Effective July 1, Covestro LLC welcomed Victor Ortega as the new Senior Vice President for Performance Materials Operations in North America and Site Manager at its industrial park in Baytown, Texas, the company’s largest manufacturing facility in North America. Ortega succeeds Demetri Zervoudis, who has since retired from the company after a 40-year career.

Ortega joined Bayer (predecessor of Covestro) in 1999 as an intern in Leverkusen, Germany, before quickly transferring to the company’s operations in Tarragona, Spain, as a Process Engineer. He moved back-and-forth between Baytown and Tarragona over the following two decades, holding positions of increasing responsibility that included project manager and unit engineer. In 2021, Ortega moved to Germany to lead the Brunsbüttel site for three years, returning to Baytown this summer to take on his current role.

In addition to serving as Senior Vice President and Head of Performance Materials Operations in North America, Ortega is responsible for the operations of Covestro sites in Baytown and Channelview, Texas, and South Charleston, W. Va. He also manages the global Propylene Oxide Joint Venture with LyondellBasell and is a member of Covestro’s U.S. Country Council.

“I’m striving to ensure our U.S. plants lead the way within Covestro, delivering the most cost-competitive products to our customers, ensuring our people and processes are safe, and making our units the most reliable,” Ortega said. “I’m especially focused on creating the optimal place for all of our employees to enjoy working for Covestro. We have a unique advantage in the North America region, as we have always been first adopters in technology and digitalization, and we have a passion for safety and efficiency. This is our edge to lead the way for Covestro’s manufacturing worldwide.”

After a diverse and incredible four decades with the company, Zervoudis was thrilled to announce Ortega as his successor.

“Victor’s experience and dedication make him an excellent fit for the role,” Zervoudis said. “I am confident that the site will continue to thrive under his leadership.”