3 Questions for Thorsten Dreier  "Our industry is helping to shape the trends and markets of tomorrow"

Covestro CTO Dr. Thorsten Dreier is convinced that plastics are indispensable for the major issues of the future. At the same time, he warns that the major breakthroughs in this area are increasingly taking place abroad. 

Plastics Europe Germany (PED) is hosting its next “Innovation Press Conference.” The theme of this year’s event is the importance of plastics as an invisible key technology for innovations such as the energy transition, artificial intelligence, medical technology, and new mobility concepts. 

Through dialogue with representatives from industry, academia, consulting, and the media, the event will use concrete applications and real-world examples to discuss and demonstrate how innovative plastics solutions contribute to addressing key societal and economic challenges. The high-profile panel of experts also includes Dr. Thorsten Dreier, CTO of Covestro. PlastXnow met with him beforehand for a brief interview. 

PlastXnow: The event’s central theme is: “Plastics as a Key Technology for Germany’s Future.” In your view, what is the most compelling example of how plastics are part of the solution today—and not part of the problem?

Dr. Thorsten Dreier: Germany can and must play a leading international role in areas with great future potential—smart mobility, robotics, medical technology, security, and much more. These are highly complex topics and technologies that require sophisticated, innovative materials. Plastics, with their enormous versatility and sustainable impact, are the material of choice here. Our industry is helping to shape the trends and markets of tomorrow.    

Covestro is investing heavily in circular and climate-friendly materials. In your opinion, which innovation has the greatest potential to bring about noticeable changes in industry and everyday life in the coming years?

The circular economy is the key to a sustainable future. We embraced this topic early on as part of our corporate vision, with the goal of consistently aligning Covestro with circularity and helping to make it the company’s global guiding principle. Above all, this transformation requires significantly more recycling. 

To this end, it is particularly important to advance the promising field of chemical recycling. Covestro is working on many innovative technologies in this area—for example, for the recycling of rigid polyurethane foam, where we are collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) collaborate.

Germany is under pressure to remain competitive. What role do research, new materials, and plastics play in ensuring that innovations continue to be developed and produced here in the future?

Above all, the innovation ecosystem must be reformed. While we do have many bright minds and innovative ideas in Germany—including, and especially, in the plastics sector—we are rapidly losing momentum compared to other countries such as China, the United States, and South Korea.

Shortcomings in technology transfer, in particular, are becoming increasingly apparent. The transition from the laboratory to the market must happen much more quickly in this country. And we must steer innovation toward truly forward-looking areas, as the federal government aims to do with its High-Tech Agenda.

Thank you very much for the interview!