Leverkusen, Germany/Hong Kong – The specialty chemicals company Lanxess has opened a new Asia-Pacific Application Development Center for its high-tech plastics in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park. It is run by the High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit and provides comprehensive and high-value services ranging from concept development support, computer-aided design, computer-aided engineering and mold-design assistance to part test applications for the automotive industry and other segments.
The Asia-Pacific Application Development Center will be the technology hub for customers in the Asia-Pacific region and India. It offers customers comprehensive engineering services in all stages of developing a new application; for injection molded and blow molded parts, as well as for composite sheet applications. Technical support capabilities span from initial feasibility studies to high-tech testing.
“The new Application Development Center will support our customers and industry partners with parts development and qualification for successful launching of new applications and plastics parts. With the top-notch simulation tools, we are able to provide innovative solutions for cost reduction, environmental protection, energy savings and shortening time to market,” said Thomas Babl, head of Technical Marketing & Engineer Services for High Performance Materials APAC. “This center will help to evaluate the reliability, performance and compliance of prototype parts and mass production parts according to customers’ engineering specifications,“ added Babl.
The Hong Kong Science & Technology Park features excellent facilities and supporting services and offers extensive possibilities for networking with numerous innovative companies, institutes and local universities for know-how sharing, joint research and exchange programs. It was named “Technology and Innovation Park of the Year – Asia 2012” by the leading financial magazine World Finance in recognition of these unique possibilities and for being at the forefront of scientific and technological development. “The Hong Kong Science Park is therefore the ideal location for our new Application Development Center,” commented Babl. “Complementing the current research and development testing center in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, the Asia-Pacific Application Development Center in Hong Kong will focus on external cooperation and demands from customers,” said Christof Krogmann, head of the High Performance Materials business unit for the APAC region. “Working with the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park, which houses more than 300 high-technology enterprises of all sizes and academic institutions, will open up more opportunities for cooperation in the science development for us.”
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The Asia-Pacific Application Development Center will enhance Lanxess’ capabilities to serve the expanding Green Mobility trend by providing testing services for plastics applications in the auto industry in application areas including under-the-hood, chassis, engines and oil pans. “High performance plastics play a vital role in the Green Mobility megatrend by reducing auto weight and fuel consumption as lighter alternatives to metals. With our technology know-how, expertise in lightweight solutions, as well as high performance Pocan and Durethen products, we are committed to driving the automotive industry towards a greener future,” added Krogmann.
Lanxess is quick to respond to the increase in demand for products from the HPM business unit due to the trend toward lightweight construction in vehicle production by investing in the expansion of the capacities in the Asia Pacific region. In Wuxi, China, Lanxess completed the expansion at the production facility for high-tech plastics in 2011. It has raised production by around 20,000 metric tons per year to a total of approximately 60,000 metric tons. In 2012, the company opened a new compounding plant in Jhagadia, India, with an initial capacity of 20,000 metric tons per year. These two facilities supply the entire Asia-Pacific region with Durethan and Pocan. The High Performance Materials business unit is part of Lanxess’ Performance Polymers segment, which achieved total sales of EUR 5.2 billion in fiscal 2012.
Source: Rubber World
