Rhodia has inaugurated its new International Research & Development Center located in Shanghai. Created to spearhead the group’s innovation in the Asia Pacific region, this centre has now become one of Rhodia’s five major R&D centers.
As such, it will help the group to achieve its ambitious growth and development objectives in Asia. Dedicated to the Asian market, the centre will focus on the development of high technology innovations which respect the principles of sustainable development and aim to provide cost-effective solutions for a variety of industrial areas including that of cosmetics. Taking full advantage of ultra-modern scientific equipment, this research centre optimises both safety and quality of work, while promoting interaction between researchers. A “pilot hall” designed on a modular basis will allow scientists to extrapolate their laboratory work more rapidly, and more efficiently, in a way that remains as close as possible to the realities of industrial production. Since the new centre’s foundations were laid in spring 2008, Rhodia has already built up a team of 70 researchers who have contributed to some 15 inventions which are about to be registered as patents. In 2010, the centre will cover 6,500 m2 and employ a total of 150 research scientists.
