Merklein studied and graduated in Business Administration from IHK Frankfurt institution in Germany.

WOUND CARE MANUFACTURER S E L F - A D H E S I V E B A N D A G E S • Provided aqueous dispersions that are safe for uses in contact with human skin and produce low levels of VOCs • Offered high antioxidant performance to protect bandages from degradation and improve storage time • Collaborated to deliver effectively and efficiently with accelerated development cycles and streamlined operations Aquamix Additive Formulations WHY AVIENT?

CABLE MANUFACTURER C A B L E J A C K E T • Operating temperature from -40°C to 70°C • High gel resistance • Low shrinkage • Strippable for easy installation • Good flame retardancy • Developed a formulation with oil resistance as per the NEK 606 technical specification • Allowed our customer to use the same cable design in various climates due to its wide operating temperature range • Provided expertise to improve manufacturing efficiencies, helping the customer achieve higher processing speeds ECCOH LSFOH 5806 Formulation KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER H O U S I N G F O R C R A N E C O N T R O L • High impact performance, charpy notched > 60kJ/m2 • Part assembly: tight dimensional tolerances ±0.05mm • Critical weld lines are invisible on the final part • Red RAL 3020 as branding color • Color stability during injection • Offered a nylon (PA66) formulation with high impact resistance and dimensional stability • Supported injection trials with field technical services • Developed a ready-to-use solution in RAL 3020 with excellent color stability, helping to reduce scrap rate from >50% to 4% • Enabled timely production through fast new developments and samplings • Offered additional color options Bergamid Polyamide Formulations KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

REDUCED WEIGHT 40–50% weight reduction when switching from metal, portability SOLUTION: Long carbon fiber reinforced composites SUSTAINABILITY PIR/PCR content incorporation SOLUTION: Recycled content long fiber thermoplastics STRENGTH IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS High strength-to-weight ratio, high and low temperature performance SOLUTION: Long carbon fiber reinforced composites CORROSION RESISTANCE Metal replacement, eliminate secondary operations, slow moisture uptake SOLUTION: Moisture resistant long fiber reinforced nylons ELECTRIFYING STRENGTH Ignite a passion for exploration and push the boundaries of durability with long fiber thermoplastic technology for bikes, engineered to excel in extreme challenges!

POWER TOOL MANUFACTURER P I S T O N R I N G A N D C O N N E C T I N G R O D F O R P O W E R T O O L • Exceptional mechanical properties • Good wear and abrasion resistance • High purity and light weight • Worked directly with the manufacturer from design to molding to better understand and satisfy key requirements • Improved strength, stiffness and stability with one-stop technology service to best meet customer’s needs • Provided lightweighting solution to help customer achieve its sustainability goal Edgetek™ PK PEEK Formulation KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

HAGER GROUP O U T D O O R E L E C T R I C A L S O C K E T • A more sustainable, recycled formulation • Similar performance to current virgin polyolefin including: • Good UV, scratch, and impact resistance • Reliable coloration to RAL 7011 and RAL 7035 • A matte finish • Expedited the approval of Plastic Bank as a new supplier • Formulated custom materials with recycled ocean-bound plastic (Social Plastic®) from Plastic Bank • Provided functional replacements for the previous virgin polyolefins with comparable performance • Enabled Hager to launch new cubyko leaf outdoor sockets and switches to market containing 27% recycled materials Maxxam REC Recycled Formulation KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

OUTDOOR GEAR MAKER F I S H I N G T O O L G R I P • Aesthetically differentiate new products while optimizing user functionality and safety • Meet weatherability performance required by industry standard UV and Salt Water Exposure tests • Resist fish oils, sunscreens, and cleaners • Comply with FDA food contact requirements • Provided product development support from concept to production, including visual brand integration, part design, and material selection • Customized grip design and TPE formulation to retain grip and tactile feel in wet and oily environments • Expedited lead time with advanced design and 3D modeling services to enable product launch at key industry tradeshow • Offered global supply continuity with local technical and manufacturing support Custom Versaflex™ Wet Grip TPE and Avient Design Services KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

PTFE Wire insulation ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER H I G H - T E M P E R A T U R E C A B L E S - O I L & G A S I N D U S T R Y • Formulations suitable for a wide range of cable types, including high-voltage and self-regulating heating applications • Fine-tuned and consistent resistivity • Consistent performance across a wide range of temperatures • Optimized dispersion for ease of processing • Provided tailored solutions for specific conductivity requirements, protecting cables against damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD), arc failures, and temperature fluctuation • Supplied ESD and conductive fluoropolymer solutions in PFA, FEP, ETFE and PVDF • Shared more than 40 years of experience in the processing and formulation of fluoropolymers • Offered a global manufacturing footprint Colorant Chromatics Conductive Formulations KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?

T I G H T B U F F E R I N G E L - F I L L E D L O O S E T U B E F O R A E R I A L C A B L E S GLOBAL CABLE MANUFACTURER • Operating temperature from -40°C to 70°C • High gel resistance • Low shrinkage • Stripability for easy installation • Good flame retardancy • Developed a formulation with good thermal behaviour and low shrinkage • Enabled a greater range of operating temperatures giving the customer the flexibility of using the same cable design in a range of different climates • Provided superior gel resistance increasing life time of the cable • Utilized simulation service to optimize customer tooling and extrusion output ECCOH™ 5806 Formulation KEY REQUIREMENTS WHY AVIENT?