Global specialty chemical company Evonik Industries has inaugurated its Richmond Business and Innovation Center.

Dr. Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG, along with other company executives and state, county and local officials, cut the ribbon for the new $15.4 million facility in the Greater Richmond area as more than 140 employees, dignitaries and guests marked the occasion.

“At Evonik, new ideas are being incubated while I speak,” Engel said. “Our intention is to turn Evonik into one of the most innovative companies in the world. Evonik’s vigorous culture of innovation will be further strengthened by our new Richmond Business and Innovation Center. The center will not only develop new products and processes but also bring together colleagues from different parts of the company to identify breakthrough technologies.”

In its continuous pursuit of innovation, Engel noted that Evonik has established strong relationships with leading universities, around the world. “Here in Richmond, we are collaborating with Virginia Commonwealth University,” Engel said. “We are participating in a design project for process sustainability with VCU’s Engineering College and we are actively engaged with one-on-one discussions with renowned professors.”

Evonik’s Richmond Business and Innovation Center is a major benefit to the Greater Richmond area, added David DelGuercio, senior vice president and general manager, Evonik Nutrition & Care, North America.

“Rather than build an Innovation Center elsewhere, Evonik purchased a vacant 96,000 square foot structure here and transformed it into a state-of-the art Business and Innovation Center,” DelGuercio said. “We expect to grow and add 50 jobs over the next five years. In addition, by locating the Center in the Greater Richmond area, Evonik preserved 125 local full-time jobs.”

With the new facility, Evonik more than doubles its laboratory and commercial space in the Greater Richmond area. The center combines innovative research and development, marketing, sales, customer service, and support functions such as environment safety and health, procurement, controlling, human resources, and information technology in one facility to foster collaboration, networking and creativity.

Evonik believes innovation is performed by people — not by processes, projects or machines, added DelGuercio. “The company believes the keys to innovation are creativity, courage and team spirit,” he said. “The innovation culture of a company determines how fast employees are able to drive forward good ideas and convert them into a profitable business. The Richmond Business and Innovation Center will play an integral part in this.”

With around 500 projects in its innovation pipeline, Evonik is already one of the world’s most innovative companies.

Evonik participates in the American Chemistry Council‘s Responsible Care program and is certified to the RC 14001 standards and practices in environmental, health, safety, security, product safety and process safety management.