Evonik sells Indonesian betaines business to Aekyung Chemical, advancing shift toward sustainable specialty chemicals

Evonik sells Indonesian betaines business to Aekyung Chemical, advancing shift toward sustainable specialty chemicals

(IN BRIEF) Evonik has sold its betaines production site in Bekasi, Indonesia, to Aekyung Chemical Co., Ltd., furthering its transformation into a sustainable specialty chemicals provider. The sale includes the entire PT Evonik Sumi Asih joint venture and its 60 employees. This move follows similar divestments in the U.S. and U.K. as Evonik continues to shift its Care Solutions portfolio away from traditional surfactants toward sustainable, high-growth areas such as biosurfactants and cosmetic active ingredients. Head of Care Solutions, Ute Schick, highlighted the move as part of Evonik’s long-term commitment to combining sustainability and performance across its product lines.

(PRESS RELEASE) JAKARTA, 3-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Evonik is taking another decisive step in reshaping its Care Solutions portfolio toward sustainable specialty ingredients with the sale of its betaines business in Bekasi, Indonesia, to Aekyung Chemical Co., Ltd., one of South Korea’s leading chemical companies. The transaction, completed jointly with Evonik’s partner PT Sumi Asih, includes 100% of the PT Evonik Sumi Asih joint venture, encompassing management, operations, assets, and approximately 60 employees.

“Our site in Bekasi has played a key role in expanding our life sciences businesses across Asia-Pacific,” said Ute Schick, Head of Evonik’s Care Solutions business line. “As our focus shifts toward sustainable specialties – such as our investments in biosurfactants – this divestment aligns with our strategic direction.”

Evonik has long been a major global player in the betaines market, with these amphoteric surfactants widely used in shampoos, conditioners, skincare products, and other personal care and household formulations. Over the last 15 years, however, Evonik’s Care Solutions business has been steering its portfolio toward eco-friendly, high-value ingredients that bridge sustainability and performance. The sale of the Bekasi operation marks a continuation of this transformation, enabling the company to reinvest in fast-growing, sustainable segments like cosmetic actives and biosurfactants.

The Bekasi divestment follows previous steps in the same strategic direction, including the sale of Evonik’s Hopewell (USA) betaines business in 2022 and its Milton Keynes (UK) site in 2020, alongside the consolidation of European operations in Essen, Germany. Together, these transactions underscore Evonik’s transition away from conventional betaine assets to strengthen its innovation-led, sustainability-focused specialty chemicals portfolio.

Located about 20 kilometers east of Jakarta, the Bekasi site produces betaines and esters, serving regional and international markets with a strong logistics position in Southeast Asia. With Aekyung Chemical now assuming full ownership, the site is expected to continue contributing to the region’s growing demand for personal care and consumer product ingredients.

Media contact:

Nadine Neureiter
Head of Market Communications Care Solutions
Spoken languages: german , english , french
+49 174 9921240

Dr. Jürgen Krauter
Head of Market Communications
Spoken languages: german , english
+49 6181 59-6847

SOURCE: Evonik