Many
companies in the plastics and rubber industry have set up research and
technology centres to help in their product development.
Saudi Basic Industries
Corporation recently announced that it will add four new state-of-the-art
technology and innovation facilities in 2013, two in Saudi Arabia and one each
in India and China, to bring the total number of its research facilities around
the world to 18.
The four
new centres represent a strategic investment of around half a billion US
dollars to continuously improve technology, applications and solutions and meet
the needs of an increasingly sophisticated marketplace, as well as address a
wide variety of sustainability issues.
DSM also opened its
new Asia Pacific Technical Centre in Singapore. The 2,500 sqm state-of-the-art
centre will support the technological capabilities for customers and reinforce
the development of DSM’s Dyneema in all its core businesses across life
protection, commercial marine, industrial, sports and new business development
initiatives in this region.
The centre
houses Singapore’s first-ever independent ballistics testing facility,
featuring two ballistic ranges, as well as laboratories for conducting
comprehensive tests for both personal and vehicle armor applications in
Dyneema. Tests can be carried out in accordance with international and regional
ballistics standards. For DSM Dyneema, this will be the third global ballistics
testing facility, complementing the existing technical centres in the U.S. and
Europe.
BASF also
opened late last year its application technology centre for PU systems in
Russia to provide comprehensive technical services and sales know-how for
modern PU systems. The company poured in $8.2 million investment into the
centre.
These new
centres are usually near the main facilities of the companies, or strategically
located within their target markets. They required huge investments and the
hiring of qualified professionals. These centres speak well of the intentions
of the companies and the highly competitive nature of the industry.
All these
investments into R&D are aimed at further developing materials and
technologies that respond to the emerging needs of various industries. Much development has taken place to improve
material properties and launch new technologies to meet the complex
requirements of the industries and the markets today. Many more new uses of
plastics and rubber will be developed to replace conventional materials. And
more new machines and efficient machines will be needed to process these new
materials. We will continue to watch a dynamic plastics and rubber industry and
view every move of these key players as they embark on their journey.
