Integrated Annual Report 2025

9 Property, plant and equipment

Accounting policy

Property, plant and equipment owned

Items of Property, plant and equipment owned are measured at cost less depreciation calculated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives and less any impairment losses. Borrowing costs during construction are capitalized when the underlying asset under construction meets the recognition criteria of a qualifying asset. Subsequent expenditure is capitalized only when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the Group. The initially assumed expected useful lives are in principle as follows:

  • Buildings: 10–50 years

  • Plant and equipment: 4–15 years

  • Land is not depreciated

An item of Property, plant and equipment owned is derecognized upon disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected to arise from the continued use or the sale of the asset. Any gain or loss arising on derecognition of the asset is recorded in profit or loss.

Right-of-use assets (leases)

dsm-firmenich mainly leases offices, warehouses, vehicles, machinery, and other equipment.

The Group recognizes a right-of-use asset and a lease liability at the lease commencement date. Right-of-use assets are measured at cost less any depreciation on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term, less any impairment losses, and adjusted for remeasurements of the lease liability. In line with the initially assumed expected useful life of the corresponding asset class within Property, plant and equipment, the minimum expected lease term for building leases is in principle 10 years. However, the contractual terms or specific circumstances could require applying the shorter non-cancellable period in determining the expected lease term. For vehicle leases, the expected lease term is set equal to the contractual term (four to five years).

Impairment of property, plant or equipment

If there is an indication of impairment, the carrying amount of an item of property, plant and equipment or the cash generating unit (CGU) to which it belongs is reviewed and the recoverable amount of the asset or the CGU is estimated. An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an asset or CGU exceeds its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is reversed when there has been a change in estimate that is relevant for the determination of the asset’s recoverable amount since the last impairment loss was recognized.

Estimates and judgments

Key estimates and judgments dsm-firmenich makes in the accounting for items of property, plant and equipment relate to:

  • The depreciation period of items of Property, plant and equipment, which depend on their useful lives

  • The determination of the lease term for lease contracts based on assessment of available renewal options. Estimates are based on the underlying asset class, past practices and current business outlooks

  • The estimation and allocation of future cash flows, growth rates, discount rates and fair values minus costs of disposal for the impairment testing of items of Property, plant and equipment. These estimates are based on historical and current market rates, experience, and current business outlooks

Property, plant and equipment

In 2025, impairment losses of €32 million on Property, plant and equipment owned (2024: €128 million) and of €2 million on Right-of-use assets (2024: nil) were recognized. See also Note 2 Alternative performance measures.

In addition, following the classification of the ANH business as held for sale, €1,461 million and €60 million in, respectively, Property, plant and equipment owned and Right-of-use assets were reclassified accordingly at year-end 2025.

Composition of Property, plant and equipment

 

 

2025

 

2024

Property, plant and equipment owned

 

3,738

 

5,223

Right-of-use assets

 

436

 

502

Total

 

4,174

 

5,725

Property, plant and equipment owned

 

 

Land and buildings

 

Plant and equipment

 

Under construction

 

Total

Balance at January 1, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

2,962

 

5,642

 

809

 

9,413

Depreciation and impairments

 

925

 

3,332

 

 

4,257

Carrying amount at January 1, 2024

 

2,037

 

2,310

 

809

 

5,156

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in carrying amount:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Capital expenditure

 

11

 

57

 

645

 

713

- Put into operation

 

91

 

440

 

(531)

 

- Disposals and deconsolidations

 

(56)

 

(66)

 

(2)

 

(124)

- Depreciation

 

(122)

 

(359)

 

 

(481)

- Impairment losses

 

(35)

 

(90)

 

(3)

 

(128)

- Exchange differences

 

44

 

32

 

12

 

88

- Transfers

 

 

 

(1)

 

(1)

 

 

(67)

 

14

 

120

 

67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

2,886

 

5,651

 

930

 

9,467

Depreciation and impairments

 

916

 

3,327

 

1

 

4,244

Carrying amount at December 31, 2024

 

1,970

 

2,324

 

929

 

5,223

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in carrying amount:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Capital expenditure

 

10

 

61

 

633

 

704

- Put into operation

 

131

 

354

 

(485)

 

- Disposals and deconsolidations

 

(13)

 

(4)

 

(1)

 

(18)

- Depreciation

 

(117)

 

(345)

 

 

(462)

- Impairment losses

 

(17)

 

(12)

 

(3)

 

(32)

- Reclassification to held for sale

 

(438)

 

(888)

 

(135)

 

(1,461)

- Exchange differences

 

(80)

 

(86)

 

(47)

 

(213)

- Transfers

 

 

 

(3)

 

(3)

 

 

(524)

 

(920)

 

(41)

 

(1,485)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

1,963

 

2,963

 

888

 

5,814

Depreciation and impairments

 

517

 

1,559

 

 

2,076

Carrying amount at December 31, 2025

 

1,446

 

1,404

 

888

 

3,738

Right of use assets

 

 

Land and buildings

 

Plant and equipment

 

Total

Balance at January 1, 2024

 

312

 

81

 

393

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in carrying amount:

 

 

 

 

 

 

New leases/remeasurements

 

170

 

28

 

198

Depreciation

 

(65)

 

(31)

 

(96)

Impairments

 

 

 

Exchange rate differences

 

7

 

 

7

 

 

112

 

(3)

 

109

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

577

 

131

 

708

Depreciation and impairments

 

(153)

 

(53)

 

(206)

Carrying amount at December 31, 2024

 

424

 

78

 

502

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in carrying amount:

 

 

 

 

 

 

New leases/remeasurements

 

84

 

33

 

117

Depreciation

 

(70)

 

(28)

 

(98)

Reclassification to held for sale

 

(33)

 

(27)

 

(60)

Impairments

 

 

(2)

 

(2)

Exchange rate differences

 

(21)

 

(2)

 

(23)

 

 

(40)

 

(26)

 

(66)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost

 

535

 

82

 

617

Depreciation and impairments

 

(151)

 

(30)

 

(181)

Carrying amount at December 31, 2025

 

384

 

52

 

436

For the disclosures on the lease liabilities that correspond with the right-of-use assets, see Note 19 Borrowings.

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