International Paint’s on going programme of investment in R&D continues with the building of a new, worldwide product development laboratory in Singapore. Planned to open early in 2010, the new laboratory will focus on the development of the next generation antifouling and foul release technology.
 

Monday, July 6, 2009

The new laboratory will be a key part of our global marine network of R&D centres and builds upon the success of the existing worldwide product development laboratories in the U.K. and Korea and the existing regional product development laboratories in Houston, Bangalore, Shanghai, Geoje, Singapore and Felling.  

Initially the new laboratory will employ up to 20 scientists with the capacity for future expansion.  

Singapore is a major shipping centre with extensive dry docking, anchorage and port facilities and this exciting development will allow a closer link between laboratory testing and practical antifouling performance on ships. This together with the severe year round fouling challenge in the Singapore coastal waters will significantly improve new product development. 

“The Antifouling market is as dynamic as it has ever been”, states Mike Hindmarsh, Biocidal Antifouling Business Development Manager, “with customer expectations and legislative pressure pushing the very limits of what coating companies can deliver in a highly competitive market. Being ideally positioned in the heart of the marine community will enable us to more than meet industry demands”.  

Design work on the new laboratory is almost complete and construction work will begin soon. The laboratory will be staffed by a mixture of local Singaporean and expatriate scientists.  

Aidan Mernin, Worldwide Marine Technical Manager, commented, “This is a substantial investment in R&D and shows the belief that AkzoNobel has in International Paint and the Worldwide Marine technical team. The challenge that we face is to deliver new products that meet business needs and to do this faster than ever before. The new Singapore laboratory is going to be a massive boost in helping us meet this challenge.”