies and the role of future-oriented training programmes.
Worms, 5 December 2024 – ‘An internationally competitive, highly innovative industry and excellently qualified skilled workers are key to successfully managing the transformation. With events like today, we are sending a strong signal in favour of Rhineland-Palatinate as an industrial location and its future,’ said Schmitt. ‘It has become clear that these companies not only make an indispensable contribution to prosperity, innovation and employment, but are also closely interlinked in a value chain. We need strong framework conditions to secure their international competitiveness and thus this unique economic ecosystem,’ said Schmitt.
The Minister referred to the ‘Rhineland-Palatinate Declaration of Energy-Intensive Companies’ adopted in the summer, which highlights the importance of these industries and formulates a ten-point catalogue for safeguarding them. A delegation will present the concerns in Brussels at the beginning of next year.
Value chain and innovation
The companies form a closely interlinked value chain and show how they can jointly contribute to energy-efficient construction.
- Among other things, Röhm produces methyl methacrylate in Worms, which is then used to produce plastic granules - so-called PMMA moulding compounds. In the next step, special additives are added to these granulates to make the plastic more durable and protect it from strong UV radiation.
- RENOLIT uses these granulates to produce high-quality films that enhance and protect window profiles. The films consist of several layers, some of which have a decorative design and are inseparably bonded with a protective PMMA layer. This layer ensures that the colour of the window frame is retained for a long time and does not fade due to sunlight.
- Finally, the films are sent to Profine, where they are laminated onto profile bars for window production. The finished window frames carry the decorative and protective films and thus offer not only an attractive appearance, but also long-lasting and energy-efficient protection for windows.
The value chain of these three companies shows how innovative technologies and high-quality materials are used to create energy-efficient solutions that play an important role in modern construction and renovation. All three companies are proud not only to be global leaders in their sector, but also to remain deeply rooted in the region.
‘Our site in Worms is the centre of our European integrated production, logistics and research. With the opening of our Innovation Centre in 2023, we have created 100 jobs. However, reliable political framework conditions are needed to secure the innovative strength of the chemical industry in Rhineland-Palatinate and Germany. The EU must create the conditions for technologies not only to be developed here, but also to be implemented - through stable economic conditions, competitive energy prices and a reliable supply of raw materials. Clear and predictable regulatory requirements are also crucial,’ emphasised Dr Hans-Detlef Luginsland, Head of Business Unit Röhm GmbH.
‘The value chain we have presented is a prime example of a future-proof circular economy,’ said Michael Kundel, CEO of RENOLIT SE. ‘In 2023, the PVC-U window industry in Germany recycled around 136,000 tonnes of old windows and industrial waste materials, saving around 270,000 tonnes of CO2 and almost 2 million megawatt hours (Mwh) of energy annually.’
Karsten Jänicke, designated CEO of RENOLIT SE, added: ‘We are calling on German and European politicians to set an industrial electricity price at the price level of China and the USA. The industrial electricity price is a must-have for energy-intensive sectors such as the chemical and plastics industries in Germany and Europe. With this, the German state and the EU would create fair competitive conditions and could also stop the migration of energy-intensive industries to America or Asia.’
‘For over 125 years, Kömmerling has stood for quality and innovation as a brand - firmly rooted in the region and at the same time internationally orientated. At our headquarters in Pirmasens, we are a renowned training company, develop energy-efficient window solutions and are constantly working to set standards in the sustainable circularity of plastic products. It is of great importance to us that the industrial location of Rhineland-Palatinate is strengthened, that industrial value creation is secured in all its breadth and depth and that the international competitiveness of energy-intensive companies as an essential part of the value chain is promoted,’ explained Marc Böttger, CFO at Profine GmbH.
During the visit, it became clear that, in addition to the issue of energy costs, the training of highly qualified specialists is of great importance to the companies. At the RENOLIT training centre, trainees gave insights into their work, for example in the ‘Energy Scouts’ project, which develops innovative solutions for saving energy. ‘Companies in the chemical and plastics processing industry are leaders in training. They offer young people excellent prospects and at the same time make an important contribution to the sustainable restructuring of our economy,’ said Minister Schmitt.
Background Rhineland-Palatinate declaration of energy-intensive companies
The ‘Rhineland-Palatinate Declaration of Energy-Intensive Companies’ is an initiative launched by Minister of Economic Affairs Daniela Schmitt together with over 50 companies, chambers and associations. The aim is to secure the international competitiveness of industry in Rhineland-Palatinate. The declaration comprises ten key points, ranging from regulatory adjustments to innovation promotion and planning facilitation. Particular emphasis is placed on European co-operation and the demands are to be presented to the new EU Commission. The declaration emphasises the importance of industry for prosperity and jobs and highlights the risks posed by market distortions and high energy costs. Minister Schmitt presented the declaration in Mainz in June together with Dr Uwe Liebelt (President, European Verbund Sites BASF SE) and others.
