• Award recognizes positive impact of global trade on regional economy
• Evonik part of the Birmingham Biotechnology Hub

Mobile/Birmingham, AL, May 09, 2024 – Evonik, one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals companies, was honored by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey with the 2024 Governor’s Trade Excellence Award during a special ceremony at the State Capitol in Montgomery, Ala.

The award recognizes excellence in exporting by companies in Alabama and aims to raise awareness of the positive impact of global trade on the state’s economy.

Evonik employs approximately 1,000 people in Alabama at its sites in Mobile and Birmingham.

“The award is a great honor for Evonik, and we are grateful to local, state, and federal partners for their support of our growth and export strategy,” said Kel Boisvert, member of Evonik’s North America Leadership Team (NALT) and site manager in Mobile.

Evonik manufactures specialty chemicals for a variety of products at the Mobile site, including coating additives for wind turbine blades, structural foams for aircraft, catalysts for biodiesel production, and amino acids for optimized livestock farming.

In Birmingham, Evonik specializes in bioabsorbable polymers and drug delivery techniques for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. Evonik is part of the Birmingham Biotechnology Hub, a regional consortium of public, private, and academic partners which recently received a Federal Tech Hub designation. The Tech Hubs Program was enacted as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and aims to catalyze growth in critical industries.

“Evonik is pleased to contribute to the booming bioscience industry in Birmingham,” remarked Hans Thullesen, site manager of Evonik Birmingham Labs. “Receiving the Governor’s Trade Excellence Award underscores the importance of biotechnology not just in Alabama, but across the globe.”

Alabama-based companies exported goods and services worth over $27.4 billion in 2023, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce. Germany was the top destination with $5.1 billion.