From 1976 to 2026

00:00:00: Hello, I'm your host Adam Brunner and welcome to The Evonix Minute.

00:00:04: Your quick bi-weekly podcast for the important stories news and announcements for Evonics North America region.

00:00:11: today is May seventh twenty twenty six And on Today's exclusive episode we're celebrating a major milestone!

00:00:17: The Evonic Mobile Sites fiftieth anniversary.

00:00:20: that story coming up in just a minute.

00:00:32: This year marks fifty years of production at Evonik's mobile site in Alabama.

00:00:36: To commemorate this milestone, the site hosted a tree dedication and time capsule ceremony.

00:00:41: Continuing a tradition that began in nineteen seventy-six when The First Orange Tree was planted as a symbol of innovation growth.

00:00:47: This year A Setsuma Tree Was Planted to Honor Five Decades Of Resilience And Excellence.

00:00:52: Kevin Kennedy Incoming Head of Operations Americas Speaking on behalf of Lauren Kelton The Evonic Executive Board Member Responsible for the Americas Emphasized the importance of this milestone in his remarks.

00:01:04: Although I can't be here today with you, i want to express how much this milestone means for me and the Executive Board of Havonic.

00:01:11: Fifty years of production at The Mobile Site is a true testament!

00:01:15: Marking this anniversary by planting tree and sealing a time capsule carries profound message.

00:01:21: It reminds us that our responsibilities as leaders extends far beyond focusing on today's results.

00:01:27: It's about creating the conditions for their future to be successful as we've been in the past.

00:01:31: As part of The Dedication Ceremony, Ivonic invites students from the local Hollinger Island Elementary School through artwork and writing... ...the student shared their vision for the future ideas ranging from environmental protection.. ..to advances in technology!

00:01:43: The winning entries were placed on a time capsule.

00:01:45: The students also helped plant the new tree symbolizing there role in growing the future.

00:01:50: Kel Bovair Vice President and Mobile Site Manager Shared his thoughts on this occasion.

00:01:54: Societies grow great When old men plant trees under whose shade they will never sit, right?

00:02:01: That hits.

00:02:02: I'm not saying them old

00:02:03: but

00:02:04: that it's my job now to plant those trees under who you shade...I may never sit!

00:02:09: But i'm hoping

00:02:09: let you

00:02:10: do.".

00:02:12: The celebration continued the next day with an open house where the Mobile Site welcomed employees retirees and family members.The event offered a chance for colleagues past-and present One of the newest process engineers at Mobile.

00:02:27: I really like how mobile has a little bit everything.

00:02:29: we've got all sorts different types production units but also Having you know the engineering group, the technical services.

00:02:36: You really get to see a little bit of everything and it's great

00:02:39: community.".

00:02:40: The open house featured dedicated history room where hundreds old photos, memorabilia & memories were laid out on display.

00:02:46: It also had cookout hands-on science activities for kids A bus tour And interactive booths highlighting uvonic products and innovations.

00:02:53: These activities are enjoyed by colleagues and their families.

00:02:56: Brooke Navo Treasury manager in Canada shared her experience along with daughter.

00:03:01: I

00:03:01: love working at Mobile Sight because it is such a large plant site that has such variety and i also love working in the collaboration hub.

00:03:10: It's an amazing facility, but you're able to see so many visitors from not only here.

00:03:18: What

00:03:22: do

00:03:26: you like about where your mommy works?

00:03:34: The Mobile site was originally established as Degusa, Alabama Incorporated on November twenty-six.

00:03:39: nineteen seventy three strategically located near the Porter mobile railroads and interstate highways.

00:03:44: by nineteen seventy seven production began with the first aerosol and silicon tetrachloride unit today.

00:03:50: The site spans over sixteen hundred acres and employs more than Seven hundred fifty people producing a variety of products including coating additives for wind turbines structural foam for aircraft catalysts for biodiesel production and amino acids for optimized livestock.

00:04:03: Sam Beall, an assistant plant engineer for the Crosslinkers business unit has been at The Mobile site since nineteen ninety-one.

00:04:09: Came here and they were building what we now call cross linkers.

00:04:14: was a Hewles America back then And I just love this place.

00:04:17: man you know six new plants being built at the same time.

00:04:20: Plant manager's Time was the inventor of the ice for home process.

00:04:24: What he did turned into industry.

00:04:26: that have it is good business.

00:04:28: But then of course in two thousand, nineteen ninety-nine.

00:04:32: Two thousand hules and the goose merged And became

00:04:36: a bunch because it's good thing.

00:04:38: as The time

00:04:39: has changed We've become melded into one.

00:04:43: I like to see they wanted to distribute knowledge.

00:04:47: You didn't want to stay In that place for three or four years Especially if you were up in management.

00:04:52: That was the biggest thing.

00:04:53: when you See the new younger

00:04:55: guys They're all over the placement.

00:04:56: A lot of smart people, man.

00:04:58: Anybody?

00:04:59: The Mobile site's success is rooted in its people past present and future.

00:05:03: from it early beginnings to thriving operations.

00:05:06: today mobile represents a legacy innovation resilience community partnership.

00:05:11: Dominic Mirano second year process engineer participant in the early career development program E-TAD highlighted the site's unique opportunities.

00:05:19: Being

00:05:19: in Mobile is incredibly meaningful as an Evonic employee because, especially being in process technology or next generation technologies I get to work with multiple business lines and business units And even just today at this event like multiple people from other different sites The fact that they're all coming together here Is kind of what Mobile is about It where everyone tends come together

00:05:46: Ivonic,

00:05:54: leading beyond chemistry.