2013 Exhibitions
Germany-based speciality chemicals company Lanxess has invested “several million Euros” in its new Asia-Pacific Application Development Centre for its high-tech plastics in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park, said Christof Krogmann, Head of High Performance Materials business unit for the APAC region. “It is an on going investment process, there is still space for more equipment and we will continue to invest in the facility in the future,” he said at the opening on 18 April.
A target focus will be automotive parts testing, since 50% of the business of the High Performance Materials (HPM) unit, which runs the centre, is in the automotive sector.
To focus on the Asian and Indian markets, the facility caters to concept development, computer-aided design, computer-aided engineering, mould-design assistance and part test applications, for injection/blow moulded parts as well as composite sheet applications.
When asked the reasons for locating the facility in Hong Kong, Krogmann replied, “Logistically, Hong Kong is easy to get to; plus the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park houses 300 high-technology enterprises of all sizes as well as academic institutions, opening up more opportunities for cooperation in the science development for us.”
The centre will complement Lanxess’s material testing facility in Wuxi, China, and the main testing facility in Germany.
The firm expects to expand its Green Mobility trend in Asia for plastics applications, including under-the-hood, chassis, engines and oil pans. “High performance plastics play a vital role in the Green Mobility megatrend by reducing weight and fuel consumption as lighter alternatives to metals,” said Krogmann, adding that applications based on Pocan PBT and Durethan PA6 products will be tested.
“The APDC 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.
Lanxess has invested in the expansion of its capacities in the Asia Pacific region. In Wuxi, China, it raised capacity by 20,000 tonnes/year to 60,000 tonnes/year in 2011. In 2012, the company opened a new compounding plant in Jhagadia, India, with an initial capacity of 20,000 tonnes/year. These two facilities supply the entire Asia Pacific region with Durethan and Pocan.
The High Performance Materials business unit is part of Lanxess’s Performance Polymers segment, which achieved total sales of EUR 5.2 billion in fiscal 2012.
(PRA)
