ANNUAL REPORT 2015

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 INDUSTRIES EFTA00598642 Key figures for the Evonik Group Key figures in million 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Sates 14,540 13,365 12,708 12,917 13,507 Adjusted EBITDA' 2,768 2,467 1,995 1,882 2,465 Adjusted EBITDA margin 19.0 18.5 15.7 14.6 18.2 Adjusted EBIT° 2,099 1,887 1,404 1,256 1,752 ROCE` in % 18.7 20.4 15.1 12.5 16.6 Net Income 1,011 1,165 2,054 568 991 Adjusted net Income 1,256 1,076 806 782 1,128 Earnings per share in 2.17 2.50 4.41 1.73 1.22 2.13 Adjusted earnings per share in 2.70 2.31 1.68 2.42 Total assets as of December 31 16,944 17,166 15,883 15,685 17,005 Equity ratio as of December 31 in% 35.8 31.9 43.0 41.6 44.6 Cash ow from operating activities 1,309 1,420 1,055 1,066 1,971 Capital expenditures ° 830 960 1,140 1,123 877 Depreciation and amortization d 647 580 585 606 700 Net nand& debt/assets as of December 31 843 1,163 571 400 1,098 No. of employees as of December 31 33,556 33,298 33,650 33,412 33,576 Figures for 2012 and 2013 contain the former Real Estate segment as a diso:ntinued operation. 2014 figures restated. Earnings before financial result, taxes, depreciation and amortization, after adrustments. b Earnings before financial result and taxes, after arnustrnents. < Return on capital employed. 4 Intangible assets. property, plant, equipment and investment property. Due to rounding, sane figures in this report may not add up exactly to the totals stated. Sales by region' Other 3% Germany 10% Central and South America 7% Other European Countries 31% North America 20% • Elylocation of customer. Nutrition & Care Key figures in million 2015 2014 External sales 4,924 4,075 Adjusted EBITDA 1,435 847 Adjusted EBITDA margin In % 29.1 20.8 Adjusted EBIT 1,214 685 ROCE In % 41.5 27.1 No. of employees 7,165 6,943 Prior-year figures restated. Resource Efficiency Key figures in million 2015 2014 External sales 4,279 4,040 Adjusted EBITDA 896 836 Adjusted EBITDA margin in % 20.9 20.7 Adjusted EBIT 675 642 ROCE In % 24.8 25.9 No. of employees 8,662 7,835 prior-year figures restated. Performance Materials Key figures in million 2015 2014 External sales 3,435 3,827 Adjusted EBITDA 309 325 Adjusted EBITDA margin in % 9.0 8.5 Adjusted EBIT 174 204 ROCE In % 11.9 14.6 No. of employees 4,380 4,353 prior-year figures restated. EFTA00598643 EFTA00598644 6 HER MOM'S THINKING: Doesn't she look sweet? When she grows up, she'll be a movie star! HER BROTHER'S THINKING: Hey, that's my shovel! EFTA00598645 bse AKieflerte "1 tur 'ma. ' • • • ft r $ t 01 OIS ta cp. • t AT I • SeEittorig • ts" • . t&.H. 4,...400~0010.01SOMbil.."- „tar, .5 Mr. • OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: That's really impressive! Even though that diaper is so thin, it can absorb and contain liquid that's many times its own weight. I bet it could absorb all the Water in the wading pool! 7 EFTA00598646 8 NUTRITION& CARE THE INNOVATIVE CORE Today baby diapers are a high-tech product that's attracting new customer groups all he world. Companies are therefore competing more fiercely to make the best diapers. Evonik supplies the key ingre- dient and special know-how to stay in the running. Away from cotton and cellulose, toward superabsorbing polymers: That would be a good way to describe the development of modern diapers—but it wouldn't even be close to the whole story. Since the 1980s, when diaper manufacturers started using superabsorbers, there have been transformations on babies' changing tables and in this fiercely competitive market. Today superabsorbers of the latest generation can absorb 500 times their own weight in liquid. Almost every diaper manufactured today contains a few grams of these granulates. And the granu- late in every fifth diaper comes from Evonik Industries. A great deal of know-how has led to modern diapers and their superabsorbers. Back in the early 1980s, the first-generation superabsorbers merely absorbed liquid especially well and then retained it under pressure. Second-generation superabsorbers could expand against pressure—that is, even when the baby was sitting on the diaper. In the third generation the transport of liquid was optimized, so that the entire diaper could be used even if it didn't contain much cellulose. Today the primary goal is to make diapers that absorb liquid even faster and require even less material to guarantee long-lasting dryness. That's why Evonik is continuing to do research aimed at finding new and improved superabsorbers, and why it's analyzing diaper designs from all over the world in its application laboratories. Why is it expending so much effort? Because of a demanding and steadily growing group of customers —not the children themselves, but their parents. From Shanghai to Sao Paulo, a growing middle class with increasing disposable income is buying more and more modern diapers that promise dry baby bottoms, quieter nights and happier children. As a result, diaper manufacturers in new markets are competing to win over a growing number of customers. Increasing prosperity and rising local birthrates are driving this business. Whereas the diaper market in Western Europe and North America is growing by less than two percent, and in Japan incontinence products and baby diapers are being sold in equal numbers, the rest of the Asian market is growing by about eight percent annually—and the Chinese market is increasing by an impressive ten percent a year. In these growth markets the manufacturers are trying to beat the competition by means of clever marketing and especially high-quality diapers. In many cases, the keys to success are materials that are very similar to textiles and powerful superabsorbers that make diapers even thinner and more absorbent. Children enjoy the wearing comfort, and parents enjoy having to change diapers less often. Manufacturers and dealers benefit too, because thinner diapers take up less of the fiercely contested space on supermarket shelves. And the environment also benefits, because more diapers fit into each delivery truck. In general, the environmental balance sheet is playing an increasingly important role for the customers and manufacturers of consumer goods. Evonik is therefore continuing to work on environmental issues and giving its customers extensive information about its products' CO2 footprint, which has shrunk by 15 percent in the past four years. Thanks in part to yet another hidden piece of high tech in every fifth diaper that is sold. Baby diapers are the biggest market for superabsorbers, followed by incontinence and hygiene products. But superab- sorbers can do much more: They protect undersea cables from invasive seawater. And they absorb and bind the moisture that forms inside the packaging of poultry, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. These foods stay fresh longer. As water storage media in the soil, superabsorbers also make reliable harvests possible even in regions with a dry climate. EFTA00598647 9 IP Even though it's not always obvious, diapers are a high-tech product. We provide the core ingredient and the key know-how. STEFAN NOWICKI Strategic Marketing Director Bay Cate Burinen Line PP EFTA00598648 10 THE POLICEMAN'S THINKING: That's a novel way to slow down traffic. THE SHEEPDOG'S THINKING: Woof, woo/7 EFTA00598649 11 allOUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: It shows that there are situations where even the most modern, fuel- efficient, and environmentally friendly lightweight engineering is useless. SI EFTA00598650 12 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY FAR-REACHING CHANGES New materials and manufacturing methods are making vehicles not only lighter but also better. Solutions from Evonik will make just about every car more efficient in the future. The automotive industry currently faces major challeng- es, as legislators and associations around the world are mandating that vehicles should be made more efficient as part of the effort to combat climate change. In other words, mobility must become cleaner and more econom- ical. At the same time, drivers continue to demand a level of comfort and safety that requires the inclusion of more and more equipment and systems. For decades, this led to an increase in vehicle weight with every new model generation, and this development basically negated the numerous advances that had been made with efficient drive systems, improved aerodynamics, and cleaner fuels. A broad range of innovations is needed to ensure that ever more sophisticated equipment can be efficiently put on the road. Such innovations involve everything from lightweight designs and materials to more efficient powertrains. As a specialist for exceptionally high-per-formance materials, Evonik offers solutions in just about every area here. For example, the company has devel- oped joining technology systems that use very powerful adhesives instead of weld seams, bolts, and rivets. This not only improves bonds between various materials such as metals and plastics; it also makes possible completely new component concepts and enables thinner materials to be used to achieve the same degree of component strength, which also reduces weight. Evonik supplies additives for the special adhesives needed here and also offers a hot melt adhesive system that withstands high stress loads and can thus meet the strictest safety requirements in crash tests. Plastics are playing an increasingly important role in efforts to make mobility more efficient. They can be used in place of heavier metal parts and also enable the creation of new functions. Even components such as air intake pipes, which are mounted close to the engine and exposed to high levels of stress, can now be manu- factured using temperature -resistant high-performance plastics from Evonik. In this case, the weight benefit is accompanied by an optimized air flow. EFTA00598651 13 Modern low rolling-resistance tires offer an important efficiency benefit today. These tires contain the silica-silane system from Evonik, which reduces rolling resistance even as it ensures optimal traction on wet roads. The result: longer range and lower fuel consumption and emissions. Evonik is also conducting practical tests with many other solutions—for example, in an ultra-lightweight sports car Evonik designed with Roding Automobile, a small-batch manufacturer from Bavaria. The vehicle is being used to test materials for composites, structural foams, plastic glazing, and oil additives under tough racing conditions. At the same time, new series production processes are needed if racing innovations are to be transferred to the mass market. Evonik has already accomplished a great deal in this regard with composites. For example, re- searchers in Evonik's Composites Project House have developed systems and processes that enable composites to be manufactured more quickly and simply, and less expensively. In the course of their work, they also com- bined properties that were long considered impossible for plastic materials. This feat was achieved with new combinations of polymers, crosslinkers, and catalysts, for example, and it ensures that the potential of composites can be exploited more effectively. However, lightweight design alone is not enough to make cars significantly more climate-friendly. In particular, the powertrain—where up to 20 percent of a vehicle's ener- gy is lost—needs to be optimized. Evonik is currently establishing a center of competence for such optimization. The facility will channel key areas of expertise at the Group to develop new powertrain technologies. For example, plastics and new coatings in transmissions, combined with specially optimized lubricant additives, could help reduce the loss of engine performance during vehide operation. Even with 130 years of development experience, there's still plenty of potential for improving automobiles. The road to climate-friendly mobility will be marked not so much by leaps in technology as by the combination of a large number of individual improvements. Evonik, with its innovations for everything from vehicle roofs to tires, fuels, lubricants, and paints, is present just about every- where in automobiles, which means the company is well equipped to participate in every step of the problem's solution. ii More varied materials are being used in cars —and not just because of lightweight design. We offer solutions that enhance efficiency in numerous ways. ECKART MAN I lead or the Automotive IndustriesTeam (AIT) at Evonik Industries IP EFTA00598652 14 THE ART LOVER'S THINKING. THE SCHOOLGIRL'S THINKING, Fantastic! Why can't Incredible! That painting is __... I paint like that? older than my parents! EFTA00598653 17 Hair care is a business that also involves emotions. We enable our customers to fulfill very individual needs in terms of hair care and beauty. DR. WOLFGANG GOMM Global Business Director Specialties & Business Director BMA Personal Care Business Line Brazil, Singapore, and China in order to develop new and more precise solutions, such as special formulations, that meet local customers specific needs. In addition to the familiar hair needs, new consumer de- mands must also be taken into account. For example, the latest products also protect the hair from ultraviolet ra- diation and other external influences, thanks to additives from Evonik. This feature is increasingly demanded by customers in China's megacities and elsewhere. There's also a global trend toward natural raw materials, as well as concerns about specific ingredients that are under scrutiny even if the reasons are not always scientifically justified. Brazilian people love natural extracts, while many people of the Asian population are buying more and more silicone-free products and people from France tend to choose products without parabens. Evonik follows a clear strategy in achieving sustainable targets and creating solutions for our customers. Natural raw materials in hair and body care products are very popular. Consumers are increasingly making sure the products they buy are sustain- ably produced. Accordingly, Evonik has some of the production plants for cosmetics ingredients certified— for example, according to the standard of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). EFTA00598654 16 THE GIRLFRIEND'S THINKING: Always eating fries and still so slim—how does she do it?! THE CAR LOVER'S THINKING: No eating in my car! EFTA00598655 19 !1 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: ...we'll take the used grease for the French fries to make biodiesel— that's good for the environment and there's no need to grow extra canola. EFTA00598656 20 PERFORMANCE MATERIALS As a world market leader, we contribute to the conservation of resources with our alkoxides. HENRIK HELLMANNS I lead of the Alkox Ides Product line 9! FROM DEEP-FRYING FAT TO BIODIESEL Alkoxides act as catalysts that help to convert natural oils and fats into biodiesel. Evonik's specialty products make it possible to use highly sustainable raw materi- als more extensively. They're greasy and not very healthy, really—but hardly anyone can resist a portion of crispy French fries. What many people don't know is that the deep-frying fat they're made in can be reused in a productive way. How- ever, this fact might soon become common knowledge, because such grease is a perfect raw material for the large•scale production of environmentally and dimate- friendly biofuels for automobiles. biodiesel made from old cooking oils and other waste products produces 80 percent lower emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide than does diesel from fossil sources. Moreover, the supply of old cooking oils seems virtually inexhaust- ible. For example, Germany's restaurants alone produce around 200,000 tons of used grease per year and private households offer similar potential. Although most biofuels today are based on renewable raw materials such as rapeseed or soybean, the use of waste•based biodiesel has expanded rapidly over the last few years. For example, the share of biodiesel raw mate- rials accounted for by used cooking oils and other waste has nearly doubled since 2011. The European Union is also supporting the use of biofuels made from waste products because, unlike raw materials that are especially cultivated for fuel applications, such products do not take up fields that could otherwise be used to grow food crops. Moreover, the recyclability of such waste products means their use can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The importance of waste•based biofuels continues to grow even in Brazil and the USA, both of which produce large amounts of soybean. Companies around the world that produce biodiesel use alkoxides from Evonik Industries. Here, sodium methylate and potassium methylate serve as catalysts for the transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats that is needed to produce biodiesel. Sodium methylate is the most extensively used catalyst worldwide and has been successfully supporting the production of biodiesel from renewable raw materials for many years now. Potassium methylate is the catalyst of EFTA00598657 21 choice for the production of biodiesel from used cooking oils. That's because such oils contain a high share of free fatty acids that form a soap residue, which makes the manufacturing process more difficult. However, the use of potassium methylate leads to the formation of potassium soaps, which are easier to manage. The production pro- cess with potassium methylate is therefore more robust, yields are higher, and the quality of the resulting biodiesel is better. I Evonik supplies its high-perfor- mance alkoxides to numerous growth markets. The products are utilized in the pharma- ceutical industry, for example, in order to synthesize active ingredients. They can also be found in health care products such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fish oil capsules. Potassium methylate might actually be on the verge of a spectacular career, as a study has shown that many other types of waste materials could be used to produce biofuels. If all such waste in the European Union were to be converted into biofuels, the resulting volume would cover around 16 percent of the entire fuel requirement in the EU by 2030. This would also make it possible to lower fossil fuel consumption by up to 37 million tons per year— which would be a real treat for the environment as well. EFTA00598658 THE MANAGER'S THINKING: When I was a little boy, I dreamed of being a cowboy too. THE STUDENT'S THINKING: That's weird. Why is this making me think of a cigarette ad? EFTA00598659 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: Worldwide meat consumption is still increasing. We urgently need to do something to make meat production more friendly to climate and the environment. EFTA00598660 24 NUTRITION& CARE IT'S ALL IN THE MIX Adding correctly dosed amino acids from Evonik to animal feed makes meat production more efficient and more environmentally friendly. But the Group's animal feed experts are delivering far more than these valuable nutrients in themselves. In agricultural meat production, everything revolves around livestock and animal feed. Animal feed accounts for between 60 and 70 percent of the total cost of meat production, and it also accounts for most of its environ- mental footprint. For example, the cultivation of pro- tein-rich fodder plants such as soybeans requires vast amounts of arable land, while other protein sources such as fish meal are accelerating overfishing in the oceans. If animals are not optimally metabolizing their feed, much of it is excreted without being used. The additional animal waste pollutes water sources, among other things, and it also wastes environmental as well as economic resources. Today farmers and feed producers are responding to this challenge by adjusting the nutrients in their animal feed to precisely meet the needs of particular animal species. Essential amino acids are an important aspect of this effort. Amino acids are among the basic building blocks of all living things. Human beings and animals need to take in amino acids through the food they consume. However, amino acids are optimally metabolized only if they are consumed in the right mixing ratio. In order to constantly guarantee the correct mixing ratio for every animal spe- cies and every fodder plant in spite of natural fluctuations, expert knowledge is required. Evonik Industries therefore supplies not only the four most important amino acids for animal feed but also com- plete systems for their targeted dosing. To accomplish this, the Group also employs its own animal feed spe- cialists and carries out cooperative research with around three dozen universities and research institutes all over the world. The objective of this research is to find out what pigs, chickens, dairy cows, fish, and shrimps each require in order to thrive. After all, every animal species, every farming method, and every new breed has different requirements. In order to apply this knowledge in practice, Evonik supports all wholesale producers of mixed animal feed, for example through special analyses, consultation, and dosing systems. For example, on behalf of its customers Evonik is using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) to regularly check the actual nutrient content of well over 100 different raw materials for animal feed that are sold all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of such analyses are integrated into Evonik's advisory service. Whether it's Pekin ducks, brood carp or shrimps, Evonik knows the optimal amino acid profile for almost every animal species and has a number of specialized products in its port- folio. Dairy cows, for example benefit from Nlepron2, a methi- onine product that was developed especially for the digestive tract of these ruminants. It moves through the cow's rumen without decomposing and thus can be utilized especially well. EFTA00598661 25 66 We supply a package solution consisting of product and service. That's the only way our customers, and ultimately their animals, can optimally utilize the feed. PP STEFAN MACK Head of the nlethionine &Derivatives Product Line Evonik employees provide on-site consultation in 120 countries—wherever raw materials for animal feed grow and meat is produced. Together with their custom- ers, they look at the actual nutrient content of animal feed, the animals' requirements, current feed prices on the world market, and recently also the environmental footprint, in order to determine how to mix the optimal animal feed in terms of nutritional biology, cost-effective- ness, and environmental friendliness. - The addition of between a few hundred grams and a few kilograms of methionine, lysine, threonine or tryptophan per ton of feed makes a crucial difference. That's why the dosage should be extremely precise so that valuable nutrients are not wasted once again. Here too, Evonik is a leader when it comes to customer service. For example, it provides dosing systems for its customers mixing operations to make sure the feed always contains exactly the nutrients the animals need. EFTA00598662 26 S THESTUDENT'S THINKING: How can a person be so awake at 7:30 .?! THE GRANDMOTHER'S THINKING: Now you can see what I used to go through! EFTA00598663 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: Someone's had a good night's sleep! Latex mattresses are not only robust but also ideally suited for many different kinds of sleepers—even people with allergies. EFTA00598664 28 PERFORMANCE MATERIALS BETTER BEDDING More affordable, more ergonomic, and even more sustainable —latex mattresses based on Evonik products promise more comfortable sleep even for demanding sleepers. They also apply a chemical by- product useful and efficiently. We spend about a third of our lives in bed. That's already reason enough to select materials carefully when you're buying a mattress. After all, the wrong choice can cause countless problems. If you're allergic to house dust, you'll suffer from irritation of the eyes and the respiratory tract; if you're sensitive to cold, you'll shiver throughout the winter; and if you have back problems, you'll be kept awake by pain or wake up with stiff muscles. And if you're overweight, you'll tend to sink into your mattress instead of relaxing on top of it. A latex mattress can help you avoid all of these problems. However, natural latex is expensive, and some of the regions where latex-producing rubber trees are grown are under criticism because rain forests are being logged EFTA00598665 29 For decades, butadiene has been an important raw material in the tire, paper, and plastic industries. The demand for synthetic rubber will boost growth. DR. GERHARD HIMMEL Vire President Marketing & Sales, Rubber & Plasiles Marketing Area, Performance Intermediates Business Line Evonik products can be found not only in mattresses but also in upholstery cushions and insulation foams. A variety of foams for industry are made especially robust, fine- pored, and evenly textured through the use of additives from Evonik. to make room for rubber tree plantations. Evonik offers a more economical raw material for latex production: butadiene. This chemical is used to produce synthetic latex, which is cheaper and, by contrast to natural latex, does not become brittle when it is exposed to ultraviolet radiation. And because butadiene is a byproduct of the processing of crude oil, its use is practical and sustainable. Most mattress producers use a combination of natural and synthetic latex, in a ratio of up to 40 percent natural with the remainder synthetic latex. Butadiene makes about 40 percent of synthetic latex, but there are also production processes that use an even higher proportion of butadiene. For many people, latex mattresses are a good choice. They are especially appreciated by people who are aller- gic to house dust mites. Latex mattresses have an antibac- terial coating and are therefore more hygienic and easier to keep clean. There's practically no opportunity for dust mites to settle in. When it comes to comfortable sleep, latex mattresses generally also get excellent marks. They feel pleasantly warm and efficiently filter off moisture. People who are tall and heavy or suffer from backaches appreciate the high degree of point elasticity, which results in greater comfort. Who wouldn't be tempted to stay in bed just a little longer? EFTA00598666 so S THE YOUNG MAN'S THINKING: A cool party—I wish I could be there right now. THE MARRIED COUPLE'S THINKING: Remember when we were young? Those were the days... EFTA00598667 31 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: Beer will also stay fresh longer once those new oxygen-absorbing bottle caps make it to the market. EFTA00598668 fa RESOURCE EFFICIENCY APPETITE FOR MORE Foods and beverages stay fresh with the help of protective "active packaging" on the inside of the normal packages. This helps reduce the amount of food that's thrown away. Scientists at Evonik develop the key raw materials for this "active packaging: Foods that look tasty and fresh and are attractively pack- aged as well—modern supermarkets have a huge amount of products on offer, and this sometimes causes shoppers to buy more than they can consume over a given period. The problem here is that the food products don't last forever: At some point, sausages will go bad even in the refrigerator, where yoghurt can also turn sour and cheese moldy. A lot of food therefore ends up in the garbage. Germany's Ministry of Food and Agriculture reports that every German throws away around 82 kilograms of food each year on average, although 64 percent of this amount really doesn't have to go to waste. Food products such as meats, sausages, milk and dairy products, and beverages react very sensitively to oxygen, traces of which remain even in shrink-wrapped packages. This oxygen triggers an oxidation process that accelerates the growth of microorganisms that cause fresh foods to start tasting and smelling bad—and also lose their vitamin content. In other words, the food spoils. A new trend has therefore developed that involves the use of 'active packaging° in which a chemical absorber is integrated into the packaging material, where it bonds with the remaining oxygen. Scientists from Evonik de- velop such additive•based concentrates, which not only absorb oxygen but also ensure that transparent packaging foils remain transparent. This is important, because most oxygen absorbers on the market change their color to an unpleasant -looking yellow as they protect food products. One third of all the food produced is thrown away, according to the United Nations. Our innovative solutions for the food industry can help ensure that resources are used more efficiently. DR. STEFAN NOROHOFF Vice President Active Packaging, Strategy Er NeveGrowth Business, Resource Efficiency Segment IP EFTA00598669 33 Many companies in the food and packaging industries have already expressed interest in the newly developed VISPARENT ° product, despite the fact that it's still being examined by the authorities for approval. The market here harbors great potential—for example, demand for such packaging is very high in Europe, the USA, and Japan. Evonik is already working with leading manufac- turers on the development of formulations that can offer the right solution for each type of packaging. That's be- cause regardless of whether it's transparent foils, plastic containers, or bottle caps—the new oxygen absorber can basically be used with all types of packaging. This will give it a unique standing on the market and very likely ensure that it will make its way into a large number of supermarkets. Additive concentrates from Evonik keep cheese, meat, and other foods fresh for a longer period of time. Drinks in PET bottles and milk also last longer—and bottle caps with oxygen absorbers on the inside extend the shelf life of beer and other beverages as well. EFTA00598670 34 MOTHER'S THINKING. Don't hurt yourself, my boy! FATHER'S THINKING. Put it in the net, son! EFTA00598671 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKINGI ...as ever, nobody notices the self-adhesive strip on the hockey stick, which defies the icy cold without losing its adhesive properties. EFTA00598672 36 PERFORMANCE MATERIALS STRONG BONDS Special additives from Evonik Industries ensure that adhesive tape and labels stick extremely reliably wherever it really matters. And they do that even when they are taken off and stuck back on. Adhesives have to stay cool even when the going gets tough. That also applies fully to adhesive tape, no matter whether it's used in sports or at home. However, the ugly brown spots that can be found on many bathroom tiles tell another story. Whereas adhesive strips that have just come off the roll seem to hold no matter what, the towel hooks they support eventually fall off the bathroom wall and only the adhesive itself remains permanently attached to the tiles. The adhesive was weakened by external influences such as temperature fluctuations, cleaning agents, and ultraviolet light. This is an area where Evonik can demonstrate its skill. As a result of post-application UV crosslinking, one of the company's additives, VISIO- MER° 6976, can greatly increase a tape's adhesive force. In endurance testing, it stuck 400 times better than a non-crosslinked adhesive. A typical property of the adhesive used in adhesive tape is its permanent stickiness. This distinguishes it from many types of adhesive, which don't become hard and adhesive until they dry or undergo a chemical reaction. This permanent stickiness makes it possible to attach tape to almost any surface. But it's precisely this versatility that makes the use of tape demanding because it limits the tape's adhesive strength. As a result, it's not just adhesive strips on hockey sticks and labels for frozen products that have to stay sticky at low temperatures and not become brittle. Stickers on hazardous materials also have to adhere reliably for a long time and when subjected to extensive wear and tear. Removable labels have to stick well but not leave any residue when they are taken off. This is where the special methacrylate VISIOMER ° 6976 from the Performance Materials Segment comes into play. When an adhesive containing this substance is exposed to ultraviolet light, the adhesive becomes crosslinked. The UV-active monomer VISIOMER ° 6976 helps the individual polymers in the adhesive to link up with one another and thus increase the adhesive strength. What's more, this process increases the ad- hesive's chemical stability, insensitivity to temperature fluctuations, and resistance to moisture. By changing the dose, it's possible to customize the type and duration of the UV influence and thus also the crosslinking to the respective application. Another benefit of adhesive tape containing VISIOMER ° 6976 is that no solvents are needed to make them. This, in turn, reduces the environmental impact and increases the manufacturers' productivity. Typical areas of appli- cation for such adhesive tape include electronic systems and the industrial assembly of components. The special methacrylate is also well suited for everyday applications, particularly those that require strong bonds under unfa- vorable conditions —ice hockey being a good example. II The incorporation of our UV-active monomer VISIOMER ° 6976 increases not only a glue's adhesiveness but also its resistance to many external influences such as moisture, temperature fluctuations, and chemicals. DR. SABINE K0MMEtT Technical Manager Applied Technology Acrylic Monomer% Engines% Line IP EFTA00598673 As a post-application crosslinking agent, VISIOMEle 6976 is also suited for other resin systems such as paints and coatings. Such paints are easy to apply before the crosslinking takes place. The natural ultraviolet light from the sun gradually causes the paints to harden and thus become more resistant to external influences. EFTA00598674 is I r4w THE LITTLE GIRL'S THINKING: When I grow up, I want tube a doctor too! Or a pop star! THE DOCTOR'S THINKING: ■plat/ no brown bears are showing up at my office! EFTA00598675 3 sr. OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: Getting a real injection is seldom this much jun. Fortunately, well soon be able to avoid them more and more often. EFTA00598676 40 NUTRITION Er CARE HELPING WHERE IT COUNTS Dosing active ingredients precisely and purposefully is an art in itself. It's an art that Evonik has mastered by means of polymers for the pharmaceutical industry— and one that could generate innovative treatments against numerous illnesses. Today people are growing older than ever before. Within four generations, life expectancy has more than doubled all over the world. In the period since 1990, child mortality has been cut in half. This is primarily thanks to the successful struggle against infectious diseases. Today medicine is focusing all the more on noninfectious and chronic diseases, which have long been responsible for the great majority of deaths—especially in developing countries and emerging economies. Diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diseases of the respiratory tract are four of the most important fields of medical and pharmaceutical research. Active ingredients that can precisely intervene in the body's internal processes even in tiny doses are regard- ed as especially promising. But researchers are also increasingly looking for the optimal way to administer them. Especially in the case of active ingredients with complex molecules, it is very difficult to ensure that they will be available inside the body in a targeted way as continuously as possible. It is difficult to administer some active ingredients in tablet form, either because they disintegrate in the digestive tract or cannot be absorbed through the intestinal wall. Other active ingredients need to do their work locally, for example in a joint, a certain tissue or an organ, continuously for several weeks or months. That requires frequent injections. As a result, the concentration of the active ingredient in the tissue peaks at first, but then gradually decreases. In addition, every injection increases the patient's risk of infection, not to mention the unpleasant direct effects on the patient. One solution that involves oral as well as parenteral dos- age is offered by pharmaceutical polymers from Evonik Industries. They make it possible to release orally admin- istered active ingredients at the right time and place in the gastrointestinal tract and to transport them from there into the bloodstream continuously in precise doses. This has made it possible to administer some active ingredients in tablet form for the first time ever. Others can now be taken once a day rather than at regular intervals over 24 hours. Biologically absorbable polymers from Evonik now make it possible to formulate parenteral depot EFTA00598677 medications that can be injected directly beneath the skin or into the affected tissue. There, customized micropar- tides then continuously release the active ingredient in a targeted way before they themselves are disintegrated and absorbed by the body in a natural process. These depot medications in particular harbor tremendous potential. Evonik is cooperating with major customers from the pharmaceutical industry and also with creative startups to develop formulations for the treatment of diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, as well as acute injuries, rare diseases such as solar urticaria, which is a severe form of solar allergy, and psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Evonik is providing important and comprehensive sup- port, especially in its cooperation with creative startups that are developing new types of treatment. From the initial idea to the development of a prototype, creation of the patterns for clinical studies, and manufacture of the final product, Evonik supports the development process and the steps leading toward commercial production. In this way it ensures that an active ingredient actually gets to the places where it's needed. Bioresorbable polymers from Evonik have proven their worth for years—in the form of surgical screws, for example. The screws do not need to be removed, which cuts costs and the risks posed by an additional operation. Moreover, they can be filled with active ingre- dients that support healing where it's needed. Forms of drug administration that intervene in physiological processes through precise dosing make new types of treatment possible. We are helping our customers to implement them. THOMAS RIERMEIER Head or Evonik Marina Polymers fa Services Product Line PP EFTA00598678 42 • 4 THE SMARTPHONE GENERATION'S THE BIOLOGY TEACHER'S THINKING: THINKING: Cool. Can you gel whale songs Oli, a 2Wegaptera novaeangliae. • as a ring tone? EFTA00598679 OUR CUSTOMER'S THINKING: There are special paints to prevent barnacles growing on the hulls of container ships. It's a pity that such paints don't exist for whales as well. EFTA00598680 44 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY CLEAR SAILING ON THE HIGH SEAS Because anti-fouling protection makes shipping more efficient and sustainable, fleet operators and ship builders are looking for effective protective paints. Evonik is making today's paint recipes especially effective and is also working on the coatings of tomorrow. Measuring 400 meters in length and boasting more than 80,000 hp, the largest container ships that currently ply the world's oceans often have up to 19,000 containers on board, representing almost 200,000 tons of freight. However, a tenacious enemy of these giants of the seas is microscopically small. In a process called fouling, these tiny microorganisms and algae create a slimy organic film on all ships' hulls that are in the water long enough, no matter whether the vessel is a luxury yacht or a deep-sea freighter. Once this 'soft growth' has made itself at home on the hull, it is followed somewhat later by mussels, barnacles, and other types of "hard growth.' These 'stowaways° not only increase the ship's weight but also promote the corrosion of the hull, thus necessitating frequent maintenance work in dry docks. Fouling particularly increases flow resistance, be- cause only clean and smooth hulls glide optimally through the water. This has a huge impact on the energy efficiency of ship- ping and thus on its costs and carbon footprint. That's be- cause a strongly fouled container ship can consume up to 40 percent more fuel than a clean one. With consumption figures measured in hundreds of tons of bunker oil per day, this is a considerable amount, and it is also the main reason why fleet operators and ship builders use effective anti-fouling products. These products consist of ship paint that keeps fouling at bay for as long as possible. The ancient Romans were already familiar with the most important anti-fouling agents against marine pests: metals such as lead and copper that prevent the organisms from attaching themselves to the hull. That's why the paints used on ships today contain copper compounds. The typically red color that adorns the hulls of merchant ships is caused by copper oxide in the paint. By contrast, the paints used for recreational craft mostly contain cop- per thiocyanate, which is white but much more expensive than copper oxide. Every large merchant ship is painted with hundreds of tons of coating to protect it against the elements and corrosive cargo. Almost all of the coatings—whether for the deck or the ballast water tanks—contain products from Evonik, which improve the coatings' resistance to the rough conditions aboard a ship. In addition, Evonik products in the formulations of the anti-fouling paints ensure that extremely tiny layers continuously peel off to uncover new copper underneath. This keeps hulls clean longer so that fewer stays are needed in dry dock. It also ensures that the same effect is achieved with less copper, which is beneficial from both an environmental and an economic point of view. Moreover, Evonik works together with paint manufac- turers and research institutes to create new formulations and new anti-fouling systems. The aim is to create paints that are especially effective and sustainable. For example, paints might not need any copper in the future, as they will create surfaces that mechanically prevent organisms from attaching themselves to the hull in a kind of lotus effect for the giants of the seas. The tiny stowaways would then no longer pose any threat to the leviathans of the high seas. EFTA00598681 Specialty products from Evonik are also helping against undesir- able adhesiveness of a different kind: graffiti. A special surface coating protects facades against spray attacks, repelling spray paint and markers so they can be easily removed. Although subject to the full force of the weather and repeated cleaning, the coat- ing lasts for several years. if We not only supply the components for high-performance coatings, we also know precisely what they have to do and under which conditions. JORGEN LOROSCH Head orthe Paints & Coatings Industry Team EFTA00598682 TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS EFTA00598683 • TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS - MANAGEMENT REPORT - CONSOU DATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 47 r- 5 I Our strategy is based on profitable growth, efficiency and values. We are strengthening our leading market positions and concentrating on attractive growth businesses and emerging markets. Innovations and external growth give us access to new growth areas. We are also continuously improving our cost base and technology position. EFTA00598684 ♦s ANNUAL REPORT 2015 EVONIK INDUSTRIES Report of the Supervisory Board Dr. Werner Muller, Chairman of the Supervisory Board A Ours AO\ rialciletAms In 2015, the Supervisory Board of Evonik Industries AG (Evonik) performed the obligations defined by law and the Articles of Incorporation correctly and with the utmost care, and regularly and conscientiously supervised the work of the Executive Board. We supported the Executive Board by providing advice on the management and strategic development of the company. Collaboration between the Executive Board and Supervisory Board The Executive Board always gave us full and timely information on all material issues affecting the Group, and involved us in all fundamental decisions relating to the company. Key areas were business performance and the situation of the company, along with aspects of business policy, corporate planning and Evonik's ongoing strategic development. In addition to reporting at meetings of the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board kept us informed orally and in writing of current business developments and activities of particular significance for Evonik. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board was kept informed of all major business events. EFTA00598685 • TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS MANAGEMENT REPORT CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 49 Rayon of the Supelvisory Booed The Supervisory Board was always consulted at an early stage on decisions of any significance. The Supervisory Board's oversight of the Executive Board centered in particular on ensuring the correct, orderly, expedient and cost-effective management of Group-wide business activities. The content and scope of reporting by the Executive Board complied with the law, the principles of good corporate governance and the requirements set by the Supervisory Board. Section 16 of the Articles of Incorporation of Evonik Industries AG and the Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board set out business activities and measures of fundamental importance on which the Executive Board is required to seek the approval of the Supervisory Board or, in some cases, individual committees. In the past fiscal year, the Supervisory Board took decisions on business activities and measures submitted by the Executive Board after examining them and discussing them with the Executive Board. Meetings and work of the Supervisory Board We examined all issues of importance to the company at five meetings, on March 2, May 19, June 25, September 24 and December 10, 2015. In addition, the Supervisory Board adopted one resolution via a written circulation procedure. In 2015 the work of the Supervisory Board was again prepared and supported by its committees. The committees and their members in the year under review were as follows: • Executive Committee: Dr. Werner Muller (Chairman), Michael Vassiliadis (Deputy Chairman), ainter Adam (until December 10, 2015), Ralf Hermann, Steven Koltes and Dr. Volker Trautz. • Audit Committee: Dr. Siegfried Luther (Chairman and independent financial expert within the meaning of Section 100 Paragraph 5 German Stock Corporation Act/AktG), Karin Erhard (Deputy Chairwoman), Prof. Barbara Grunewald, Jurgen Neding (until September 30, 2015), Norbert Pohlmann (from Octo- ber 1, 2015), Dr. Wilfried Robers and Dr. Christian Wildmoser. • Finance and Investment Committee: Michael Radiger (Chairman), Michael Vassiliadis (Deputy Chairman), Gunter Adam (until December 10, 2015), Martin Albers (from December 11, 2015), Stephan Gemkow, Ralf Hermann, Frank Lallgen, Dr. Werner Muller and Dr. Christian Wildmoser. • Nomination Committee: Dr. Werner Muller (Chairman), Steven Koltes and Dr. Volker Trautz. • Mediation Committee: Dr. Werner Muller (Chairman), Michael Vassiliadis (Deputy Chairman), Ralf Hermann and Dr. Volker Trautz. The tasks allocated to these committees are described in detail in the Corporate Governance Report on pages 63 and 64. The Executive Committee held eight meetings in 2015. The Audit Committee and the Finance and Investment Committee each held four meetings. In addition, the Finance and Investment Committee adopted one resolution via a written circulation procedure. The Nomination Committee met once in the reporting period. There was no need for the Mediation Committee to meet during the reporting period. The chairman or deputy chairperson of each committee reported regularly at the meetings of the Supervisory Board on the issues discussed and decisions taken at committee meetings. The Supervisory Board therefore always had extensive and well-founded information on all matters of significance in the Evonik Group. At its meeting in March, the Supervisory Board focused on examining the annual financial state- ments, which had first been considered in detail by the Audit Committee, and on preparing for the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. It also resolved on measures resulting from an efficiency review conducted with external support in 2014. The meeting in May was dedicated to supplementary information prior to the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. In June, the focus of the meeting was the resignation from the Executive Board of Patrick Wohlhauser, formerly Chief Operating Officer, and the appointment of Dr. Ralph Sven Kaufmann as his successor. At the meeting in September, the Supervisory Board discussed the strategy of the Evonik Group, the extension of the term of office of Thomas Wessel as Chief Human Resources Officer, targets for female members of the Supervisory Board and Executive Board, revi