THE Platform for Performance and Process Chemicals for Industrial Users

Election of TEGEWA Board 2024-2026

On June 7th, 2024, the association’s general meeting took place in Aachen. In addition to intensive exchange and fruitful discussions within the specialist groups and during the general meeting itself, the regular election of the board for 2024 – 2026, as well as the treasurer and auditors, was on the agenda.

The composition of the board is as follows:

The new chairman of the association is Mark Dohmen, Archroma. The deputy chairpersons are Birgit Holz, CHT, and Soeren Hildebrandt, BASF. The treasurer of the association is Ben Jones, Sasol.

The other board members:

Holger Bender, Pulcra
Karl-Ludwig Gibis, Clariant (since March 2025, Hermann Bach is representing Clariant on the board)
Wolfgang Goertz, Evonik
Felix Grimm, Zschimmer & Schwarz
Joachim Henkmann, Stahl
Florian Krückl, Kolb
Kristina Platkowski, Schill + Seilacher
Dietrich Tegtmeyer, TFL (since October 2024, Bianca Verstegen is representing TFL on the board)

As auditors were confirmed:

Michael Fleig, Sinarmas CEPSA
Friedrich Petry, Dr. Petry Textilchemie

© Katrin Heyer

from left to right: Florian Krückl, Karl-Ludwig Gibis, Wolfgang Goertz, Birgit Holz, Ralf Kattanek (Managing Director TEGEWA), Ben Jones, Holger Bender, Soeren Hildebrandt, Felix Grimm, Dietrich Tegtmeyer, Mark Dohmen, Joachim Henkmann (Missing: Kristina Platkowski)

TEGEWA for open-mindedness and tolerance

The association TEGEWA operates with member companies in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, among other countries. It maintains close and friendly connections with associations, institutions, and colleagues across Europe and even globally. The association is an industry organization that doesn’t just preach tolerance and openness but has been living these values for decades. Our committee members have roots in Europe, Africa, America, or the Asian continent. What matters is their expertise, the excellent personal exchange, collegial interaction, and mutual trust.

Despite valid criticism of individual European (chemical) legislation and legislative processes, we appreciate the European Union and the removal of trade barriers, free trade, and the security that common EU legislation provides. We recognize the challenges that the United Kingdom faces after Brexit and consider a “Dexit” not only as an alternative but also as the greatest imaginable harm to Germany.

And despite (economic and political) criticism of current German legislation, we are grateful for the democratic system in which we live. We appreciate living in a country whose government, out of necessity, seeks solutions to migration issues while being aware that we urgently need foreign skilled workers to address demographic and industrial challenges today and tomorrow. Large parts of the industrial sectors we represent are significantly affected by the shortage of skilled workers.

The association aligns with the statements of numerous business associations that view a Europe- and foreigner-hostile party as destructive. Both economically and socially, we reject such “alternatives” for Germany – even though we consider ourselves independent and impartial, a stance we’ve maintained since our founding in 1951. 

We would like to point out in this context the tenth European election, which will take place on June 9, 2024, and whose results will also have an impact on our country: every vote for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law counts!

Change in TEGEWA Management

Frankfurt, July 2023

The TEGEWA office in Frankfurt is headed by Mr Ralf Kattanek by 1 July 2023.

Dr Alex Föller, who has been General Secretary since 2001, is thus handing over to an industry expert who – once active in the Association as a representative of a member company himself – is very familiar with both the Association’s workflows and the needs and necessities of companies in the chemical industry.

When Dr Föller took over the management of the association in 2001, it coincided with the publication of the White Paper “Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy” – the birth of today’s European chemicals legislation REACH.

Advocating for science-based and viable legislation thus became one of the main tasks of the new TEGEWA Managing Director.

In a way, handing over to his successor at a time when the current REACH text is being revised closes the circle:

Ralf Kattanek looks back on many years of experience in the textile industry. He started his career in fine chemicals and then in the textile dye division of BASF AG. When this division was sold, he joined DyStar to lead the textile business in the EMEA region. Mr Kattanek gained international experience as Managing Director for DyStar in Turkey and for CHT in Switzerland. Most recently, he served as CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer) for the CHT Group, having spent many years building and leading the global textile chemicals business.

For many years, Mr Kattanek supported TEGEWA’s activities both in the Working Group Textile Auxiliaries and Dyes and on the TEGEWA Board of Directors and played a key significant role in their further development. As a result, he got to know the processes and the team very well.

“I am looking forward to the new task, which offers great challenges with, among other things, the further development of the Strategy, internationalisation and the implementation of the European Union’s Green Deal. I can rely on a very experienced team with a high level of expertise. Furthermore, I am very pleased that Dr Alex Föller will continue to support the association for a while yet with his many years of know-how, e.g., on technical issues in the field of surfactants.”

TEGEWA association is a trade association of the German chemical industry. It represents the interests of currently 104 member companies that produce chemicals for industrial use. These include, for example, products for the manufacture of paper, textiles or leather goods, but also raw materials for the cosmetics and detergent industry.