PITTSBURGH, April 25, 2025 -- ����AV LLC is proud to announce Michelle Montgomery, a Senior Chemist at the company's Pittsburgh campus, has been named a 2025 Women MAKE Emerging Leader by The Manufacturing Institute. 

The Women MAKE Awards honor 130 women at all levels of manufacturing who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in their careers and represent the future of the manufacturing industry. The Emerging Leader category specifically highlights women under the age of 30 who have achieved significant accomplishments at the beginning of their careers. 

Since Michelle joined ����AV in 2017, she has embodied ����AV's mission to make the world a brighter place through her commitment to both technical innovation and to ����AV’s culture within the company and in the community. Her innovative work has resulted in two patents and combined with her work in the community, recently earned her recognition in the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30. 

Michelle leads ����AV's Global Instrument Panel Technology Council in North America, where she champions sustainable automotive design. Her achievements include co-developing an award-winning lightweight polyurethane foam, reducing testing costs through enhanced in-house capabilities, and securing two patents for sustainable foam innovations—all before age 25. Michelle champions diversity in STEM through mentoring FOSSI scholars and inspiring over 150 young girls through Girls Inc., actively building a more inclusive future in science. 

"We are incredibly proud of Michelle for this well-deserved recognition," said Julia Rubino, a Women MAKE awardee in 2018 and executive vice president and global head of ����AV’s Tailored Urethanes business. "Her community involvement, technical expertise, and innovative spirit exemplify the bright future of manufacturing and ����AV's commitment to fostering talent in our industry." 

As part of her recognition, Michelle attended the Women MAKE Awards gala on April 24 in Washington, D.C. The event celebrated all honorees and featured professional development sessions aimed at fostering female talent in manufacturing. 

"I am honored to receive this award and grateful for the opportunities ����AV has provided me," said Montgomery. "I hope to inspire more young women to pursue careers in manufacturing and demonstrate the exciting possibilities in this field." 
����AV's support of the Women MAKE Awards aligns with the company's broader commitment to supporting development, growth, belonging and excellence for all. 

Read Montgomery’s full profile on the , located on page 74. 
 

This recognition highlights ����AV's exceptional service, innovation and dedication to advancing sustainability in the mattress industry as well as significant contributions to the Mattress Recycling Council's efforts to promote circular economy principles within the bedding sector. ����AV's innovative materials and solutions have played a crucial role in enhancing the recyclability and sustainability of mattress products.

"We are deeply honored to receive this award from ISPA," said Richard Skorpenske, Head, Public Affairs, ����AV LLC. "This recognition underscores our dedication to developing sustainable solutions that not only meet the needs of our customers but also contribute to a more circular economy in the mattress industry."

����AV's sustainability leadership in the sleep industry ranges from identifying new applications for foam at the end of the mattress life cycle, to creating innovative adhesive solutions that facilitate easier disassembly and recycling of mattresses, to collaborating with industry partners to establish efficient recycling processes for end-of-life mattresses.

The company's efforts align closely with the Mattress Recycling Council's mission to reduce waste and promote the recycling of mattress materials, contributing to a more sustainable future for the industry.

The ISPA Industry Awards, presented annually, recognize outstanding contributions in the sleep products industry.

For more information about ����AV's sustainable solutions for the mattress industry, please visit covestro.com.

The annual Make-a-thon, now in its eighth year, challenges students’ ingenuity and problem-solving skills to tackle real safety challenges in ice hockey, from the professional level down to youth hockey. 

“The safety and continued evolution of protective equipment in the sport of hockey is paramount in growing the game and fostering a safe playing environment for players of all ages,” said Penguins president of Business Operations Kevin Acklin. “This year, we’re once again excited to partner with ����AV and Carnegie Mellon University as we work to develop new ideas with some of the brightest minds in Pittsburgh.” 

The winning team impressed judges from ����AV, the Penguins, CMU, and Bauer Hockey with their innovative glove design that was inspired by the physical characteristics of an armadillo. Their solution featured a flexible notch system in the glove’s fingers that reduces max stress incurred in the finger by 20% in preliminary testing. It also incorporated a semi-rigid cuff to protect players’ wrists without impacting mobility, a critical area of focus in hockey players. 

“Hand safety is critical in everything we do – in sport, at work, truly in every area of daily life,” said Samir Hifri, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “The innovations the students brought to life during the Rethink the Rink Make-a-thon have the potential to impact hand safety both within the sport of hockey and beyond the rink. This partnership unites future innovators, material science experts, and athletes with the common goal of improving safety. We’re honored to be a part of this collaboration." 

The students’ designs will now be considered for development, with Bauer Hockey applying its expertise as a leading hockey glove manufacturer to potentially bring the concept to market. 

“Rethink the Rink is a crash course in innovation,” said Jon Cagan, David and Susan Coulter Department Head of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “In just five days students progress from collaborative brainstorming to physical prototyping with guidance from experts at ����AV and the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s a unique, hands-on learning opportunity that builds skills our students will use to break barriers for years to come.” 

The Rethink the Rink initiative, launched in 2018, has already led to significant improvements in hockey rink design and player equipment. Previous years have focused on safer dasher boards, helmets, and other protective gear. 

For more information about the Rethink the Rink Make-a-thon and ����AV's commitment to innovation in sports safety, please visit covestro.us. 

����AV, a leading manufacturer of high-quality polymers, recently made significant progress towards its scope 1 climate neutrality goal for its Baytown, TX site. A newly commissioned project, known as NAUCI (Nitric Acid Unit Climate Initiative), reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the site’s Nitric Acid Unit by up to 99%, which accounts for a 60% reduction in the site’s overall scope 1 emissions.

“����AV is committed to our ambitious goals to be operationally climate neutral by 2035,” said Thorsten Dreier, CTO of ����AV. “This project is particularly inspiring, not only due to the significant impact on our scope 1 emissions, but because it was implemented solely for the environmental benefits and in support of our sustainable future strategy.”

Nitric acid is an important raw material for the production of MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) and TDI (toluene diisocyanate), which are key components of polyurethane and can be found in applications from mattresses and furniture to energy-efficient insulation and automobile seats, among others.

The production of nitric acid has historically been a significant source of greenhouse gases and a focus of ����AV’s decarbonization efforts for more than a decade. The recently commissioned NAUCI project alone reduces annual CO2e by roughly 195KT, and when combined with previous nitric acid unit abatement projects, cumulatively represents an annual CO2e reduction of nearly 900KT.

“It’s projects such as NAUCI that help us achieve our scope 1 targets, and I am confident that our continued efforts will drive even greater success as we work towards achieving climate neutrality by 2035,” said Victor Ortega, Baytown site manager and senior vice president of Performance Materials and Operations North America. “I look forward to seeing the lasting positive impact this project has both within the site and in the Baytown community for years to come.”

The ����AV site in Baytown, TX aims to be scope 1 and scope 2 climate neutral by 2035.

Wound care has evolved beyond traditional dressings and bandages, driven by the advanced treatments for complex conditions such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, burn scars, and surgical or traumatic wounds. Developing effective wound care products requires overcoming key challenges including moisture management, patient comfort, infection control and ensuring treatment adherence, etc.

����AV, a global leader in high-tech polymer materials, leveraging its expertise in polyurethane technologies, has developed Platilon^® and Dureflex^® (thermoplastic polyurethane) films for breathable wound dressings that offer superior moisture management and patient comfort. Additionally, the integration of Platilon^® and Dureflex^® TPU films in wearable technologies represents a notable advancement in wound monitoring and management. Attendees of , February 4-6 in Anaheim, Calif., can see these solutions and applications first-hand at booth #2439.

Booth highlights include: 

• Platilon^® TPU multi-layer blown film technology offers highly customizable coloration, surface texture, breathability, liner types and chemical properties to enable microbial and water barrier performance. 
• meet today's high demands in terms of process efficiency and ease of end use.

More specifically, Platilon^® and Dureflex^® TPU films address the following benefits: 

• Moisture management: high breathability helps excess moisture escape, promoting faster healing. 
• Patient comfort: the extra matte, skin-like surface enhances softness and tactile sensation.
• Infection control: waterproof barrier resistant to viral and bacterial penetration, ensuring effective protection against contaminants.
• Adhesives compatibility: compatible with various adhesives, including acrylic, silicone, and hydrocolloid coatings, etc.
• Cost effectiveness: prolongation of advanced wound dressing wear time.

����AV transcends the role of a mere materials supplier. By leveraging its healthcare and materials expertise, the company partners with medical product manufacturers to design and develop solutions that address market needs and, most importantly, benefit patients.

MD&M West attendees can stop by the ����AV booth (#2439) to explore how the company’s materials are transforming healthcare applications.

Printed electronics are transforming healthcare innovation by allowing circuits to be printed on a variety of surfaces. Advances in materials technologies have made it possible to switch from traditional rigid and non-stretchable substrates to stretchable and flexible printed electronics for medical wearables, creating new opportunities in this market segment. 

Companies that design and produce medical wearables rely on ����AV and its broad portfolio of stretchable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films for innovative printed electronics applications. ����AV will highlight its range of stretchable TPU film solutions for printed electronics at booth #2439 at , February 4-6 in Anaheim, Calif. 

Attendees will be able to see advanced applications and demonstrators that provide a better understanding of the advantages these films offer, including: 

• Durable compression and flexing: Platilon^® TPU film is ideal for applications, such as athletic footwear, that demand repeated compression, flexing and resistance to creasing without compromising functionality. The film provides a reliable substrate for printed circuits, translating into exceptional stability, reliability and long-lasting performance in these applications. 
• Reliable component attachment: The durable mechanical properties of Platilon^® TPU film help maintain secure and reliable connections for inks, bonding materials and electronic components used in applications such as pulse oximeters and other biometric sensors. 
• Superior stretchability and conformability: Soft, stretchable and conformable, skin-friendly Platilon^® flexible TPU films enhance overall comfort and usability. Their flexibility, durability and biocompatibility make them suitable for on-body applications with integrated electronic components and printed sensors, paving the way for smarter, more efficient wearable devices, such as smart patches used for real-time blood glucose monitoring, heart monitoring and early detection of ostomy bag leaks. 

MD&M West attendees can stop by the ����AV booth (#2439) to explore how the company’s materials are transforming healthcare applications and see the company’s demonstrators built in collaboration with its partners: ACI,Sensitronics, Sunray Scientific and Tapecon.

The third generation MoMe ARC^® system, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, features a unique modular design allowing near real-time patient monitoring to detect cardiac arrhythmias. According to InfoBionic.Ai, it is the first and only continuous 6-lead, FDA-cleared remote cardiac monitoring system that leverages an AI-enabled remote patient monitoring platform to deliver on-demand, actionable monitoring data and advanced analytics directly to physicians. The system is versatile, allowing configuration from hospital to home use, helping to facilitate a smooth transition for patients. 

“Our MoMe ARC^® system is based on a wireless modular sensor platform that can be configured to suit each patient’s required acuity level—from high acuity diagnostics to simple on-the-go monitoring—for more efficient and comfortable care delivery,” said Dave MacCutcheon, Chief Operating Officer, InfoBionic.Ai. “The expandable system features a sensor pod that can be installed in either a 6-lead cable set or a disposable single-lead patch.*” 

InfoBionic.Ai developed the next-generation device in collaboration with product development partners. led the industrial design, user experience (UX) / user interface (UI), and mechanical engineering, working with a multidisciplinary team to implement the modular system. 

Makrolon^® 2458 from ����AV played a crucial role in the previous generation of the MoMe ARC^® system. Its continued use helped to maintain brand consistency while demonstrating its proven material performance. 

“Long-term and open collaboration enabled us to develop the right product design for MoMe ARC^®, meeting business goals, ensuring technical feasibility, and delivering a great user experience,” said Julian Groeli, Founder and CEO, Pivotal Design, Inc. “����AV’s manufacturing and regulatory expertise helped us in selecting the material with the right balance of aesthetic and functional properties for this application, from color and finish to durability and biocompatibility.” 

����AV’s custom-colored materials, available in white and transparent options, ensured consistency across manufacturers. The white color provided opacity in thick sections and translucency in thin areas, allowing status lights to shine through while maintaining a seamless, cleanable exterior. The clarity and high gloss of the transparent color highlighted user interaction points and enhanced the medical product’s perceived value. 

“The durability, impact resistance and ISO 10993-1 biocompatibility rating of Makrolon^® 2458 were essential for supporting a reusable medical device,” said Emily Shaffer, Healthcare Market Manager, Americas – Engineering Plastics, ����AV LLC. “It also offered compatibility with various secondary manufacturing processes, such as insert molding, overmolding and laser marking, making it an ideal choice for this application.” 

Compatibility with both laser marking and overmolding enabled a lower profile form factor, critical for wearable devices, by eliminating labels and integrating sealing and strain relief features. 

At MD&M West, February 4-6 in Anaheim, Calif., attendees can visit the ����AV booth (#2439) to learn how the company's materials push boundaries in healthcare applications. 

_{*InfoBionic.Ai MoMe ARC^® 1-Lead Patch is not FDA-approved and not for sale in the U.S.} 

Motivated by consumer demand and corporate responsibility, the healthcare industry continues to explore ways to lower the environmental impact of medical devices. ����AV, a leading polymer company, is at the forefront of innovation, significantly expanding its low-carbon footprint medical product portfolio with a comprehensive range of polycarbonate and polycarbonate blends. 

����AV previously announced the availability of its medical-grade Makrolon^® RE polycarbonate. Now, the company is expanding its low-carbon footprint portfolio for this industry with the addition of Bayblend^® RE, Makroblend^® RE and Apec^® RE polycarbonates. These materials feature a low-carbon footprint, achieved using raw materials derived from mass-balanced bio-waste and residues and renewable electricity when feasible, and are available globally.

These offerings complement an existing CQ portfolio of more sustainable polycarbonates, including the partially mechanically recycled Makrolon^® R products made from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled materials. These versatile polycarbonates provide two outcomes: they serve a wide range of healthcare applications and they come with reduced environmental impact. 

“From using renewable feedstock to championing circular design principles and advanced recycling technologies, ����AV is committed to supporting the healthcare sector with diverse solutions that promote a circular economy,” said Emily Shaffer, Healthcare Market Manager, Americas – Engineering Plastics, ����AV LLC. “Working alongside our healthcare customers, we are moving the industry toward a climate-neutral future without sacrificing patient care and safety.” 

Makrolon^® polycarbonate can be collected from end-of-life devices and recycled into high-quality regrind material, which can then be incorporated into new products. It retains its mechanical properties over several recycling loops, enabling both closed- and open-loop recycling. This approach ensures that plastics from end-of-life medical devices can be collected, recycled, and used again, even across different industries such as electronics and mobility. 

These materials will be incorporated into a display in ����AV’s booth (#2439) at , February 4-6 in Anaheim, Calif., highlighting a concept drug delivery device that features a mono-material design to simplify recycling by eliminating the need to sort different types of plastics. The display will show how regrind polycarbonate can be incorporated into new devices for the electronics industry. 

As part of its commitment to reducing environmental impact, ����AV has completed major circularity milestones at three U.S. manufacturing sites. It has achieved ISCC PLUS certification at its Baytown, Texas; Newark, Ohio; and South Deerfield, Mass.; facilities, significantly expanding access to its CQ product portfolio for circular solutions. This certification underscores the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and the mass balance approach, which allows for the attribution of alternative feedstocks to end products. Additionally, starting in 2025, Scope 2 emissions from some U.S. production sites will be reduced using renewable energy certificates from a virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA) previously executed with Orsted, a clean energy leader in the U.S. market, headquartered in Denmark.

Booth visitors can discover the latest innovations enabled by ����AV materials:

• MoMe ARC® system: This remote cardiac monitoring device features Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate from ����AV. This material provides durability, biocompatibility, and aesthetic quality, enhancing the device's performance and user experience. 
• CQ Portfolio: A showcase of low carbon footprint solutions from ����AV, including a mono-material drug delivery demonstrator device that highlights simplified recycling by eliminating the need to sort different types of plastics as well as demonstrates the possibility of using regrind for the manufacture of new devices in the electronics industry. 
• : A functional pulse oximeter showcases TPU film as a robust, durable and reliable substrate, offering excellent stretchability and conformability for printed electronics in wearables. 

A variety of the company’s advanced materials can be experienced firsthand, including:

• Polycarbonate resins and blends: ����AV’s medical grade materials including, Makrolon®, Bayblend®, Apec® and Makroblend® deliver exceptional strength and durability for many applications, and have been used in drug delivery devices, respiratory applications, medical device housings and more. 
• Polyurethane raw materials and adhesives: Baymedix® polyurethane adhesive and foam components offer excellent breathability, excellent absorption and low trauma removal. For wearable applications, ����AV offers skin-friendly adhesives and thermoformable foams for electronic embedding. 
• Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) resins: Texin® Rx TPU resins offer flexibility and strength, which are required for applications such as medical tubing and dental applications, resistant to cleaning agents and bacteria. 
• Films: Dureflex® and Platilon® TPU films are breathable, elastic, and skin-friendly for wound care, smart patches, and wearables. Bayfol® TPU/PETG bi-layer films and Makrofol® PC films are utilized in medical packaging, with Makrofol® PC also offering excellent performance in steam sterilization. 

MD&M West attendees can stop by the ����AV booth (#2439) to explore how the company’s materials are transforming healthcare applications.

About Top Employers Institute: 
Top Employers Institute is the #1 global authority on HR strategies. With our world-leading Certification and data-led insights, we guide and empower organizations in delivering transformational people practices, driving business outcomes and helping them attract, engage and retain top talent. In 2025, Top Employers Institute has certified more than 2,400 organizations in 125 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 13 million employees globally.

����AV already has an established R&D center in Pittsburgh, and is now doubling down on its U.S.-based compounding capability. In future, both facilities will work even more closely together to drive the technology transfer from lab to industrial production to support major transformation processes, such as the electrification and automation of mobility, sustainable developments and digitalization. 

“This investment, which follows our recent announcement of a 40 Million Dollar investment in our R&D capabilities in Pittsburgh, underscores how critical our U.S. sites and the U.S. market are to ����AV’s global strategy,” says Samir Hifri, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “The expanded capacity of our polycarbonate compounding capabilities in Ohio will both help us better supply our customers as well as represents a commitment to our employees, the Hebron, Ohio community, and the U.S. market as a whole.” 

Construction of the new production lines is scheduled to begin in 2025, with operations starting by the end of 2026. 

About WNC: 

Wistron NeWeb Corporation (WNC) is a leading network communications solutions provider headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, with annual revenue of US$3.6 billion. WNC has an R&D base in Taiwan, manufacturing facilities, and sales offices in Taiwan, Vietnam, Mainland China, the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan and Mexico, and a workforce of over 12,000 employees worldwide. WNC provides whole-range communications solutions covering 5G edge infrastructure, Wi-Fi 6/7, satellite broadband, automotive infotainment, automotive telematics, ADAS and high speed switches, SD-WAN solutions and 5G open RAN devices. Leveraging its expertise in antenna/RF design and system integration, WNC is a key supplier to networking brands, tier-1 telecom operators, automakers, and automotive electronics companies. For more information, please visit:  
 

As the latest electronics developments take center stage at CES 2025, ����AV announces it has developed a top tier digital design and simulation suite of tools for optimizing heat management with its Makrolon® TC thermally conductive products (patent pending). 

The high-fidelity simulation approach will improve the accuracy of predicting the thermal performance of injection-molded heatsinks made using Makrolon® TC thermally conductive products. Using micromechanics, the new ability to account for the directional, or anisotropic, thermal conductivity from fiber filler particle orientations in a molded heatsink increases the accuracy in the downstream heat transfer simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). 

Another ����AV development, a Makrolon® TC Heatsink Screener, is a web-based tool based on AI technology that offers customers the ability to virtually test their own heatsink designs using various Makrolon® TC polycarbonates and compare them with traditional metal materials, namely die-cast aluminum. The Heatsink Screener tool also offers, for consideration, optimized design configurations that balance heat management with weight and cost advantages. 

"We are excited to provide our customers with the highest level of design and material solutions to meet the rigorous technical demands of automotive lighting, where we see significant weight and cost saving opportunities enabled by Makrolon® TC," said Karen Guzman, Industrial Marketing for Mobility at ����AV. 

"These digital developments are great examples of our commitment to our customers to be innovators of more sustainable polycarbonate-based solutions, not only in mobility, but across many markets—such as electronics—where heatsinks are used in a broad range of applications,” adds Eric Saks, Industrial Marketing for Electronics at ����AV. 

����AV’s Makrolon® polycarbonate is known for its outstanding properties, such as high impact resistance, transparency and heat resistance, as well as heat management, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. 

• Makrolon® TC629 
• Makrolon® TC621 
• Makrolon® TC421 
• Makrolon® TC210 
• Makrolon® TC210 FR 
• Makrolon® TC110 

Rico Products, Inc. will leverage its affiliate, R-Tek Thermal Solution, to identify and develop sales opportunities for these high-performance materials. 

����AV’s Makrolon® polycarbonate is known for its outstanding properties, such as high impact resistance, transparency and heat resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. 

With this new appointment, ����AV aims to expand its market reach and ensure that customers receive the highest level of service and product availability for these specialized products. 

“We are excited to work with Rico Products, Inc. and R-Tek Thermal Solution,” said Paul Royba, head of distribution for engineering plastics, Americas at ����AV. “Their expertise and established network will help us bring Makrolon® TC thermally conductive materials to a broader market and meet the growing demand for high-quality polymer materials." 

Rico Products, Inc., with its extensive experience and commitment to customer satisfaction, is well-positioned to support ����AV's distribution strategy. This collaboration is expected to enhance the availability of Makrolon® products and provide comprehensive solutions to various industries. 
 

“We are committed to the U.S. market as a whole and to Pittsburgh as our North American headquarters,” says Samir Hifri, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “These enhancements to our headquarters and R&D facilities set the stage for long-term growth in the U.S.”

Specifically, the investments will: 

• Renovate ����AV’s existing polyurethane R&D facilities, creating new state-of-the-art laboratories 
• Upgrade equipment and machinery to better serve customers in key industries, such as automotive and construction 
• Refresh the campus look and feel in line with the company’s purpose to make the world a brighter place 
• Modernize office facilities to strengthen collaboration and workplace culture 

“This represents the largest R&D investment in our facilities in Pittsburgh for decades,” stated Anna Clark-Emerick, Pittsburgh site manager at ����AV LLC. “We recognize that our employees and our customers are two of our most important stakeholders, and, through this investment, we can positively impact them both.”

Additionally, given that the construction industry represents almost 20% of ����AV’s business, the company was able to incorporate its own materials and its customers’ products in many aspects of the campus retrofit, including roofing insulation, interior and exterior paints, and more.

“We consistently see our customers creating the most innovative and sustainable products in their fields, and it is incumbent upon ����AV to make sure we lead the way in the materials sector to help ensure our customers’ success,” said Hifri. “One way we will support our customers is through achieving our own ambitious sustainability goals and our vision to become fully circular, and the investments we are marking in Pittsburgh will help us reach those targets.”

The current phase of improvements to ����AV’s North American headquarters are expected to be by 2026.

����AV will supply Carlisle with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)¹ that is based on ISCC PLUS certified mass balanced bio-circular raw materials and features up to a 99% lower product carbon footprint than fossil-based MDI.¹ It specifically has a CO2 reduction potential of 2.4 KG per KG of MDI produced². This will enable Carlisle to produce its high-performance polyiso insulation boards with lower embodied carbon.

The collaboration between ����AV and Carlisle extends a legacy of joint innovation in the construction industry that spans decades. As sustainability targets for the built environment stand to increase, the two companies are prepared to develop and introduce the next generation of insulation materials.

“����AV’s vision to become fully circular requires R&D advancements that directly support the scope 3 goals of our customers, like Carlisle,” said Hermann-Josef Doerholt, global head of Performance Materials at ����AV. “����AV has some of the most aggressive sustainability and climate targets in the chemical industry, and the further we progress in developing solutions to achieve them, the more the effects resonate along the supply chain.”

����AV will supply its Mondur® CQ 489 MS isocyanate to Carlisle. The CQ, or “Circular Intelligence” designation represents a broad family of ����AV’s circular products with an attribution of at least 25 percent alternative raw materials derived from biomass or recycled plastics.

Carlisle Construction Materials, a global leader in building envelope solutions, aims to be net zero by 2050. Carlisle will produce its bio-based rigid foam insulation, which contains 5% bio-circular content, for the SynTec, Versico, Hunter Panels and WeatherBond brands. This state-of-the-art bio-based insulation is the latest addition to Carlisle Construction Materials' portfolio of sustainable building products.

"Carlisle Construction Materials has always been at the forefront of developing high-performance construction products that lead the way in sustainability," said Steve Schwar, President of Carlisle Construction Materials. "With our new bio-based rigid foam insulation, we are demonstrating our unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility while ensuring that our customers have access to the most advanced building materials available. Our partners play a pivotal role in the realization of our bio-based isolation," added Steve. "Together, we're not only pushing the boundaries of material science, but also supporting the construction industry's transition to a more sustainable future."

“At ����AV, we have long understood the unparalleled performance attributes of polyurethane insulation,” said Julia Rubino, head of sales for Performance Materials at ����AV North America. “The ability to provide an innovative, bio-circular raw material solution to a long-time partner and a leader in the construction industry, like Carlisle, shows that future-focused sustainable solutions are available today.”

����AV has ISCC PLUS certified facilities in every major global market, including its manufacturing facility in Baytown, Texas. In support of its vision to be fully circular, ����AV aims to be operationally climate neutral (scope 1 and scope 2) by 2035 and climate neutral for scope 3 by 2050. The company currently has hundreds of circular CQ products and is continuously expanding its product portfolio.

Ortega joined Bayer (predecessor of ����AV) in 1999 as an intern in Leverkusen, Germany, before quickly transferring to the company’s operations in Tarragona, Spain, as a process engineer. He moved back-and-forth between Baytown and Tarragona over the following two decades, holding positions of increasing responsibility that included project manager and unit engineer. In 2021, Ortega moved to Germany to lead the Brunsbüttel site for three years, returning to Baytown this summer to take on his current role.

In addition to serving as senior vice president and head of Performance Materials Operations in North America, Ortega is responsible for the operations of ����AV sites in Baytown and Channelview, Texas, and South Charleston, W. Va. He also manages the global Propylene Oxide Joint Venture with LyondellBasell and is a member of ����AV’s U.S. Country Council.

“I’m striving to ensure our U.S. plants lead the way within ����AV, delivering the most cost-competitive products to our customers, ensuring our people and processes are safe, and making our units the most reliable,” Ortega said. “I’m especially focused on creating the optimal place for all of our employees to enjoy working for ����AV. We have a unique advantage in the North America region, as we have always been first adopters in technology and digitalization, and we have a passion for safety and efficiency. This is our edge to lead the way for ����AV’s manufacturing worldwide.”

After a diverse and incredible four decades with the company, Zervoudis was thrilled to announce Ortega as his successor.

“Victor’s experience and dedication make him an excellent fit for the role,” Zervoudis said. “I am confident that the site will continue to thrive under his leadership.”

����AV LLC, a leading producer of high-performance polymers in North America, announced its designation as a Top Scorer in the 2024 ® with a maximum score of 100. This recognition by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN marks ����AV’s second straight year as a Top Scorer and fourth consecutive designation as a Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.

The Disability Equality Index measures a wide range of criteria across categories related to disability equality, including culture and leadership, employment practices, community engagement, enterprise-wide-access and supplier diversity. ����AV achieved maximum scores in each category.

����AV’s CARE (����AV Accessibility Resource Effort) employee resource group is focused on disability inclusion. Through its ongoing educational engagement efforts, it acts as the primary source of information for employees looking to further their knowledge about disability inclusion at ����AV. The group aims to foster an environment that supports employees that have a disability, identify as neurodiverse or who are a caregiver for someone with a disability or special needs. The group’s goal is to raise awareness about disabilities – both visible and non-apparent – while also highlighting the unique abilities that people with disabilities possess.

“At ����AV, we are committed to ensuring all of our employees can work safely and productively, and that they are actively supported by the organization,” said Adrienne Woodard, head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at ����AV LLC. “The designation as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion demonstrates that we prioritize our workforce as our most valuable asset and strive to provide the tools and environment for everyone to thrive.”

With the introduction of near-to-prime performance Bayblend® R grades incorporating TSCA compliant PIR recycled feedstock, North America now has access to high performance recycled materials that not only meet stringent performance standards but also offer a lower carbon footprint compared to the prime material, addressing the waste issue and contributing to circularity. Bayblend® PC+ABS, compounded at the facility in Newark, serves various sectors including automotive, electronics, and healthcare.

“This accomplishment represents a significant stride for ����AV in the automotive industry in the region as Bayblend® T85 X R25 fulfills most of the OEM prime specifications” said Karen Guzman, Automotive Marketing Manager.

To underscore the company’s vision to become fully circular and its customers' journey to greater sustainability, ����AV has introduced a specially branded product line under the designation "CQ,” which stands for “Circular Intelligence”. It is a portfolio of products that is related to at least 25% alternative raw materials derived, e.g., from biomass or waste, and are produced either in a segregated or mass balance approach.

The addition of Bayblend® R grades to the CQ portfolio exemplifies ����AV’s commitment to circularity, expanding offerings in the North American market. This achievement follows the ISCC Plus certification of ����AV's Baytown, Texas, and Newark, Ohio facilities last year, which enabled the production of mass-balanced, bio-attributed polycarbonates.

The Newark, Ohio facility, serving as ����AV's premier polycarbonate compounding center in North America, is one of six Color Competence and Design Centers worldwide. With approximately 145 employees, the site specializes in the production of polycarbonate and polycarbonate blends, offering expertise in color matching and design.

Rich Rogers, Site Manager at Newark, emphasized the team's dedication to global circularity goals from ����AV, stating, "Our employees understand the pivotal role we play in advancing sustainability within our industry. We are enthusiastic about contributing to ����AV's circularity journey and creating a more sustainable future."

¹ Post-industrial recyclate (PIR) also known as pre-consumer recyclate. Bayblend® T85 X R25 is produced with either post-industrial (PIR) or post-consumer recyclate (PCR) depending on the region under a single global specification.

² Prime material made with newly extracted resources.

Chronic wounds afflict millions of people. If not treated adequately, they can lead to severe complications, including amputation of limbs. Denver-based developed a medical device for healing chronic wounds that do not respond to conventional wound treatment. The vaporizer component of the medical device primarily utilizes Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate from ����AV.

The VHT-200 (Vaporous Hyperoxia Therapy™) system, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, features a unique combination of elements that accelerate healing—ultrasonic vapor and concentrated oxygen. According to Vaporox, the patented delivery system for these elements promotes revascularization and tissue growth. The treatment is intended for administration in clinics and physicians’ offices.

“Vaporox is committed to a world where all wounds heal,” said Chase Huskey, marketing manager, Vaporox. “Today, wound care is one of the most under-served markets in the medical industry, but this development is truly life-changing for patients and a huge step forward for this market.”

����AV was involved throughout the device’s development, supplying prototype quantities of its material, and documentation required by the FDA.

Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate is a low-viscosity, injection-molding medical grade that features easy release from the mold. It is suitable for Ethylene Oxide (EtO) and steam sterilization and is biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements. It is available in transparent and opaque options.

“For decades, the healthcare market has relied on our proven portfolio of medical grade Makrolon® polycarbonates, complemented by customized technical expertise,” said Mark Nichols, healthcare key account manager, ����AV LLC. “Our work with Vaporox demonstrates the value of collaboration as our customers develop and bring truly innovative, game-changing technology to market.

Attendees at , February 6-8 in Anaheim, California, can visit the ����AV booth (#2221) to learn how the company’s materials push boundaries in healthcare applications.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the or read the .
Read our .

Makrolon® is a registered trademark of ����AV Group. VHT® is a registered trademark of Vaporox, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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A common challenge in mechanical ventilation is maintaining synchrony between a patient’s respiratory demand and the ventilator's delivery of air. Patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA) occurs frequently and can lead to ventilator-induced lung injury, patient discomfort, and may increase the risk of death.

is developing the VentRight Monitor (VRM), an airway monitoring medical device, to improve patient care in critical situations requiring mechanical ventilation. The VRM uses multiple sensors and advanced algorithms to accurately identify multiple types of PVA along with clinical decision support to assist providers in effectively managing these PVAs. By offering precise detection and monitoring, the VRM aims to empower healthcare providers in emergency departments, intensive care units and medical transport with the information needed to optimize patient care in real-time. For this innovative technology, ����AV is supplying Certus Critical Care with its Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate, used in the water trap and airway chamber. Makrolon® 2458 offers biocompatibility and impact strength with the appearance of glass, which is necessary in critical care environments. Certus Critical Care also has plans for a supporting monitor, which will use ����AV material for its housing.

Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate is a medical grade thermoplastic material that meets ISO 10993-1 and USP class VI. Available in transparent and translucent colors, this material offers biocompatibility and impact strength with the appearance of glass. Bayblend® M850 XF PC+ABS, a medical grade thermoplastic material, offers rugged durability and high chemical resistance for challenging medical environments.

“The VentRight Monitor is a technological advance that will help answer an unmet need in the healthcare market,” said Mark Nichols, Healthcare Key Account Manager, ����AV LLC. “We are working closely with Certus Critical Care to provide a high-quality, proven material that meets the rigorous requirements of this potentially life-saving product.”

����AV was selected as a partner because of its reputation for producing high-quality, durable engineering plastics, according to Certus Critical Care. ”Their materials not only met but exceeded our needs for durability, resistance to sterilization processes, and compliance with biomedical standards,” said Jared Spendlove, Director of Operations and Manufacturing, Certus Critical Care.

“Utilizing ����AV's materials allowed us to design a product capable of withstanding the demanding conditions of critical care environments, providing a reliable tool for healthcare professionals, and setting a new standard in patient-ventilator monitoring.”

Attendees at , February 6-8 in Anaheim, California, can visit the ����AV booth (#2221) to learn how the company’s materials are pushing boundaries in healthcare applications.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the or read the .
Read our .

Makrolon® and Bayblend® are registered trademarks of ����AV Group.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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Healthcare workers need durable, mobile device cases that can withstand the rigors of daily use, including disinfection, while staying connected to electronic health record systems, secure texting platforms and soft scanning applications. However, many consumer-grade cases are not designed to withstand the disinfectants used to clean hospital surfaces.

offers durable cases designed specifically for the healthcare industry made with ����AV’s Makrolon® polycarbonate, a high-performance material known for its chemical and impact resistance and durability. Beam Mobile offers the only case on the market utilizing plastic that can hold up against hospital-grade cleaners and disinfectants. Additionally, Beam Mobile cases come with a swappable battery to extend battery life for long shifts without the need to take the device out of the case.

“We collaborated throughout the resin selection process to ensure that Makrolon® polycarbonate satisfied the rigorous impact and cleaning resistance required for daily use within the hospital environment,” said David Bowker, Director of Engineering, Beam Mobile. “As a result, Beam Mobile cases are trusted by major hospitals worldwide and provide maximum protection — even withstanding frequent drops and rough handling.”

Makrolon® polycarbonate is exceptionally robust, lightweight and features a range of grades to meet the chemical and disinfectant resistance needs of many medical applications. It is noted above all for its toughness, heat resistance and dimensional stability. It offers the design freedom needed for Beam Mobile’s ergonomic design and suite of products.

“Our Makrolon® polycarbonate is the perfect material for this application, offering excellent impact resistance, and biocompatibility,” said Zachary Williams, Market Development, ����AV LLC. “We are committed to working with innovative companies like Beam Mobile to develop solutions that meet the unique needs of the healthcare industry.”

Attendees at , February 6-8 in Anaheim, California, can visit the ����AV booth (#2221) to learn how the company’s materials are pushing boundaries in healthcare applications.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the or read the .
Read our .

Makrolon® is a registered trademark of ����AV Group

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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New this year is the launch Apec® 2045 polycarbonate. ����AV formulated this polycarbonate grade for higher temperatures in silicone overmolding applications, such as respiratory masks that require a tight seal.

This new offering further expands the company’s portfolio of proven materials for diverse healthcare uses:

• Polycarbonate resins and blends: ����AV’s broad portfolio of medical grade materials including Makrolon®, Bayblend®, Apec® and Makroblend® deliver strength and durability for drug delivery devices, respiratory applications, medical device housings, and more – to withstand the demands of the healthcare industry.
• Polyurethane raw materials and adhesives: Baymedix® polyurethane adhesive and foam components provide excellent breathability and low trauma removal to wound care products, in addition to excellent absorption. In wearables applications, skin-friendly adhesive systems and thermoformable foams for electronic embedding are also available.
• Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films: Platilon® TPU films offer breathability, high elasticity and skin friendliness for advanced wound care solutions and smart patches with printed electronics, and act as a sterile barrier in medical packaging to ensure the integrity of breast or orthopedic implants.

A variety of parts and products made with these materials will be on display, including:

• : Rugged mobile device cases for healthcare settings are made with a chemical- and disinfectant-resistant grade of Makrolon® polycarbonate.
• : The VentRight Monitor, which aims to improve patient care in situations requiring mechanical ventilation, relies on Makrolon® polycarbonate and Bayblend® PC+ABS resin.
• : Makrolon® polycarbonate plays a role in bringing breakthrough wound healing device to market.

Attendees at , February 6-8 in Anaheim, California, can visit the ����AV booth (#2221) to learn how the company’s materials are pushing boundaries in healthcare applications.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the .
Read our .

Apec®, Bayblend®, Baymedix®, Makroblend®, Makrolon®, and Platilon®, are registered trademarks of ����AV Group. VHT® is a registered trademark of Vaporox, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

Editor’s Note: 

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• Combines biocompatibility, heat-resistance, transparency and durability
• Boosts productivity in silicone overmolding applications
• Can contribute to customer sustainability goals

Overmolding polycarbonate with liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is commonly used to produce respiratory masks and other medical devices requiring molded-in seals. Now, ����AV, a leading producer of advanced polymers and high-performance plastics has developed — a copolycarbonate with the highest heat resistance—enabling molders and medical OEMs to significantly slash production time and cost, without sacrificing quality, performance or appearance.

“We work closely with our healthcare customers, and recognized that we could offer a polycarbonate made for highest curing temperatures in silicone overmolding, helping them more than double production volumes in the same amount of time due to shorter cycle times,” said Pierre Moulinie, Global Healthcare Technology Lead, ����AV LLC.

“Our experts provide support every step of the way,” he continued, “helping our customers calculate possible savings when switching to this new high-heat Apec® copolycarbonate grade — for example, simulating material performance in specific applications and calculating cost benefits with our LSR calculator tool.”

In addition to offering high heat resistance and high productivity, Apec® 2045 copolycarbonate offers many other important benefits for this market. These include:

• Durability: Tough engineering plastic with the highest heat resistance in the medical polycarbonate portfolio
• Transparency: Produces transparent parts with high optical clarity
• Biocompatible: Biocompatibility testing according to ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI for contact of 30 days or less
• Sterilizable: Supports sterilization methods most prevalent in the healthcare industry, including irradiation, autoclave and hot air
• Processability: Consistent and efficient processing

Furthermore, using this new material may contribute to customer sustainability goals, as it can enable circular business models by supporting close- and open-loop recycling, as well as the possibility of attributed bio-circular content.

Attendees at , February 6-8 in Anaheim, California, can visit the ����AV booth (#2221) to learn how the company’s materials push boundaries in healthcare applications.

Polycarbonates from ����AV are found in some of modern technology’s most essential medical devices and play a major role in developing next-generation, life-saving technology. Used in applications where strength, clarity and toughness are necessary, polycarbonates from ����AV exemplify the innovation, safety and biocompatibility that healthcare and life sciences designers and manufacturers across the world have come to know and trust. To learn more about how your company can use ����AV’s material expertise to enhance your medical and healthcare manufacturing, visit our .

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at . Read our .

Apec® is a registered trademark of ����AV Group.

Forward-Looking Statements      

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

Editor’s Note: 

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“As a leading global supplier of polycarbonate resins, ����AV offers many channels to market, assuring our customers have access to our broad portfolio of polycarbonate resins and blends,” said George Paleos, vice president, Americas, Business Entity Engineering Plastics, Sales and Market Development, ����AV.

According to Paleos, ����AV’s polycarbonate products are available through authorized national distributors Formerra, LLC (Romeoville, IL) and M. Holland ����AV (Northbrook, IL); as well as a direct sale. Questions should be directed to ����AV account management or can be addressed by phone at +1 412 413 3034.

����AV’s polycarbonate product families are:

• Makrolon® polycarbonate resin: The company’s flagship polycarbonate brand, this versatile high-tech material is used in a broad range of applications, including automotive, medical devices and consumer electronics, to name a few.
• Apec® high-heat polycarbonate resin: This resin has many properties that are similar to those of Makrolon® polycarbonate and is particularly appropriate for applications requiring high temperature resistance, such as automotive lighting, industrial lighting, appliances and medical devices.
• Makroblend® polycarbonate/polyester blend resin: This blend creates a family of ultra-tough materials that can meet demanding physical, chemical, and environmental requirements. Typical applications are found in the electrical/electronic, industrial/mechanical, healthcare and automotive industries.
• Bayblend® polycarbonate/ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) blend resin: This polycarbonate blend exhibits high toughness even at very cold temperatures, rigidity, dimensional stability and easy processing, good color stability in indoor lighting, and good heat resistance. Typical applications include electrical/electronics, medical, consumer and automotive applications.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the .
Read our .

Texin®, Desmopan®, Makrolon®, Apec®, Makroblend® and Bayblend® are registered trademarks of ����AV Group.

Forward-Looking Statements      

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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����AV, a leading manufacturer of high-quality polymers, was also certified as a Top Employer in Germany and China, supporting the company’s mission to Make the World a Brighter Place, including for its employees.

Interested in a career with ����AV? 
Visit U.S. | ����AV Careers | ����AV

“Our people are our most important asset,” says Samir Hifri, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “It is incumbent upon me, my peers in leadership, and our human resources team to ensure that our employees come to a safe workplace, are respected, heard and able to perform to the best of their abilities. One important way in which we accomplish this is through the continuous improvement of our human resource policies and practices.”

The Top Employers Institute program certifies organizations based on their human resources practices, which are evaluated across 20 specific topics, including People Strategy, Work Environment, Wellbeing, and more. ����AV performed strongly in all categories, and exceled in the areas of business strategy, leadership, ethics and integrity, and purpose and values.

“����AV is honored to once again be named a Top Employer in 2024,” said Jennifer Pannill, head of recruiting and employer branding at ����AV LLC. “The certification demonstrates that ����AV’s focus on our workforce makes a valuable impact on our employees’ lives. It also allows ����AV to benchmark our HR practices and better understand what we can do to improve upon our already strong foundation. This knowledge helps strengthen our position as an employer of choice in a highly competitive job market.”

About Top Employers Institute:

is the global authority on recognizing excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Program, participating companies can be validated, certified, and recognized as an employer of choice. In 2024, Top Employers Institute has certified more than 2,300 organizations in 122 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 9 million employees globally.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the . Read our .

Forward-Looking Statements      

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

Editor’s Note: 

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����AV, a global leader in high performance polymers, and Encina, a US-based producer of ISCC PLUS certified circular chemicals, reached a long-term supply agreement for chemically recycled, circular feedstock derived from post-consumer end-of-life plastic. Specifically, Encina will supply ����AV with benzene and toluene pending the completion of Encina’s world-scale production facility, anticipated to come online at the end of 2027.

Building upon previous sustainable sourcing efforts, this marks the first major procurement agreement involving chemically recycled, circular-based raw materials for ����AV, a major step in the company’s journey towards full circularity. It also helps reduce scope 3 emissions for ����AV and its customers.

"The ability to source raw materials from used plastics for the manufacture of our products makes a decisive contribution to realizing our vision of a circular economy," said Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer at ����AV. "This is because such raw materials not only enable the reuse of used plastics, but also have a lower carbon footprint, which leads to more sustainable end products."

Benzene and toluene are important raw materials in ����AV’s manufacturing processes used for the production of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI), respectively. MDI and TDI are critical raw materials used to produce rigid and flexible polyurethane foams, which are used in applications such as household appliance and building insulation as well as furniture and car seats.

Benzene can also be used for the synthesis of phenol and acetone – raw materials for making polycarbonate plastics such as Makrolon®, which are used in high-quality applications for the automotive, electronics, IT and other industries.

Encina’s proven proprietary catalytic technology produces circular feedstock with a lower carbon footprint when compared to those based on fossil fuels and an exceptionally high yield.

"Encina is proud to be working with ����AV, a company with a long track record of innovation and commitment to sustainability. This agreement represents the beginning of what we hope to be a long-standing partnership between our companies as we work to create a truly circular economy and realize a future in which nothing is wasted," said David Roesser, Chief Executive Officer of Encina.

����AV’s vision to become fully circular is predicated on four key drivers: the use of alternative raw materials, innovative recycling and renewable energy, as well as engaging in joint solutions. The agreement with Encina represents a pioneering milestone for incorporating innovative recycling technologies, in this case chemical recycling of end-of-life plastic, into ����AV’s production.

About Encina Development Group, LLC (Encina):

Encina Development Group produces circular chemicals derived from end-of-life plastics previously destined for landfill or incineration. As a producer of ISCC PLUS circular chemicals, Encina’s vision is for a future in which nothing is wasted. Our products provide our customers with the basic chemical building blocks needed to achieve their sustainability goals. Encina’s products enable the production, use and re-use of products across a broad range of industries, including consumer products and packaging, pharmaceuticals, construction and materials, and much more. Encina is based in The Woodlands, Texas. For more information, please visit .

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the . Read our .

Forward-Looking Statements      

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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����AV’s Newark, Ohio, polycarbonate compounding facility has achieved ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification, increasing availability of the company’s mass balanced polycarbonate products in the U.S. This achievement comes on the heels of the certification of ����AV’s Baytown, Texas, facility earlier this year and marks a major step forward in the path towards circularity for polycarbonates in the U.S.

Makrolon® polycarbonate, which is compounded at ����AV’s Newark facility, is a high-grade plastic used in the automotive, electronics and healthcare industries, among others. With its ISCC PLUS certification, the site will now be able to manufacture Makrolon® RE grades, which are renewable attributed products. RE grades are produced using existing infrastructure, can contain up to 89% attributed bio-circular raw materials and have the same physical characteristics of conventional Makrolon® polycarbonate. Makrolon® RE grades are part of ����AV’s broader CQ (circular intelligence) portfolio of products, and the ISCC PLUS certification expands the company’s circular offerings available in the United States.

“This ISCC PLUS accreditation is an important milestone that offers added value to our customers and key industries,” said Samir Hifri, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “����AV’s polycarbonate production in the U.S. is now more sustainable – from sourcing and production in Baytown to compounding the polycarbonate in Newark. Our Makrolon® RE series is a preferred option for customers looking for solutions to reach climate goals.”

Learn more about ����AV’s ISCC PLUS certifications in the U.S.:

/en/company/covestro-worldwide/united-states/covestro-in-the-united-states/sustainability-and-innovation/iscc-plus-certification

����AV’s Newark, Ohio, site is the company’s premier polycarbonate compounding facility in North America and one of six Color Competence and Design Centers globally. The facility, which is home to approximately 150 employees, produces polycarbonate and polycarbonate blends and offers technical expertise in color matching and design.

“Our team in Newark understands the ambitious circularity targets set by ����AV globally,” said Rich Rogers, Newark site manager. “Our employees recognize that we have a key role to play in making our products and production more sustainable. We are excited to contribute to the efforts in advancing ����AV’s circularity journey.”

ISCC PLUS-certified polycarbonates from ����AV’s Newark facility will be produced using a mass-balance approach in the existing production infrastructure, ultimately reducing the carbon footprint of the final product. ����AV could begin supplying select ISCC PLUS-certified products from its Newark facility in 2024.

ISCC is an internationally recognized sustainability certification for biomass and bioenergy. The standard applies to all stages of the value chain and is recognized worldwide.

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at the . Read our .

Forward-Looking Statements      

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

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Today, ����AV announced they have joined forces with KerTec, a premier maintenance services provider for solar parks, to expand the use of ARCA®, ����AV’s retrofit anti-reflective coating solution, in solar parks across North America.

As solar park owners seek new ways to boost performance, ARCA® leverages ����AV’s proprietary core-shell particle technology and decreases the amount of reflected light to capture more solar energy. Since ARCA® has already been utilized in solar parks around the world, KerTec seized the opportunity to work with ����AV.

“We are excited to work with ����AV’s proven coating solution to deliver new value-added services to solar park customers in North America,” says Rhett Kerby, managing partner for KerTec LLC. “At the end of the day, we want solar park owners to get the most out of their solar assets when working with us.”

“����AV’s retrofit anti-reflective coating solution is the next frontier for renewing solar parks in North America,” according to James Wolfe, growth businesses commercial manager at ����AV North America. “When solar park owners ask how they can continue to maximize solar park performance without the challenges of replacing modules, they now have access to ����AV’s retrofit coating solution.”

About ����AV:

����AV is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ����AV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ����AV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). ����AV generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Find more information at or . Read our .

About KerTec, LLC.:

KerTec, LLC. is an environmental reclamation company with a focus on vegetation management and erosion control. With its science-based solutions to environmental problems, KerTec helps keep green energy green. KerTec supports projects across the United States in oil & gas, solar energy, wind energy, and mining industries. KerTec can be engaged in pre-construction, during construction, or O&M phases to aid in the long-term success of any project.

For more information about KerTec, LLC. visit or call (806) 553-0921 or email info@kertecllc.com

ARCA® is a registered trademark of ����AV Group.

Forward-Looking Statements   

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. 

Editor’s Note: 

Follow news from ����AV on Twitter:

����AV LLC, a leading producer of high-performance polymers in North America, announced its designation as a Top Scorer in the 2023 ® (DEI), with a maximum score of 100. This recognition by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN marks ����AV’s third consecutive designation as a Best Places to Work for People with Disabilities.

The DEI measures a wide range of criteria within six categories related to disability equality, including culture and leadership, employment practices, community engagement, enterprise-wide-access and supplier diversity. Previously, ����AV achieved maximum scores in each category, with the exception of enterprise-wide-access. In 2023, the company achieved a maximum score in that category as well.

Work to improve the score began with the company’s CARE (����AV Accessibility Resource Effort) employee resource group. The CARE team, co-led by Jennifer Pannill and Nikki Stewart, aims to foster an environment that supports employees that have a disability, identify as neurodiverse or who are a caregiver for someone with a disability or special needs. The group’s goal is to raise awareness about disabilities – both visible and non-apparent – while also highlighting the unique abilities that people with disabilities possess.

“The Disability Equality Index indicates that we are evolving in the right direction and I’m delighted to see our progress acknowledged,” said Jennifer Pannill, head of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding. “With partnership and support from our IT and training teams, we improved our score in enterprise-wide-access and positively impacted our employees.”

“We are honored to receive a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index,” said Nikki Stewart, lead, HR Practices and Employee Investigations. “We recognize, though, that there is always more that can be done to support our employees, and perspective employees, whether it be education and awareness, increasing allyship or changing corporate policies. We look forward to continuing the great work ����AV is doing around disability inclusion.”

With various agreements in place, ����AV fosters the growth of renewable energy projects around the world. This newest 15-year agreement secures a portion of power from the Mockingbird Solar Center in Lamar County, Texas, marking ����AV’s first renewable energy agreement in the U.S. The vPPA is estimated to offset 70,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually and will reduce the scope 2 emissions from ����AV’s third largest production site, located in Baytown, Texas.

“This important new announcement builds upon ����AV’s existing agreement with Ørsted and clearly signals our commitment to the use of renewable energy,” said Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. “The inclusion of renewable energy to help power our facilities is a critical component to reducing our scope 2 emissions and becoming operationally climate neutral by 2035.”

����AV set itself ambitious climate neutrality goals in 2022. One major lever to reach these goals is energy from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power.

“The vPPA with Ørsted comes on the heels of our recent announcement of ISCC PLUS certification for our production site in Baytown, Texas,” explains Haakan Jonsson, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “These two initiatives represent our focus on sustainability and the strategic path we have set to minimize our carbon footprint across ����AV’s operations in the United States. Cumulatively, projects like this help us realize our path to becoming fully circular.”

One concrete measure on this path is climate neutrality, which includes the switch to power from renewable sources. ����AV relies on agreements with power suppliers to facilitate this transition.

“We are thrilled to help facilitate ����AV’s entry into the U.S. renewable energy market with this newly signed virtual power purchase agreement,” said Monica Testa, Head of Origination at Ørsted. “The Mockingbird Solar Center is a unique project that represents both preservation and progress. The clean energy produced by the solar center will help ����AV to decarbonize its operations, while the habitat supports plant and wildlife biodiversity in the region. We’re proud of the important outcomes this project achieves and look forward to our continued partnership with ����AV.”

Edison Energy worked with ����AV to broker the agreement for the vPPA. Ørsted’s Mockingbird Solar Center will produce enough clean energy to power roughly 80,000 homes and is expected to begin operation in late 2024. At that time, ����AV will start executing on the vPPA, which represents nearly 20% of the Mockingbird Solar Center’s capacity.

In December 2019, ����AV concluded a supply agreement for electricity from offshore wind turbines with energy supplier Ørsted. Starting in 2025, Ørsted will provide green electricity for ten years to supply ����AV’s production sites in Germany, generated in a newly built wind farm off the island of Borkum, Germany. At the end of 2022, ����AV had already covered 12 percent of its global energy requirements with electricity from renewable sources. That figure is expected to rise to 16 to 18 percent in 2023.

At the recent Responsible Care® and Sustainability conference held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the recognized ����AV LLC with a Product Safety Award for its Roadmap for Turning Hazardous Waste into New Products. This award marks the seventh time the company, a leading producer of high-performance polymers, has received the product safety award in recent years, further underlining the company’s commitment to safety.

����AV’s Roadmap for Turning Hazardous Waste into New Products (Roadmap) establishes a formal process to identify, evaluate and implement projects designed to repurpose previously discarded hazardous waste streams in the production of new products. The Roadmap, which includes a series of well-defined checks and balances, including formal reviews of safety and regulatory frameworks, also supports the company’s vision for circularity by reusing waste to create new products.

“����AV’s new Roadmap streamlines the regulatory process, making it easier to transition ideas for waste reuse into reality,” said Lisa Marie Nespoli, senior manager of product safety and stewardship.

Through the use of the Roadmap, ����AV is able to identify and evaluate projects based on their viability and adherence to strict safety and regulatory criteria across three primary areas, which include:

• Identification of a customer or collaborator that will safely use the product as a substitute in its process;
• Evaluation of the new product and application to ensure it does not increase the hazard profile of the original material;
• Documentation of the application under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recycling Legitimacy Criteria.

“Safety has always been a core tenet of our business,” said Haakan Jonsson, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “This award shows our forward thinking, combining our commitment to safety with our vision to become fully circular. Preventing hazardous waste from being discarded and safely turning it into new products is a critical piece of the circular economy, and we now have a process to make it a reality.”

����AV has already implemented several projects in the United States using the new Roadmap and intends to expand the program throughout the company.

In recognition of her leadership and contributions to the manufacturing industry, ����AV LLC employee Diana Kelley was selected as a recipient of the “Women MAKE Awards,” presented by The Manufacturing Institute (MI).

The Women MAKE Awards (WMA) is the nation’s marquee program designed to close the gender gap in manufacturing and honor women and their achievements at all levels of the manufacturing industry – from the factory floor to the c-suite. WMA works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation.

On April 20, the MI recognized 130 recipients of the Women MAKE Awards in Washington, D.C. The evening highlighted each Honoree and Emerging Leader’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.

“Diana is a great ambassador for ����AV, both within the company and through her engagement in the community. She has made significant contributions to the success of our business, while simultaneously helping shape the future for other ����AV employees,” said ����AV LLC chairman and president, Haakan Jonsson. “Diana is well-deserving of this national recognition, and we are proud of her leadership and its impact on the next generation of women that we want in our workforce.”

Kelley is a globally-recognized, senior research and development scientist, working at ����AV’s North American headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. Her work in emissions testing contributes to navigating and managing climate change, and her support of emission quality control for product formulations has led to expanded collaborations with key customers, yielding increased sales. Kelley’s expertise and leadership also extends into her relationships with ����AV colleagues, as well as her Pittsburgh community. She helps teach leadership skills and public speaking to members of ����AV Toastmasters, and ignites young women’s passion for STEM through various volunteer programs including Greenlight for Girls, Carnegie Science Center, local elementary schools and during the Lending Hearts 4th Annual Kites Take Flight for Childhood Cancer event.

“The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisis, and women are the industry’s largest talent opportunity; bringing just 6% more women into manufacturing would fill all open jobs in the sector today,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “That is exactly why the Women MAKE Awards are so important and powerful. These are the women who will inspire our next generation of female talent to pursue a career in this industry.”

• ����AV’s third-largest site, Baytown, Texas, USA receives ISCC PLUS certification
• Focus on mass balanced products using recycled and bio-attributed raw materials
• Already hundreds of products made from alternative raw materials in the circular "CQ" portfolio

With the ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification of its production site in Baytown, Texas (USA), ����AV is significantly expanding the reach of its product portfolio for the circular economy. The Baytown site is the company's largest operating facility in North and South America and its third-largest production site worldwide. This most recent achievement is significant, with all of ����AV's major sites now certified by the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard. In addition to Baytown, certified sites include Leverkusen, Dormagen, Krefeld-Uerdingen (Germany), Shanghai (China), Changhua (Taiwan), Map Ta Phut (Thailand), Antwerp (Belgium) and Filago (Italy).

"Thanks to this new milestone, ����AV will soon be able to serve even more customers around the world with an easily accessible, more sustainable product portfolio," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of ����AV. "Customers in North America can now reduce their carbon footprint and Scope 3 emissions with drop-in, mass-balanced materials derived from recycled and bio-attributed products."

Learn more about ����AV’s ISCC PLUS certification in the U.S.:

/en/company/covestro-worldwide/united-states/covestro-in-the-united-states/sustainability-and-innovation/iscc-plus-certification

����AV is the first manufacturer of polyurethane and polycarbonate raw materials to receive this certification in the United States. The certification is an important milestone for both ����AV and the industries it serves, including the automotive, construction, comfort, electronics and appliance industries, which will now have access to ISCC PLUS-certified products made from more sustainable raw materials in North America.

To underscore how the products support both the company’s vision to become fully circular and its customers' journey to greater sustainability, ����AV has introduced a specially branded product line with the suffix "CQ." CQ, which stands for “Circular Intelligence,” is a portfolio of products with attribution of at least 25 percent alternative raw materials derived from biomass or recycled plastics.

����AV is also introducing the name Evocycle® CQ for all evolutionary recycling processes. The first project of this kind, currently focused in Europe, is called Evocycle® CQ Mattress and denotes an innovative chemical recycling technology for polyurethane mattress foam. The company currently has hundreds of CQ products and is continuously expanding this portfolio.

The ISCC PLUS certified products produced at ����AV’s Baytown facilities will include:

• Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) – used primarily in the production of rigid polyurethane foam for efficient insulation of refrigeration equipment and buildings
• Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) – used in the production of flexible foam for the automotive and furniture industries
• Makrolon® RE – polycarbonate, a high-grade plastic used in the automotive, electronics and medical industries, among others
• Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), Desmodur® W and Desmodur® Z – used in various coatings and adhesive applications

����AV expects to begin supplying select ISCC PLUS-certified products from its Baytown facility in the second half of 2023.

The products will be produced using a mass-balance approach. Sustainable raw materials will be accounted for throughout both the value chain and production process, allowing for an accurate attribution to the end products. The existing production infrastructure will be utilized while reducing the carbon footprint of the final products.

ISCC is an internationally recognized sustainability certification for biomass and bioenergy. The standard applies to all stages of the value chain and is recognized worldwide.

Dermadry offers three tailored TWI solutions to treat the areas most commonly affected by hyperhidrosis: the hands, feet, and underarms. Through extensive research, Dermadry found existing treatment devices were complicated to use, took up a lot of space, and looked too technical. With its latest iteration, Dermadry set out to design a user-friendly, ergonomic and aesthetically appealing device. The all-in-one Dermadry Total machine addresses these while halting sweat production by using the passage of mild electrical current through tap water to disrupt the signal between the nerves and sweat glands. The device’s treatment trays that utilize ����AV polycarbonate are designed to make iontophoresis treatment easier and more comfortable for the user, and can also be interlocked, forming a convenient, compact storage case for all device pieces.

Dermadry evaluated several different materials for the treatment trays, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polypropylene, before choosing Makrolon® 2458 polycarbonate from ����AV—a leading producer of advanced polymers and high-performance plastics in the United States and around the world.

Dermadry found that this medical polycarbonate grade offers the required physical properties, including excellent impact resistance, clarity, quality and biocompatibility —complemented by the strong aesthetics required for this application — a glossy finish and ergonomic design.

“We sought a biocompatible material for intact skin, beyond the standard properties of polycarbonate resins. Thanks to Makrolon®, Dermadry was able to design a product that evokes wellness and offers a soothing experience,” said Mathieu Mireault, Marketing Director, Dermadry. “����AV’s excellent reputation, and ISO10993 testing, sealed the decision.”

In fact, healthcare device and equipment manufacturers have relied on high-quality materials from ����AV for more than 50 years. ����AV offers a broad portfolio of biocompatible, medical-grade products proven across a wide range of applications, from IV access components and surgical instruments to drug delivery solutions.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to know ����AV materials are making a positive difference in people’s lives,” said Anthony Leo, Business Development Manager, ����AV LLC. “We’re honored to have earned the confidence and trust of Dermadry, and in doing so, playing a role in filling a real need in the market.”

To learn more about how your company can use ����AV’s material expertise to enhance your medical device manufacturing, visit our .

_{Makrolon® is a registered trademark of ����AV Group.}

To meet these challenges, ����AV, a leading producer of advanced polymers and high-performance plastics in the United States and around the world, developed Makrolon® 3638 polycarbonate. This new material features multiple benefits, including:

• Durability from cryogenic to steam sterilization conditions with high impact strength and ductility
• Best-in-class chemical resistance to everyday chemicals
• Limited medical grade with biocompatibility testing according to USP Class I, ISO 10993-5 and ISO 10993-10 and meets the requirements for skin contact applications
• Food contact quality
• Ability to be sterilized using methods most prevalent in the healthcare industry
• Design freedom for applications that are tough and transparent, yet attractive
• Consistent and efficient processing for both injection and blow molding methods

"Every day, the healthcare and life sciences industries are hard at work delivering new life-enhancing and life-saving devices and therapies. We recognized the opportunity to meet a need by offering a tailored material with the property profile desired for these rigorous applications," said Emily Shaffer, Americas healthcare marketing manager, Engineering Plastics, ����AV LLC. Shaffer points out that by harnessing its global resources, ����AV is able to provide its medical-grade polycarbonates wherever they are needed all over the world. "This global availability, combined with our robust portfolio and technical expertise is why we’ve been a supplier of choice to the healthcare industry for more than 50 years," she concluded.

It is ����AV’s aim to become fully circular. Shaffer notes this material can enable circular business models by supporting closed- and open-loop recycling. It can also contribute to a lower carbon footprint with the possibility for attributed bio-circular content.

Polycarbonates from ����AV are found in some of modern technology’s most essential medical devices and play a major role in the development of next-generation, life-saving technology. Used in applications where strength, transparency and toughness are necessary, polycarbonates from ����AV exemplify the innovation, safety and biocompatibility that healthcare and life sciences designers and manufacturers across the world have come to know and trust. To learn more about how your company can use ����AV’s material expertise to enhance your medical and healthcare manufacturing, visit our .

Interested in a career with ����AV? Visit U.S. | ����AV Careers | ����AV

“When it comes to our employees and their work experience, we strive to provide an atmosphere in which employees are valued, are integral to the corporate culture and understand how they directly contribute to the company’s goals,” said Jennifer Pannill, head of recruiting and employer branding at ����AV LLC. “An important way that we do this is through our dedication to best-in-class Human Resource policies and practices.”

That sentiment is backed up by the Top Employer data, with ����AV exceeding benchmark results in the areas of business strategy, wellbeing, recognition, values, integrity, sustainability and many others.

“A company’s success is directly correlated to the people who work behind the scenes every day,” says Haakan Jonsson, chairman and president of ����AV LLC. “My job, and that of human resources and other company leaders, is to make sure all of our employees have a safe, productive and rewarding workplace. That is essential to the fabric of our culture and organization, and while there is always room for improvement, the Top Employer award shows we are making big strides.”

About Top Employers Institute:

Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognising excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Programme, participating companies can be validated, certified, and recognised as an employer of choice. Established over 30 years ago, Top Employers Institute has certified 2 052 organisations in 121 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 9.5 million employees globally.

Top Employers Institute. For a better world of work.

“I’m both humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead and work alongside the talented U.S. team, as we continue to advance the company’s vision of becoming fully circular,” said Hifri. “In some ways, I feel as though as my own career has come full circle, as this next chapter brings me back to Pittsburgh, where my ����AV journey first began.”

Click here to read Hifri’s biography:

Hifri joined the company in 1998 as a commercial trainee at ����AV’s U.S. headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa. Since then, he has led a diverse career spanning product management, sales & marketing, supply chain and country management – a path that has taken him to 10 ����AV sites across six countries and three continents. Hifri currently serves a dual role as the senior vice president and managing director of ����AV Hong Kong, as well as head of the Supply Chain & Logistics Center for the Asia Pacific region.

Hifri graduated from Duquesne University with a bachelor’s degree in international finance, and he also holds an executive degree from INSEAD in France. Hifri is married with four children, and, in addition to his professional responsibilities, remains active in a number of community and academic functions.

“With his passion for people, deep knowledge of ����AV’s global business and strong ties to America, Samir is well suited to lead the U.S. organization into the future,” said Thomas Toepfer, CFO at ����AV and member of the Board of Management.

“On behalf of the Board of Management, I want to exend my congratulations to Samir and also to recognize Haakan for his many contributions to ����AV. Haakan steered the U.S. organization through one of the most challenging and transformative periods in our history, while continuing to foster a more diverse, inclusive and innovative culture.”

Since joining the company as a scientist in 1992, Jonsson has led a distinguished career paved with more than 20 patents and leadership roles spanning innovation, supply chain and production operations. He assumed his current role in January 2020, quickly having to shift gears from the normal course of business to safely sustaining U.S. operations in the face of a global pandemic. This was one of many achievements marking Jonsson’s tenure – an era that also oversaw the U.S. integration of the resins and functional materials business (acquired from DSM) and the launch of the ����AV Circular Economy Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Through it all, Jonsson remained an actively engaged board member serving numerous organizations across the Pittsburgh community and broader U.S. chemical industry.

“I’ve been fortunate to have led a long, fulfilling career with ����AV, which culminated in the ultimate privilege of leading the first-class team here in the U.S.,” said Jonsson. “As my own ����AV journey comes to a close, I am confident that the U.S. organization will continue to grow and thrive under Samir’s capable leadership.”

����AV’s U.S. presence includes roughly 2,700 employees and 13 site locations across the states of Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia. The U.S. business represents approximately 25 percent of global ����AV sales.