Evonik Industries announced Thursday that it will cut 3,200 jobs worldwide over the period 2027 to 2029, with most of those reductions concentrated in Germany. The move extends a company-wide cost-reduction program that was due to conclude this year.
Under the existing program Evonik expects to have removed roughly 2,800 positions by the end of 2026. The new phase of reductions will add a further 3,200 job eliminations over the following three years, of which 2,150 are planned for Germany as the business contends with mounting competitive pressure and subdued economic activity.
Evonik's chief executive, Christian Kullmann, framed the decision in the context of broader uncertainty. "The global political situation remains uncertain, and economic growth is persistently weak," he said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
In addition to workforce reductions, Evonik said it will exit its global polyester business in 2027. That exit is expected to affect about 350 roles across two German facilities in Witten and Marl, as well as at the company's location in Shanghai, China.
Lauren Kjeldsen, the executive board member responsible for the polyester unit, said the decision followed an assessment of options for the business. "Global competitive pressure, structural disadvantages in Europe, and declining market dynamics mean that none of the alternatives examined would have been economically viable for Evonik in the long term," she said.
Details on the geographic breakdown and timing of the wider workforce reductions were limited to the figures provided above. The company characterized the combination of competitive intensity and weak demand as the rationale for extending its cost-reduction measures and for withdrawing from polyester manufacturing.
This restructuring will affect operations where the polyester business is currently active, and it will enlarge the headcount reductions already scheduled under the current program through 2026. Evonik did not provide additional operational or financial projections tied to the measures in the announcement.