Expansions: BASF further expands R&D centre in Shanghai; Technip Energies acquires R&D company Processium

German chemical firm BASF recently inaugurated the expansion of its Innovation Campus Shanghai, China, consisting of two new R&D buildings. The company has invested a total of EUR280 million since 2012 to its Innovation Campus Shanghai, thus enhancing its innovation capabilities and better support its customers in China and across Asia.

“Today, more than ever, our customers are looking for innovative solutions for a sustainable future. With the expansion of BASF’s Innovation Campus Shanghai, we can respond even faster to the growing needs and requirements of the markets in China and across Asia in particular. Innovation is a key driver for greater sustainability, growth and key to our success,” said Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE and Chief Technology Officer.

The Innovation Campus Shanghai, which opened in 2012, is BASF’s largest R&D site in Asia. It has completed two expansions in 2015 and 2019, enhancing its role as an innovation powerhouse for BASF and its partners in the region. Currently, around 10,000 BASF employees work in R&D worldwide, of which around 10% work in China, including the Innovation Campus Shanghai.

The expansion includes two R&D buildings, where new facilities and laboratories will be used to advance chemical research projects and create new sustainable solutions:

In other news, engineering firm Technip Energies has acquired Processium, said to be an expert company in process development, equipped with laboratory and piloting facilities located in Lyon, France.

Processium is an industrial development partner designing and developing next-generation processes to support the energy transition and enhance manufacturing competitiveness in the field of sustainable chemicals.

With this acquisition, Technip Energies will pursue its strategic objective of accelerating the development of new processes and technologies to meet the pressing needs of a fast-growing market, driven by sustainability goals. Technip Energies will strengthen its R&D portfolio and enlarge its service offer, taking benefit from the highly skilled workforce of Processium with specific competencies in reactor design and scale-up, as well as downstream purification and processing know-how.

The modern and reputable innovation center provides process development services that accelerate and de-risk new technology introduction for clients ranging from startups to large industrial companies. The integration with Technip Energies will create unique offerings for its clients to support new process development and generate added value for both companies.

Wei Cai, Chief Technology Officer of Technip Energies, commented: “We are very excited by this opportunity to leverage talent and expertise from Processium. In close collaboration with our existing technology centers, this acquisition will enhance our capabilities to develop proprietary technologies in the dynamic sustainable chemicals industry.”

Pascal Rousseaux, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Processium, commented: “We share the same vision of market needs and the combination of our respective strengths will provide new offerings to support our customers at all stages from concept to industrial solution. Being part of the Technip Energies group will bring a lot of value to our customers. We are very pleased and excited about the possibilities of collaboration with Technip Energies’ R&D teams.”

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