Evonik expands R&D center in Shanghai, China

• Evonik has invested close to €23 million in the third expansion of its R&D Center in Shanghai, with a footprint of more than 14,000 square meters
• The aim is to develop product applications and providing technology service for customers in Asia
• The new R&D building is the first LEED certified building for Evonik worldwide

China/Shanghai. Following a construction period of two years, Evonik Industries has unveiled its new Research & Development (R&D) center in Shanghai Xinzhuang. With the successful completion, Evonik has expanded its R&D center in Shanghai for third times since its establishment in 2004. A total investment of €23 million, the new five-storey R&D building covers an area of more than 14,000 square meters, housing 50 standard labs, conference facilities and a show room demonstrating Evonik’s diversified products and solutions. The new R&D building is also the first LEED* (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified building for Evonik worldwide.

“In order to strengthen our position as a global leading specialty chemicals company, Evonik places so much emphasis on innovation, particularly in China. Ultimately, our goal is to offer our customers tailored solutions for their own markets and specific needs,” said Patrik Wohlhauser, member of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG, at the opening ceremony.

High innovative capability is vital for Evonik as a world leader in specialty chemicals. It drives profitable growth and strengthens our position as a market and technology leader. Alongside our applications technology laboratories at several sites, the R&D center in Shanghai-Xinzhuang plays a key role in Evonik’s global R&D strategy. “Creating innovative products and solutions that satisfy changing customer needs is at the core of our business. With the expansion, we are strengthening the local R&D capacity by expanding our activities from technical service to product development,” said Dr. Hans-Josef Ritzert, President Evonik Greater China region. After the expansion, the Shanghai R&D Center has a total of 35,000 square meters of space, developing product applications and providing technology services for customers in Asia.

In addition, a wide variety of Evonik products are applied in the new R&D building, ranging from external wall, roof, and toilets to interior decoration. The approach is to make the new R&D building a concrete example for our customers and visitors of how Evonik products and solutions can be put into specific use. For example, the show room on the ground floor of the new R&D building is packing plenty of PLEXIGLAS® products – acrylic polymer sheets, ranging from wall, product display compartment, signage to lightings.

Evonik has been stepping up R&D in the Asian growth markets for years, aiming to help strengthen the competitiveness of our Asian customers through research and applications technology geared specifically to local needs. For example, with the establishment of Science to Business Center (S2B) Bio and analytic center AQura in the new R&D building, Evonik endeavors to strengthen its basic research competency in the region. S2B Bio is responsible for the evaluation of technologies, research cooperation with Chinese partners, technology scale-up and commercialization for the Chinese market. AQura is the Evonik competence center for chemical, physicochemical analysis and safety testing.

* LEED is a suite of rating systems for green buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.