SPARK 2030 – Our strategy for the next five years

The next horizon for RENOLIT

At RENOLIT, we think and work in clear cycles. We look five years ahead, set our course, and then work consistently towards it. That is part of being a family-owned business. It gives us the reliability that is rightly expected of us. 

With the “ONE RENOLIT” strategy, we have achieved a great deal over the past five years: we have established ourselves as a global group and refined our structures. Now it is time to set our sights on the next horizon. 

We have been working intensively on developing its successor over the past year. Since January, we have been implementing our new SPARK 2030 strategy. 

There is a simple reason why I am only writing about this in more detail now. The events of recent months – above all the war in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – have also preoccupied us greatly. At first, other matters took precedence over a strategy article. 

But now, more than ever, is the time to talk about our course. Because SPARK has not become obsolete. On the contrary. SPARK provides us with precisely the guidance we need in such an environment. 

A clear course despite rough seas

I won’t beat about the bush. The situation in European industry is difficult. We are facing high energy costs and geopolitical uncertainties, and since this spring, supply chains have been disrupted by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, whilst raw material prices have risen sharply. The result is an economic climate that is weak, if it is positive at all. This is affecting the entire sector. The seas have become rough. I’m not usually one for grand metaphors, but this one really hits the nail on the head.

And of course we’re feeling these rough seas too, as are our customers and partners. And anyone who pretends right now that everything is business as usual is deluding themselves.

Now, in a situation like this, one could of course sit back and hope that things will improve on their own. That’s an option. But that has never been our way. We prefer to actively chart our own course and forge ahead under our own steam.

In practical terms, this means: We’re making RENOLIT storm-proof and more competitive. With leaner processes and a sharper focus. And with targeted investments. And at the same time, we’re moving forward – with a new plant in China, our expansion in India, our growth in the USA, a new calender in England, a new extrusion line in Spain, significant investments in modernisation at our German sites, and through digitalisation and innovation.

SPARK 2030: Igniting the spark for our future

When visibility at sea becomes difficult, you need a fixed point on the horizon. Something that shines so brightly that you can stay on course even in headwinds. For us, this fixed point is our new SPARK 2030 strategy.

We developed SPARK before the geopolitical situation became so tense. It is precisely this development that shows just how right we were to set our course at an early stage. SPARK has therefore not become obsolete in the crisis. On the contrary.

For this corporate strategy is intended to act as a spark for us. And that is why this is the second major image I am using in this article.

SPARK is intended to be an entrepreneurial spark with which we at RENOLIT aim to shape the next five years. 

And I deliberately say ‘spark’, because we really do want to ignite something. A strategy paper on its own is of no use to anyone. What matters is that this spark takes hold in people’s minds and in their day-to-day lives – from the factory floor to the office, from Worms via Pune to Yingde.

I make no secret of the fact that our goals behind this are ambitious. In the coming years, we will spin off our healthcare division as an independent entity, because that is the right move for both sides. At the same time, we have set ourselves the goal that, by 2030, our industrial core alone will be stronger than the entire Group is today. Anyone who gives this a moment’s thought will realise what that means. This is not a case of cautiously feeling our way forward. It is a genuine signal of a new beginning.

The four pillars of our future

But big goals alone are not enough. In my years at RENOLIT, I have learnt that strategy only works if it has a clear structure – if everyone in the company understands what we are working on and why. That is why we have built SPARK on four pillars, which together form the foundation for everything we want to achieve by 2030.

Profitable growth

We aim to be among the top three in our core markets. That is our ambition, and it is by this that we will be judged. To achieve this, we must continue to evolve – from a film manufacturer to a provider of high-quality polymer system solutions. Essentially, this means offering our customers more than just products; we are becoming a partner for complete system solutions.

At the same time, we are strengthening our international presence. The markets in Asia and the Americas are an incredibly important part of our growth strategy. However, we will never forget our domestic roots. 

Continuous Excellence

‘Performance Excellence’ sounds like management jargon, I know. But there is something very practical behind it. We want to fundamentally improve the way we work. It’s about continuous performance excellence. And that naturally includes the major topic of digitalisation and, of course, AI. We want to work smarter, not just harder. With data we can rely on. This naturally includes our major DRAGONFLY project, which involves the introduction of SAP S/4HANA. And intelligent systems that take the strain off our team rather than adding to it. This will put us well ahead of the competition.

Our planet

We are a third-generation family-run business. When I say that sustainability is important to us, I don’t just mean a nice-looking section in the annual report. It is quite simply the prerequisite for RENOLIT to still be around in a hundred years’ time.

Our target of achieving climate neutrality by 2045 stands firm. We are investing heavily in the circular economy and in solutions that keep plastics in the cycle. This is not only the right thing to do in terms of our responsibility, but also makes good business sense. After all, our environmental footprint is increasingly becoming a competitive factor. Anyone who doesn’t take this seriously today will have a problem tomorrow. 

People and Culture

Any strategy is only as good as the people who put it into practice. What others might dismiss as a cliché is, in fact, my deepest conviction. 

For me, leadership means creating spaces where talent can flourish. We embrace diversity because different perspectives make us better. And we foster a culture characterised by clarity and openness – one where it’s okay to say when something isn’t working. Only then can we achieve the momentum we need to reach our goals. In the words of our strategy, this means: we need the SPARK spark in every mind. 

Putting the strategy into practice in everyday life

Ultimately, the only thing that counts is what we actually bring to life from SPARK. Every day, in every decision.

And I want to be completely open about where I see the biggest challenge here. It’s easy to set targets for 2030. The hard work lies in breathing new life into that spark every morning, even when day-to-day business keeps us completely occupied. As CEO, I see it as one of my most important tasks to be the compass here. Maintaining focus, clearing obstacles out of the way and keeping us on course, even when everyday life gets in the way.

SPARK also helps us to say no. Strategy means channelling our energy specifically where it really drives us forward. That sounds simple, but in day-to-day life it’s incredibly difficult. And that’s precisely why it will only work if the whole team pulls together. From senior management right through to production. Every single day. 

Between the waves and the horizon

I want to be honest here too. The path to our goals won’t be a calm, sunny crossing. The past few months have demonstrated this all too clearly. And the months ahead will continue to challenge us. There will be decisions that not everyone will like. Moments when the engines have to run at full throttle. And phases when the waves are higher than we’d like.

But that’s exactly why we have SPARK. The beacon on the horizon that keeps us on course, even when things get rough on deck. We know where we’re heading. We know why. And we have a team that can make it happen.

I’ve been with RENOLIT for many years. And if there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s this: this company has always shown its greatest strength when it really mattered. It won’t be any different this time.

Full steam ahead towards 2030

We are a family-run business with 80 years’ experience. We know how to navigate rough seas. With SPARK, we have set a clear strategic course for the next five years: profitable growth, consistently delivering top performance, responsibility for our planet and a strong team. Or to stick with the metaphor: the beacon is shining, the engines are running. We’re not waiting for the next upturn. We’re forging our own future.