CTC Delitzsch: 1000 new jobs and hope for DOW dismantling!

CTC Delitzsch: 1000 new jobs and hope for DOW dismantling!

A trend -setting step in the chemical industry takes shape: The Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) in Delitzsch becomes a catalyst for a fundamental change in the chemical industry. Over 550 Dow Chemical employees in Böhlen and Schkopau are affected by closings that come into force by the end of 2027. Peter Seeberger, founding director of the CTC, emphasizes the urgency of the transformation in order to become more independent of fossil fuels. "We have to switch the chemistry from a linear to a circular economy," he emphasizes in a conversation with the LVZ.

The start of the construction work in Delitzsch is planned for 2026 and is supported by impressive funding of over 1.1 billion euros by 2038. Around 700 new jobs are to be built in the CTC, which makes the region a hotspot for new job opportunities, including about 1,000 places as a whole if you include Merseburg. The CTC strives to structurally anchor the transfer of scientific knowledge and thus become a new place of top research in Central Germany. "There is a good knack for innovations," note Seeberger.

sustainability in focus

The need to rethink the chemical industry could not be clearer. The industry is one of the most profitable in Germany, but suffers from their dependence on fossil raw materials and contributes significantly to CO₂ emissions and toxic waste, as the report by Transforming-chemistry.org shows. The aim of the CTC is to use sustainable raw materials such as biomass and plastic waste and to promote recycling approaches. The pressure on the industry of becoming climate -neutral is enormous. According to the experts, the availability of Grünstrom is one of the greatest hurdles for achieving climate neutrality and the expansion of renewable energies must be promoted.

But the CTC not only sees challenges, but also opportunities. The new location is intended to attract companies that work on the promotion of sustainable chemical processes. First successes have already seen chemistry start-ups such as Aevoloop, which developed degradable plastic and brought 25 employees into the region. "We are talking to several start-ups that want to move to the region," reports the CTC team.

political support and economic context

Political support measures such as subsidies are considered short -term solutions, but they are an important part of change. Economic Minister Dirk Panter describes the region as a driving force for transformation and innovation in the chemical industry. His colleague Henry Graichen (CDU) has mentioned possible interested parties for the Dow systems that could not offer any research laboratories but production facilities.

The remains of the industry are required to diversify their production processes and raw materials, while at the same time hoping for the development of clear political framework conditions to advance investments in sustainable technologies. In order for the great potential of chemistry to be used, all relevant actors must work together. This interaction between politics, science and business will certainly be crucial to lead industry into a sustainable future.

Further information on this exciting development and the challenges of the chemical industry can be found in the reports of lvz.de , transforming-chemistry.org and germany.de .