Interview with Albis CEO Horst Klink Triple Expertise with a Global Focus

The plastics distribution industry is on the verge of a major transformation. Today, it encompasses three dimensions that a distributor must address simultaneously in order to best meet customer needs. Albis CEO Horst Klink explains what these are and how the Hamburg-based distributor is tapping into new markets worldwide.

Changing supply chains, offshored production, regulatory hurdles, and a flagging automotive sector in Europe: Hamburg-based distributor Albis is responding to these challenges by strategically expanding its medical technology portfolio and pursuing consistent international expansion. At Fakuma 2026 in Friedrichshafen, PlastXnow spoke with Albis CEO Horst Klink about changing customer needs, reliable partnerships, and why he is driving Albis’s international expansion.

Mr. Klink, what do your customers primarily look for today when purchasing the right material?

Horst Klink: For our customers, it’s no longer just a matter of which plastic works best from a technical standpoint. What matters most is which solution best meets the overall requirements of a specific application—technically, regulatorily, and economically. This requires a holistic view of the application, the material, and the relevant conditions.

Is technical expertise no longer a deciding factor?

Klink: First, our technical expertise remains the foundation. Second, we bring regulatory expertise, and third, logistical expertise, both of which are becoming increasingly important to our customers. In light of growing regulatory requirements, Albis offers a structured conformity assessment as early as the product development phase. For highly regulated markets such as medical technology, we provide certified material lines with long-term formulation consistency and inform customers well in advance before formulations or manufacturing processes are adjusted. And in the area of logistics, our multi-vendor portfolio enables us to help our customers cushion market fluctuations, identify cost-effective alternatives, and secure supply chains during periods of volatility.

For our customers, it’s no longer just a matter of which plastic works from a technical standpoint. What matters most is which solution best meets all requirements—technical, regulatory, and economic.

Horst Klink, CEO of Albis

The industrial landscape is changing. As a distributor, how are you responding to the fact that your customers are increasingly manufacturing overseas?

Klink: Further expanding our international presence is essential, as our customers are also operating on an increasingly global scale. We are consistently expanding our international locations to ensure we have a presence exactly where demand arises. A key milestone is the acquisition of a majority stake in the Brazilian distributor Tecnomatiz. With Tecnomatiz, we are creating the ideal conditions to gain a foothold in the dynamic Latin American market and tap into the market potential of this leading economy.

Which other regions are a focus of your global growth strategy?

Klink: In addition to expanding our presence in the Maghreb region, Egypt, and Latin America, we are focusing primarily on Asia and the Middle East. Earlier this year, we established the joint venture Albis Sukhesh India with the Sukhesh Group in Mumbai. India is currently rapidly developing into a global manufacturing hub with rising demand for engineering plastics—for example, in the mobility, electrical engineering, and construction sectors. Our partner’s nationwide logistics infrastructure provides an excellent foundation. In Vietnam, too, we have expanded our product range to include select engineering plastics. In addition, through a new subsidiary in Tel Aviv, we have introduced a broad portfolio of products from our renowned partners in Israel. Our goal is clearly defined: We want to fully realize the potential of these new international locations next year.

Why is Israel also of interest to Albi?

Klink: The establishment of our subsidiary in Tel Aviv is a key component of our global strategy to tap into markets outside of our stagnating core European regions. Israel offers a robust and dynamic economic environment with a strong industrial sector in the fields of medical technology, E&E, and optical components. There is a need here for specialized engineering plastics and TPEs, which aligns perfectly with our portfolio and our consulting expertise. We are therefore using our Tel Aviv location to specifically market the portfolio of both long-standing and new partners in the region. In addition, Israel has a high concentration of startups, R&D centers, and innovative converters. Albis aims to provide technical support to these innovation-driven companies from the initial design phase through to series production.

Let's take a look at individual industries: In which application areas do you currently see the greatest potential?

Klink: The fact is that the automotive sector in Europe is not currently growing. We are therefore specifically focusing on growth areas such as medical technology and E&E, and to that end, we are continuously expanding our portfolio and our partnerships with manufacturers—such as Arkema. The same applies to specialized materials, for example through our collaboration with Röhm on Plexiglas and Pleximid.

Being a good partner is easy when the conditions are right. What really matters, however, is how a partnership functions when markets and customer requirements change.

Horst Klink, CEO of Albis

Albis is constantly expanding its portfolio with new partnerships. But at Fakuma 2026, you’ll be celebrating 60 years of partnership with Covestro. What role do such long-standing alliances still play today?

Klink: Being a good partner is easy when the conditions are right. What really matters, however, is how a partnership functions when markets and customer requirements change. The partnership between Albis and Covestro began in 1966 with the distribution of Bayer plastics. Over the course of six decades, we have navigated many market changes together. Today more than ever, this foundation of trust helps us secure critical application knowledge, ensure a reliable supply, and rapidly drive the development of new solutions—even beyond Europe into regions such as China, ASEAN, Latin America, India, and North Africa.