Like many in the Pittsburgh community, those of us at Covestro were saddened to hear that Bayer is closing its Robinson Township operations. The news hit close to home. Literally, for us.
Our company not only shares the Robinson campus with Bayer, but up until three years ago, many of us were longtime Bayer employees ourselves. When Bayer spun off its material science business in September 2015, Covestro was born. Today, we operate as two independent companies — connected only by our history, and, for the time being, a cafeteria on the Robinson campus.
Over the past three years, Covestro has worked hard to establish itself as a new company with a new identity. Internally, we began building a more diverse, inclusive and innovative culture. Externally, we began building a new brand and reputation. And we showed our colors. All six shades of our brightly colored logo, which we boldly illuminated in a 48-foot-diameter sign in front of our headquarter building along the Parkway West.
But even a massive logo can’t overshadow 80-plus years of history. When the news broke about Bayer, the emails, texts and phone calls came rolling in, as friends, families and neighbors reached out to see if we were OK. In their minds, Covestro was still part of Bayer.
Bayer always will be a part of Covestro. We’re proud of our heritage, because it shaped the company we are today. And that company — Covestro — will continue to build its future in Pittsburgh.
We made our home here more than 60 years ago, and in that time, the city has seen a lot of change. But what attracted our company to the region then is what keeps us here today — world-class university talent, strong civic leadership and a growing economy. The biggest difference between then and now is Pittsburgh’s transformation from its industrial roots into an innovation hub — an inspiring story of reinvention. Today, Pittsburgh is leading the way in education, health care and technology, while consistently outranking its peers as one of the best places to live and work in America.
Our city — like Covestro — has worked hard to forge a new identity. And Covestro shares the city’s passion for creating a more sustainable future, driven by innovation, collaboration and engaged leadership.
Our city — like Covestro — has been greatly influenced by Bayer. The company and its employees believed strongly in giving back to the community, investing time, money and resources to help the region grow and prosper. Covestro is proud to carry that legacy into the future. It’s easy to give back to a city that has given us so much.
Our city — like Covestro — is differentiated by its people. Hard-working, yes. But also innovative, passionate, resilient and generous.
From where we sit in these buildings along Parkway West, the decision our company forefathers made all those years ago continues to pay off. Pittsburgh is home to our North American headquarters. And will be for years to come.
Jerry MacCleary is chairman and CEO of Covestro LLC.
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2019/01/29/Covestro-isn-t-going-anywhere/stories/201901290027
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