ARLANXEO, a global leader in performance elastomers, has inaugurated its Innovation Center Asia (ICA) in Changzhou, China. The new centre was created by upgrading the existing Regional Technical Center (RTC) into an Asia hub for innovation, expanding ARLANXEO’s global R&D capabilities to better support markets in China and beyond.

The inauguration ceremony was addressed by Herman Dikland, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer at ARLANXEO, and Hong Sun, Managing Director at ARLANXEO China. In addition, ARLANXEO representatives, valued customers, local authorities, and university partners attended the ceremony.

The upgraded Innovation Center Asia features expanded space, a stronger team, and additional laboratory assets and capabilities. The Innovation Center Asia supports customers and projects in the fields of rubber compounding and processing; physical testing and chemical analysis of polymers, compounds, and vulcanisates; battery application development, prototyping, and testing; and also offers a dedicated chemistry lab to support its new HNBR plant in Changzhou and global HNBR R&D activities.

“Innovation is a core driver of ARLANXEO’s sustainable growth, and China plays an important role in our global innovation ecosystem. This state-of-the-art laboratory facility puts us in an excellent position to advance our R&D capabilities and reinforce our market position. We look forward to driving frontier innovation together with our passionate and creative China team, while bringing China-based innovation into solutions for global markets,” said Herman Dikland, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer at ARLANXEO.

Located at ARLANXEO’s Changzhou site and adjacent to its EPDM and HNBR plants, the Innovation Center Asia is well-positioned to drive local R&D and innovation through close collaboration with customers. Leveraging its strong compounding and processing know-how and in-depth analytical expertise, the centre will be instrumental in helping address evolving market demands. It will also complement ARLANXEO’s Innovation Center in Dormagen, Germany, by creating synergies in developing new methods, exploring advanced equipment and technologies, and delivering innovative product solutions to customers worldwide.

“The inauguration of the Innovation Center Asia reflects our commitment to supporting the rapid transformation of China’s rubber industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan period,” said Hong Sun, Managing Director at ARLANXEO China. “With growing demand for advanced materials and customised formulations, the new centre will further strengthen our proximity to customers, enhance our agility in meeting market needs, and better support the upgrading of the entire rubber industry.”