Covestro awarded for research breakthrough

Covestro has received an innovation award offered by the German government and industry for a research breakthrough in the production of plastics from renewable raw materials.

Covestro is leading a research project with partners from industry and science and the prize was awarded for a newly developed process for producing the important basic chemical aniline from plants instead of crude oil.

As part of the project, Covestro is cooperating with Bayer, the CAT Catalytic Centre in Aachen and the University of Stuttgart.

In order to produce aniline from plant biomass, the research consortium led by Covestro has developed a new process that combines biotechnology and chemistry.

After the success in the laboratory and in the first pilot plants, the partners now want to further develop the technology to enable the production of biobased aniline on an industrial scale.

Held since 2013, this year's competition around 1,500 applications were submitted and according to the organisers, the winners demonstrate “how forward-looking innovations are created through experimentation, curiosity and the courage to rethink.”

Dr. Markus Steilemann, Covestro CEO, said: “We are very pleased to receive this award. It continues to spur us on to contribute to greater sustainability with innovative products, processes and solutions in order to make the world a brighter place.”