Lanxess Opens Expanded China Research Centre

The Lanxess research and development facility in Qingdao, China has undergone a ten million euro expansion programme, a measure the company says will facilitate its strategy of profitable growth in Asia through targeted investments in research and development. Upon announcing the official inauguration of its bigger and better High Performance Rubber R&D Center (RRCQ) on May 22, Lanxess Board of Management member Werner Breuers commented that the upgraded research centre “will give us a competitive edge by developing new products and applications for the growing Chinese rubber market.”

“To be ahead of the competition especially in BRIC countries, we need to deliver tailor-made and innovative products to our Chinese customers,” noted Breuers. “To foster such strategic developments, Lanxess is raising its Group R&D investments even despite the economic crisis. We will increase our expenditures by ten per cent in 2009 to ensure top quality, reliability, and innovation for our customers and partners, especially in China – now and in the future.”

The expanded RRCQ has an additional 400 square metre rubber mixing/testing laboratory and a 400 square pilot plant. The centre covers an area of 3,000 square metres in total can accommodate numerous functions ranging from fundamental research involving the development of new products and techniques to technical customer support and preparing the commercialisation of future inventions. The centre, which is staffed by 15 research activity employees, is jointly operated by the company’s Technical Rubber Products, Butyl Rubber and Performance Butadiene Rubbers business units.

Lanxess recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Qingdao University of Science and Technology covering the areas of research and development and staff training for the rubber industries. “China is, and will continue to be, one of the major markets for Lanxess driving future growth,” explained Martin Kraemer, country representative of Lanxess Greater China. “In spite of the economic downturn, we expect long-term growth in the tyre market and for other major rubber applications. Our goal is therefore to provide the Chinese market with value-added products by expanding our R&D network and local production to meet our customers’ exact needs.”

The company’s first manufacturing plant in Qingdao, Rhein Chemie Qingdao, was built in 1999 to produce polymer additives for the electrical, electronics, and automotive industries. Since then, Lanxess has made ongoing investments in Qingdao, including a plant for the manufacture of lubricant oil additives.