MOSCOW (MRC) -- To support its growth in Asia, Arkema is strengthening its research network by opening an Innovation Center in South Korea, said the producer on its site.
Based within the highly reputable HanYang University in Seoul, this new laboratory embodies a partnership spanning many years between Arkema and the University.
This new laboratory will specialize in high performance polymers and renewable energies - two areas of excellence for the Hanyang University. Through daily interaction with the University’s laboratories, it will serve as a major anchor for the Group’s future innovations in this region.
Integration within a university campus reflects the spirit of joint research between industry and the academic community successfully initiated by Arkema in France. It brings outstanding capacity for innovation while ensuring scientific excellence in the laboratory’s work.
This center will also enable Arkema’s teams in the region to provide local support in particular to Korean customers in the adhesives and technical polymers markets, for electronics, composite materials and renewable energies applications.
This Application Laboratory complements the Group’s existing R&D facilities in Asia, where Arkema already operates research centers in China and Japan.
As MRC reported earlier, in February 2015, Arkema finalized the acquisition of Bostik, the worldпїЅs No. 3 in adhesives, on 2 February 2015. With this acquisition, the group reaches a new milestone in its development, and confirms its ambition to become a world leader in specialty chemicals and advanced materials. Bostik's growth prospects and the complementarities identified between the two groups sustains the success of this high value creating project.
With the acquisition of Bostik, Arkema fulfils a project that is perfectly aligned with its strategy to reinforce its position in specialty chemicals and further develop its High Performance Materials segment. Bostik, which now constitutes a new business unit of this segment, holds leadership positions in most of its markets, has internationally recognized brands and technologies, and achieves around EUR1.5 billion sales with 4,900 employees in over 40 countries.
Arkema is a leading European supplier of chlorochemicals and PVC. Kynar and Kynar Flex are registered trademarks of Arkema Inc.
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