ACTEGA, a manufacturer of specialty coatings, inks, adhesives, sealants and compounds for the print and packaging industry, has announced the appointment of Stuart Hayes as its new managing director for ACTEGA North America.

Hayes brings over 25 years of experience in the specialty chemicals industry, having held various operational, strategic, managerial, and sales positions. His tenure at companies like BASF and Evonik, including a three-year period in Germany, has equipped him with an international perspective and a comprehensive understanding of multifunctional environments. While with Evonik, Stuart Hayes helped to craft a wholistic sustainability roadmap for the North American region, underscoring his dedication to environmental stewardship. He holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Administration.

Commenting on his new role, Hayes says, “I am thrilled to begin this incredible journey with ACTEGA North America as the Managing Director. Our exceptional team is committed to delivering high-quality products and services with a sustainability-driven approach. I look forward to working with this team to accomplish our objectives and reinforce ACTEGA’s position as an industry leader. This will take an exciting leap forward in 2025 with our move to the impressive Kings Mountain facility as well as our additional investments at our New Jersey facility, which will boost our capabilities to serve our customers even better.”

ACTEGA is committed to expanding its operations and enhancing its service offerings. One key component of this strategy is the establishment of a new 238,000 square foot facility in Kings Mountain, NC, which will be fully completed in 2025. This production facility consolidates four existing premises from North Carolina and Indiana, signifying ACTEGA’s dedication to investing in cutting-edge technology. With its expansive size, the new building will serve as the perfect platform for ACTEGA to expand, especially its Flexible Packaging and Metal Packaging business line production and operations. The facility will house all ink technology development under one roof, fostering synergy in R&D, technical service, and quality control.

Thorsten Kröller, president of the Division ACTEGA, comments, “Stuart’s visionary leadership and expertise make him the ideal choice to propel ACTEGA North America towards a successful future, which we also support with significant to our sites in North Carolina and New Jersey.  His skills in managing and developing teams will be instrumental in contributing to our global OneACTEGA roadmap. I am confident that his addition to ACTEGA’s global management team will drive our unprecedented growth and innovation further.”