Evonik Magazine 3 Magazine Evonik Evonik Magazine 3|2007 | 2007 Evonik — Fit for the Global Market E_01_Titel_Evonik_NEU 1 13.09.2007 15:33:44 Uhr EVONIK MAGAZINE 3/2007 EDITORIAL 3 PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISTIAN SCHLÜTER PHOTOGRAPHY: Implementing the worldwide presentation of the new brand Evonik Industries AG: Markus Langer and Inken Ostermann Dear readers, Evonik Industries AG, the new industrial group from Germany, has gotten off to a successful start and is already part of the German business landscape. The public response to the group’s new name, new color, and new logo has been very positive. The financial newspaper Handelsblatt praised the group’s “talent for reinventing itself” and concluded that “A star is born in Essen.” Die Welt made a short and snappy analysis: “It’s got potential.” The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung called Chairman Dr. Werner Müller a “combative strategist,” and the mass daily Bild reported that he had won the day. Today we’d like to present you with the first issue of Evonik Magazine, in the corporate color Deep Purple and a new layout. On the following pages we’ll tell you a bit about the new industrial group: the story of its transformation and the strengths of its three Business Areas: Chemicals, Energy, and Real Estate. You’ll also be able to get a glimpse behind the scenes at the people who designed and staged the new brand, as well as enjoying a column by the marketing professor Klaus Brandmeyer, who explains how important a new com- pany’s public image is to the process of generating brand awareness. The presentation of the new industrial group began with a spectacular advertising campaign featuring the question “Who would do that?” and the answer “We do.” A great deal of hard work and creativity went into that simple exchange, as you’ll find out on the following pages. Many people are making sure the new brand is well known on the world market and packs an emotional punch — particularly the new head of Corporate Marketing, Markus Langer, and the Public Relations Manager and Editor in Chief of our magazine, Inken Ostermann. The Chairman of the Management Board of Evonik, Dr. Werner Müller, regards the new name as merely the starting signal for the powerful launch of the Group and its glob- ally operating Business Areas. As he points out in an interview with the journalist Manfred Bissinger, “Ultimately, we’ll be making a name for ourselves through what we do. If our operations are good, it will be a good name; if they are bad, the new name won’t help us much.” (page 18). The powerhouse from the Ruhr region will do everything possible to quickly make the new name a synonym for success, inno vative ideas, creative solutions, and straight- forward operations. Evonik Magazine will keep you updated. Pleasant reading! Evonik does! The editorial team of Evonik Magazine 33_Evonik_0307_EN_Evonik_0307_EN Abs1:3Abs1:3 220.09.20070.09.2007 115:49:495:49:49 UhrUhr 24 CHEMICALS BUSINESS AREA 32 ENERGY BUSINESS AREA 40 REAL ESTATE BUSINESS AREA 48 A STRONG PERFORMANCE 44_Evonik_0307_EN_Evonik_0307_EN Abs2:4Abs2:4 224.09.20074.09.2007 117:23:057:23:05 UhrUhr EVONIK MAGAZINE 3/2007 CONTENTS 5 EDITORIAL MASTHEAD 3 A New Industrial Group Makes its Debut Publisher: Evonik Industries AG, Essen / Christian Kullmann, Rellinghauser SHAPING Str. 1–11, 45128 Essen. 6 The Creativity Group Editor in Chief: Inken Ostermann (responsible for New objectives, unconventional approaches, and a decisive strategy for the world’s most important markets — these editorial content). Coordination Evonik: are the hallmarks of the new industrial group from the Ruhr region Andreas Fröning. Art Direction: 12 Evonik and the Global Market Wolf Dammann. Final Editing (Head): Chemicals, Energy, Real Estate — the new global player from Essen is active worldwide on these markets, which offer Kurt Breme. outstanding opportunities for growth and profit Managing Editors: Frauke Meyer, Ulrich Raschke. Picture Desk: 18 The Group’s Architect Ulrich Thiessen. Documentation: The blueprint for the new Group and the plans for a socially responsible end to hard coal mining in Germany Kerstin Weber-Rajab, by 2018 — neither would have been possible without Group Chairman Dr. Werner Müller. Manfred Bissinger spoke Tilman Baucken; Hamburg. with Dr. Müller about the past and the future Design: Teresa Nunes (Head), Anja Giese, Silke Möller, Nadine Weiler / Redaktion 4. 22 A Foundation for Success Copy Desk: Wilm Steinhäuser. Evonik has three Business Areas — Chemicals, Energy, and Real Estate. Creativity, surprising solutions, and decisive, Translation: straightforward dealings characterize everyday activities at Evonik TransForm, Cologne. Publisher and address: HOFFMANN UND CAMPE VERLAG 24 Inspiring Capital Markets’ Investors GmbH, a GANSKE VERLAGSGRUPPE company, A world leader in specialty chemicals, the Chemicals Business Area’s pioneering activities are inspiring the dreams Harvestehuder Weg 42, of capital markets’ investors 20149 Hamburg, Telephone +49 (0)40 / 441 88-457, Fax +49 (0)40 / 441 88-236, e-mail: [email protected]. 32 Fuel for Growth Management: Manfred Bissinger, The Energy Business Area is a player on a rapidly growing market. As a technological leader specializing in modern, Dr. Kai Laakmann, hard coal-fired power plants, it is superbly equipped to retrofit facilities and build new plants all over the world. Dr. Andreas Siefke. Its expertise in “green energy” is a key to realizing new climate targets Production: Claude Hellweg (Head), Oliver Lupp. Lithography: PX2, Hamburg. 40 Long-Term Profitability Printing: Neef+Stumme, Wittingen. Copyright: In Germany today, the Real Estate Business Area is setting the standards when it comes to the modernization and © 2007 by Evonik Industries AG, management of residential properties. Satisfied tenants are the best guarantee of long-term profitability Essen. Reprinting only with the permission of the publisher. The contents do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. 48 Evonik Does! Contact: Questions and suggestions on the A new company color, a new logo, and an extensive advertising campaign! Nothing was overlooked for the launch contents of the magazine: of the new Group. The road that led to the new brand is a story of success Telephone +49 (0)201 / 177-3831, Fax -2908, e-Mail: [email protected]. 58 The New Owner — the RAG-Stiftung Questions about orders or subscriptions: The RAG-Stiftung will lead the new Group onto the capital markets and play a key role in the cessation of Telephone +49 (0)40 / 688 79-139, hard coal mining in Germany by 2018 Fax -199, e-mail: [email protected] The designations PLEXIGLAS®, EUDRAGIT®, EUDRAMODE®, LUGLAS®, ROHACELL®, and 62 A Good Name Opens Every Door VISCOPLEX® are registered trade marks of Evonik Industries Aktiengesellschaft or its subsidiaries. PHOTOGRAPHY: CORBIS, EVONIK INDUSTRIES AG, KNSK/ANATOL KOTTE, CATRIN MORITZ CATRIN KOTTE, KNSK/ANATOL INDUSTRIES AG, EVONIK CORBIS, PHOTOGRAPHY: Marketing expert Professor Klaus Brandmeyer discusses the impact of a strong brand name All trademarks in the text are set in capitals EE_04-05_Inhalt_Evonik_04-05_Inhalt_Evonik Abs2:5Abs2:5 119.09.20079.09.2007 112:59:342:59:34 UhrUhr 6SHAPING EVONIK EVONIK MAGAZINE 3/2007 Dr. Werner Müller is Chairman of the Management Board of Evonik Industries AG. He is the originator of the plans for transforming the RAG Group and 66_Evonik_0307_EN_Evonik_0307_EN Abs2:6Abs2:6 119.09.20079.09.2007 113:03:393:03:39 UhrUhr 7 Evonik Is Counting on “Growth Sprinters” Evonik Industries AG, the new industrial group from the Ruhr region, is setting clear return targets in its bid for success on the stock market — and spending €300 million annually on research and development TEXT THEO DENNE achieves 20 percent of its revenues with PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN SCHLÜTER products and technologies that are less than five years old. The Group has taken out SOON AFTER BECOMING the Chair- more than 20,000 patents, and it spends man of RAG four years ago, Dr. Werner Mül- more than €300 million annually on re- ler announced — first to the Group’s employ- search and development. ees and then to the general public — that he Evonik has clearly found the right recipe intended to make the Group “a conventional for success, and that’s been confirmed by the company.” This plan has now become a re- operating developments of recent years. ality. Evonik Industries AG, the new indus- The figures for the first half-year impres- trial group from the Ruhr region, is taking sively demonstrate that the Group has cre- up its work and is ready for the capital mar- ated the basis for its upcoming IPO. Its rev- ket. With revenues of more than €15 billion enues increased by three percent to €7.565 and almost 43,000 employees all over the billion, and its earnings before interest and world, it’s the new powerhouse in the Ruhr taxes (EBIT) rose by a spectacular 26 per- region, combining a solid regional footing cent from January to June to almost €788 with global operations in the three Business million (2006: €625 million). The Group’s Areas Chemicals, Energy, and Real Estate. total surplus is now more than €715 million, But Müller wouldn’t be Müller if he were compared to only €302 million last year. satisfied with that. He’s setting the bar high “The first half of 2007 has been excellent. indeed: “Our goal is to become one of the Our course toward the capital market is the most creative industry groups in the world,” right one for us,” says Müller. However, he’s he says. Thanks to its Real Estate Business keeping various strategic options open. Area, which is fairly independent of overall economic development, and its stable en- ON THE ROAD TO THE ergy business, Evonik has substantial clout CAPITAL MARKET as well as dependable revenues.