CHT Group, a Germany-based specialty chemicals manufacturer serving the textile and industrial sectors, said on Thursday it had been named a Best Managed Company 2026, underscoring its ongoing efforts to restructure operations and strengthen competitiveness amid mounting pressure on Europe’s industrial sector.
The award, granted through a program organized by Deloitte Private, UBS, the Federation of German Industries (BDI), and German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, recognizes medium-sized companies for excellence in management, innovation, strategy, governance and corporate culture.
The recognition comes at a time when many German manufacturers are grappling with economic uncertainty, high energy costs and weaker industrial demand, particularly in chemicals and export-oriented industries.
Headquartered in Tübingen, the foundation-owned company said the award reflected a broader transformation strategy it has been implementing over recent months, including organizational restructuring designed to improve efficiency and strengthen customer relationships.
Chief Executive Eva Baumann said the award carried added significance because it followed a period of operational and market-related challenges for the company.
“This award comes at a time when our company has faced significant challenges. That makes us see it all the more as confirmation that we are on the right track,” Baumann said in a statement released by the company.
She said CHT was continuing its transformation journey with a focus on creating “a clearer, more focused organization” capable of responding more effectively to customer needs while ensuring long-term competitiveness.
The Best Managed Companies program evaluates firms through a multi-stage selection process involving detailed assessments of corporate strategy, operational performance, innovation capacity, governance structures, corporate culture and financial management. Final selections are made by an independent jury consisting of representatives from business, academia and media organizations.
The award has become increasingly recognized among Germany’s industrial mid-sized companies, often referred to as the “Mittelstand,” which are considered central to the country’s export-driven economy.
According to CHT, its restructuring efforts have focused on simplifying organizational structures, clarifying responsibilities and improving operational responsiveness. The company said the goal was not simply internal efficiency, but also building closer relationships with customers across its global operations.
Industry analysts have noted that many specialty chemicals producers are accelerating restructuring and modernization initiatives as customers increasingly demand sustainable production methods, shorter supply chains and more customized chemical solutions.
Markus Seiz, who leads the Best Managed Companies program at Deloitte Private in Germany, said the company demonstrated strong leadership and a values-driven business culture.
“Best Managed Companies recognizes outstanding corporate leadership that creates stability and does not rest on past achievements,” Seiz said in the company statement.
“Behind the CHT Group is a motivated team that takes responsibility on the basis of strong values – for its employees, the market, and society as a whole,” he added.
Seiz also highlighted the company’s emphasis on combining economic performance with broader social responsibility, an increasingly important factor for industrial companies facing growing scrutiny over sustainability and environmental practices.
Founded in Germany and owned by a foundation, CHT Group operates internationally with approximately 2,500 employees and 26 production facilities worldwide. The company reported group turnover of 572 million euros ($648 million) in the 2025 financial year.
Its business portfolio spans several industrial sectors. The company’s Textile Solutions division supplies dyes and auxiliaries used across textile manufacturing processes, while its Industrial Solutions segment focuses on specialty silicones, washing solutions, paper and pulp technologies and care ingredients.
The Functional Chemicals business unit produces additives used in paints, coatings, adhesives, leather processing, construction chemicals, agrochemicals, mining and release agents.
The textile sector remains a major market for the company, particularly as apparel manufacturers and brands increase pressure on suppliers to adopt more sustainable and environmentally compliant production processes. Demand for specialty chemicals that improve water efficiency, reduce hazardous substances and support low-impact textile finishing has grown steadily in recent years.
CHT said sustainability remained a core part of its long-term corporate strategy and noted that the company maintains certifications aligned with international standards. The company added that social responsibility and value-oriented governance continue to shape its operational and strategic decisions.
Germany’s chemicals industry, one of the country’s largest industrial sectors, has faced sustained pressure since the energy crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions in recent years. Smaller and medium-sized manufacturers have been particularly affected by rising operational costs and volatile global demand.
Against that backdrop, many industrial firms have sought to strengthen resilience through restructuring, digitalization and sustainability-focused investment strategies.
CHT said the award should be viewed not as an endpoint, but as encouragement to continue its transformation efforts.
“This award is not an end in itself for us, but rather an incentive,” Baumann said. “We will steadfastly continue on our path of transformation with the goal of further strengthening our competitiveness and creating real added value for our customers.”
The award ceremony took place on Wednesday evening at the Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten in Frankfurt am Main, where Baumann accepted the recognition on behalf of the company and its employees.
The company is expected to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2028.
