Farewell to Mayor Werner Arndt

In the photo, from left: Thomas Basten (Site Manager of the Marl Chemical Park), Adriane Fährmeister (Chair of the Works Council of the Marl joint venture), Ali Simsir (Deputy Chair of the Works Council of the Marl joint venture), Oliver Schmidt (Deputy Chair of the Works Council of the Marl joint venture) welcomed the outgoing Mayor of Marl, Werner Arndt (seated in front).

Ali Simsir: ‘Werner Arndt has contributed to promoting Marl as a business location for many years. With his support and commitment, a trusting and successful partnership has been established that has been of great importance both for the development of the chemical park and for the entire region.’

Born in Marl, Werner Arndt initially trained as an energy systems electronics technician at the Schlägel und Eisen mine in Herten and began his professional career underground. After obtaining his technical college entrance qualification, A-levels and completing his community service, he studied social sciences in Duisburg and then worked as a teacher. Politically active since his youth, he became full-time parliamentary secretary of the SPD council faction in Marl in 1994 and head of the SPD citizens' and constituency office in Marl. He has been repeatedly elected mayor since 2009 and has consistently promoted, championed and supported the chemical park during his term of office.

Thomas Basten: ‘My term of office in Marl has not been as long as Werner Arndt's. However, we worked closely and very constructively together. He supported us wherever he could. He also strongly advocated for us in the current political discourse due to the challenging conditions facing our industry. The chemical park has always had a good partner in him in the past.’

Oliver Schmidt: ‘Werner Arndt was always a contact person who listened to us employee representatives. He understands the importance of industrial production and the employment of Evonik employees and our site partners for the entire region, and he tried to communicate positively wherever he could.’

Adriane Fährmeister: ‘With passion, closeness to the people and tireless dedication, he has shaped and advanced Marl in turbulent times. His commitment to education, culture, social projects and social cohesion was particularly pronounced during his term of office. We thank Werner Arndt for his dedication and close partnership and wish him all the best for the future.’

Werner Arndt: ‘The future and development of the chemical industry in Marl and securing industrial jobs have always been my top priority as mayor. In good years, we worked together in solidarity and trust, just as we joined forces in difficult times.’

Evonik: Leading beyond chemistry
Evonik goes beyond the boundaries of chemistry with its combination of innovative strength and leading technological expertise. Based in Essen, Germany, the chemical company is active in more than 100 countries and generated sales of € 15.2 billion and earnings (adjusted EBITDA) of € 2.1 billion in 2024. The common drive of its approximately 32,000 employees is to provide customers with a decisive competitive advantage through tailor-made products and solutions that serve as a superpower for industry—and thereby improve people's lives. In all markets. Every day.

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