Business News
DuPont Expands R&D Presence in Key Growth Markets
Thursday 23. December 2010 - As part of the DuPont strategy to accelerate growth in developing economies, the company recently announced a new R&D expansion in China to focus on next-generation material developments for photovoltaics, bio-based materials and automotive applications to meet the rapidly increasing demand for these emerging technologies in the Asia Pacific region.
“Asia Pacific and other regions around the world are undergoing transformational change, driven primarily by global population growth and a rising middle class,” said Doug Muzyka, senior vice president and chief science & technology officer. “In fact, 85% of this year’s R&D resources supported growth in megatrends related to agricultural productivity, alternative fuels and energy efficient materials, and safety and protection. This is up about 5% from last year, the largest single gain being in our seeds business.”
“We are responding to the challenges by sharpening our focus to meet the increasing demand for food, to help decrease dependence on fossil fuels, and to help protect people and the environment. This research expansion, along with similar lab expansions in Brazil and India, is another important step to meet specific customer needs in key growth markets,” Doug said.
“We leverage our knowledge and experience, enhance our technical service capability, upgrade supply chains and our route to market, while continuing to develop local talent,” said Tony Su, DuPont president – Greater China. “The investment is as much in our people as it is in the facility.”
Night view of the DuPont China Global R&D Center in Shanghai. “As we build new capabilities in China, we begin to develop offerings specifically tailored to local market needs; and where it makes sense, invest in manufacturing capability to better serve the local, regional and global customers,” Tony said.
“With our diverse range of core technologies, DuPont has unique capabilities to integrate scientific disciplines to address some of the world’s most complex challenges that will define the coming decades. In fact, we have had a record year in new product introductions,” Doug said. “More than 8,500 DuPont scientists and engineers in every corner of the world collaborate each day with customers, partners and other organizations to take technology-based solutions from ideas to high-value offerings for the global marketplace.”