New transfer center ChemIna: Herne becomes a center for chemical innovation!

New transfer center ChemIna: Herne becomes a center for chemical innovation!

On July 7, 2025, a major change was initiated in Herne: the signing of a declaration of intent for the new “ChemIna” transfer center marks an important step towards strengthening the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Ruhr University of Bochum (RUB), the city of Herne and the economic development agency Herne.Business have joined forces to realize a pioneering project that is intended to bring science and business closer together. The aim is to develop chemical-technical solutions that will make the chemical industry climate-neutral by 2045, all within the framework of a triple helix model that links politics, science and business.

The newly created center will be located in the Herne Innovation Center, which offers sufficient space at 1,000 square meters. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Martin Paul, RUB Rector, emphasizes that Herne should act as a model city for regional development. The demands on the chemical industry, which is under pressure from climate neutrality goals, are high. But challenges often give rise to new opportunities, and that is exactly what the new center is working on.

A focus on the future and sustainability

A central concern of the ChemIna Transfer Center is to quickly bring innovations into industrial application. Prof. Dr. Martina Havenith-Newen highlights the urgency of the challenges facing the chemical industry. In a region where over 93,000 people make a living in the chemical industry, many jobs are threatened by the changing conditions. This makes the work of the transfer center even more important.

The promotion of sustainable chemicals and the digital transformation of the chemical industry are further focal points. The RESOLV excellence cluster, which has been active in chemistry research since 2012 and was awarded again on May 22, 2025, will play a crucial role in this initiative. The aim is to create research innovations that enable the rapid transfer of basic knowledge into practice.

Support from initiatives and start-ups

Not only will the center itself provide new impetus, but existing initiatives will also contribute to achieving the climate goals. Since 2021, the chemstars initiative has been promoting collaboration between large companies, medium-sized businesses and start-ups in order to implement innovative ideas and products more quickly. More than 30 start-ups have already mobilized over 60 million euros in financing opportunities that can be invested in promising developments.

The presence of such support offers will further strengthen the chemical industry in the region. Economics and Climate Protection Minister Mona Neubaur has recognized the major challenges facing North Rhine-Westphalia as a chemical location, particularly with regard to energy-intensive raw materials chemistry. Together with the North Rhine-Westphalia Chemical Industry Association and companies such as Bayer, Evonik and Henkel, the exchange of knowledge and technologies is promoted.

The next steps for the ChemIna Center have already been determined: First, a feasibility study will be commissioned, which should pave the way for an official funding application if the results are positive. The aim is for the center to begin operations in 2027. The mayor Dr. Frank Dudda is optimistic and sees the declaration of intent as a starting signal for the development of Herne into a center for the future chemical industry.

Many players are working together to get to grips with the challenges facing the chemical industry and pave a sustainable path into the future. Herne could not only become a key region for the chemical industry in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also set an example for other cities.

For the latest information on this exciting project and its developments, you can read the articles on Hello Herne, Ruhr University Bochum and Economy NRW track.