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Ashland sets up composites R&D centre in Shanghai

20 Sep '18
3 min read
Courtesy: Ashland
Courtesy: Ashland

Ashland has set up a composites research and development technical service centre in the Jinling Valley Sci-Tech Industrial Park, Shanghai. The new centre will leverage global talents and facilities to strengthen the company’s innovation and commercialisation efforts and serve as the Asia Pacific technical centre of its composites segment.

The new composites research and development technical service centre will focus on combining existing chemistries knowledge with future technologies to solve customers’ most complex materials challenges. The centre is nearly 1500 square metres and will house approximately 20 scientists and engineers who will lead research and development efforts on advancing technologies for markets such as transportation, construction, marine and infrastructure products, enhancing and driving closer partnerships with customers.

“Global demand is increasing for innovative materials that can meet and exceed the challenges from a variety of environments and applications,” said Andrew Johnston, group vice president, Composites. “As our customer base grows, the need to create, produce and test new chemistries, formulas and materials plays a critical role in the market cycle.”

He continued, “The new composites R and D technical service centre serves as the latest example of our long-term commitment to investing and growing in the Asia Pacific region. The addition of this new centre reinforces our promise of always solving for our customers in ways that enable customers to amplify the efficacy, refine the usability, add to the allure, ensure the integrity, and improve the profitability of their products and applications.”

“The new centre will be an important part of our global network in research and development and will provide strategic and technical service for the Asia pacific region. We will leverage our strong expertise in problem solving and in providing timely and professional service to the Asia Pacific market and local customers.” said Dr. Darcy Culkin, global technical director, Composites.

Ashland is a global specialist in unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins and gel coats. The composites business manufactures and sells a broad range of general-purpose and high-performance grades of unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins, gelcoats and low-profile additives for the reinforced plastics industry. The products in the composites business provide an array of functional properties including corrosion resistance, fire retardance, ultraviolet resistance, water and chemical resistance, high mechanical strength, impact and scratch resistance and high strength-to-weight ratios.

“With the opening of our new centre in Shanghai, Ashland will be able to expand and reinforce its global R and D expertise via local channels,” says Mike Chen, general manager, Asia Pacific Composites. “The centre is designed to meet current and future needs of customers in the rapidly growing Asia Pacific region. It will bring our company and solutions closer and faster to them.” (SV)

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