Italy: Constant Change

Evonik Country Europe

Reading Time 3 min

July 01, 2021

When people think of Italy, they usually envision romantic images: the canals of Venice, the Eternal City of Rome, the landscapes of Tuscany. But Italy is more than historical architecture and the Mediterranean lifestyle. A journey through a country that relies equally on innovations and timeless qualities during times of change.

By Nicolas Garz

The old town of Bergamo. — It’s no coincidence that the city center of Bergamo is called città alta —the upper city. Enthroned on a hill, this historical district, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, overlooks the lower city. From the square fortified tower called Torre del Gombito (the second tower from the right) there’s a splendid view, high above the hustle and bustle in the narrow streets below. Protectosil® from Evonik protects historic buildings like this one as well as modern new buildings.

A man with a hat between blocks of cheese and hams hanging from the ceiling. — Gigantic hams dangle from the ceiling above count less varieties of salami and cheese: In this delicatessen, the Italians’ love of food is clearly expressed. It’s located in the heart of Bologna, the city where ragù alla Bolognese (authentically never served with spaghetti!) was born. Top-quality Parmesan is also sold here. Food labels are often printed on a carrier material that lands in the trash right after it’s been removed. Silicones from Evonik make it possible to use linerless labels that require no carrier material and thus generate less waste.

Women's legs with leather shoes with buckles and a handbag with the initials "CD". — If you love to wear extravagant fashion, you’d be well advised to choose Italian brands—such as Gucci, as seen here in a new interpretation of classic loafers. The garment industry is an important economic sector in Italy. Milan in particular ranks as a center of the international fashion scene. In addition to creative design, high-performance materials also play a major role in the production of clothes in this category. For example, polyurethane foams in shoe soles provide ample support and wearing comfort. Evonik supplies additives that improve their characteristics—for a strong and confident stride, even in extravagant shoes.

A white cloth with a painted rainbow and the slogan "Andra tutto bene". — Andrà tutto bene—All will be well: This sentence could be read everywhere in Italian cities in the spring of 2020—on house walls, in the streets, and on banners hanging from windows, like this one here in Rome. Italy was one of the first European countries to be struck by the coronavirus pandemic. People used the slogan “Andrà tutto bene” to encourage one another. Today people are taking heart, because more and more of them have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. The vaccine from BioNTech/Pfizer has been administered most often to date. Evonik is supplying important lipids for this mRNA-based vaccine, thus making sure that all will indeed be well.

A Formula 1 Ferrari at the pit stop. — It takes the pit crew only a few seconds to change the tires of a Ferrari racing car. Every move must be exactly right so that the car can be back on the racetrack as quickly as possible, cheered on by the tifosi who make the pilgrimage to the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. This year they’re hoping for a victory after a disappointing last season. More than any other racing class, Formula 1 represents precision and the highest safety standards. This is where Dynasylan ® from Evonik comes into play: In the brake fluid of all Formula 1 racing cars, it ensures that even in extreme situations the drivers will have their cars under control.

OPTIMIZED AESTHETICS

In 1966 a predecessor company of Evonik opened a trade office in Milan for the first time. In 1993 a production plant in nearby Pandino was acquired. Today the plant still focuses on products that are associated in various ways with aesthetics. They range from additives for paints and lacquer coatings for products such as cars and wooden furniture all the way to active ingredients that improve the properties of cosmetics.

Evonik locations

1 Milan

2 Pandino

The 2 locations have 72 employees.