Clariant's new collaborative innovation center supports North American paints and coatings industry "Beyond Color"

On July 15, 2021, Clariant announced the launch of a new Collaborative Innovation Center to support the North American paint and coatings industry in addressing emerging trends, increasing performance requirements, and meeting sustainability needs
.

Clariant's new state-of-the-art laboratory will bring together its research and technical experts in specialty formulation ingredients and additives to facilitate collaborative product development across all formulations
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Customers in the region will benefit from a unique level of R&D and application testing support
.

"Providing industry-specific, sustainable innovation to advance our customers is at the heart of Clariant
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We are pleased to expand our North American footprint with the addition of a regional innovation hub
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It enhances our market proximity and joint development The ability to target solutions for unmet needs will accelerate time to market for our customers to provide differentiated products,
" said Gene Mueller, head of Clariant North America
.

Andy Michael, Industrial Applications Technology Manager, BU Industrial and Consumer Specialty Products, commented: "Modern paints and coatings are more than just color, they are very complex
.
With our additive colleagues working alongside us in this new innovation center , we will be able to take a more general approach to these challenges, working on the best technical and versatile solutions to meet our customers' needs
.
"

This investment will strengthen R&D support for customers in the industrial sectors of paints, coatings, inks, adhesives and elastomers
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The site's existing capacity, including research laboratories and a pilot plant currently used by Clariant's industrial and consumer expertise teams, will be upgraded and expanded with the addition of 5,000 square feet of new laboratory and office space
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The expansion will create new jobs for the community
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The lab's focus will be on the innovation, formulation, application and testing of new ingredients
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This includes field application testing capabilities, the ability to test coating formulation properties such as scrub, sag, leveling and color acceptance, using reduction methods within the industry
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Further research will be conducted on solutions for dispersion and wetting, emulsification, open time, durability and formulation optimization
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The new equipment, including a spray booth and accelerated aging chamber, will facilitate faster throughput screening and improved rheological testing
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Ray Gonzales, newly appointed Head of North American Sales, Clariant BU Additives, commented: "Clariant has a long history of taking a customer-focused approach to supporting the paint and coatings industry
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We strongly believe in building on performance, innovation and sustainability.
Our collaborative partnerships are key to our customers' success
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They gain a differentiated advantage and can bring new solutions to market faster
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We are excited about the expansion of Mount Hawley as it represents the development of new formulation technical services and solutions
.
"

Construction on the new Mount Holly West Innovation Centre will begin in August 2021, with completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2022
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Clariant's newest regional innovation center in North America, following the opening of the Consumer Care Innovation Center in New Providence, NJ in September 2019
.