Evonik forms SYNEQT GmbH to unify infrastructure services, aiming for climate-neutral, innovative, and efficient industrial ecosystems across Marl and Wesseling.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Evonik is taking a decisive step to streamline and strengthen its infrastructure operations. The company is combining its service activities at the Marl and Wesseling chemical parks into a new dedicated entity—SYNEQT GmbH, which will officially begin operations on January 1, 2026.
With approximately 3,500 employees and an annual turnover of about €1.8 billion, SYNEQT is set to become one of the leading service providers for the process industry in North Rhine-Westphalia and a top player across Germany. According to Thomas Wessel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director at Evonik, the move reflects a changing industrial landscape. “In a world where specialization is increasingly critical, bundling expertise is essential. By bringing together our skilled teams from Marl and Wesseling, SYNEQT will offer a dynamic structure, faster decision-making, and stronger competitiveness,” Wessel explained.
The new company merges Evonik’s most important infrastructure divisions along the Rhine and Ruhr rivers. Its service portfolio will be extensive, covering energy supply, pipeline construction and management, technical maintenance, waste disposal, port operations, site logistics, fire protection, plant security, catering services, and facility management. Thomas Basten, spokesperson for SYNEQT’s management, emphasized that the company’s long-term vision includes developing climate-neutral, digitally networked, and modular industrial ecosystems with closed-loop material cycles. He stressed that SYNEQT’s goal is not only to retain current customers but also to attract new partners through innovation and tailored services.
At its inception, SYNEQT will be a 100 percent subsidiary of Evonik, though the option of involving investors remains under review. Wessel noted that the company is carefully evaluating future ownership models to ensure the most beneficial path for both SYNEQT and the Evonik Group. Employee terms of employment will remain largely unchanged, thanks to agreements with worker representatives, though the company will still adhere to Evonik’s long-term efficiency measures such as the “Evonik Tailor Made” program.
For Evonik, this restructuring allows the Group to refocus more strongly on its core chemical production activities, while SYNEQT provides specialized infrastructure services not only to Evonik but also to nearly two dozen other companies. Growth opportunities are particularly strong given Marl and Wesseling’s prime locations within Germany’s chemical hubs. Both sites already benefit from robust industrial infrastructure, including hydrogen networks and connections to essential energy and raw material pipelines.
Arndt Selbach, head of the Wesseling Chemical Park, highlighted the strategic importance of the Rhenish Chemical Triangle south of Cologne, where SYNEQT will play a vital role in supporting customers on their journey toward climate-neutral and efficient industrial operations.
SYNEQT’s name reflects its foundation—SYNERGIES in Energy, Quality, and Technical expertise—with headquarters in Marl and a management team led by Thomas Basten (spokesman), Daniel Brünink, and Andreas Orwat.
Evonik provides an extensive portfolio of specialty chemicals, including polyethers, silicas, peroxides, superabsorbents, and advanced polymers such as VESTAMID® and VESTAKEEP®.
