Röhm: New Technology Centers in China and USA

• Launch of Asia Technology Center in Shanghai
• Center of Excellence to be built in Wallingford (Connecticut, USA)

With new state-of-the-art Technology Centers in China and the USA, Röhm will strengthen its technological leadership and further expand its leading market position. While the opening ceremony for the new Asia Technology Center in Shanghai was celebrated in China on August 6, 2021, the flagship Technical Center in Wallingford (Connecticut, USA) is scheduled to go into operation in 2022.

"Our ambition is to become the technology leader in the world of methacrylates. As the leading partner in quality and reliability, we want to shape the future of the methacrylate markets together with our customers," says CEO Michael Pack. "With our new Technology Centers in important economic regions such as Asia and North America, we improve our responsiveness and proximity to our customers," says Pack.

Located at Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, Röhm Asia Technology Center comprises modern technical application and development labs for innovative applications.

Over the recent years, Röhm has developed customized PMMA products for the Chinese market, such as PLEXIGLAS® Hi-Gloss for automotive pillar trims and PLEXIGLAS® Resist for electronic displays. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) products are branded as PLEXIGLAS® in the European, Asian, African and Australian continent, and branded in the Americas as ACRYLITE®.

Röhm will enhance interaction with OEMs with the new Asia Technology Center and provide close support and early involvement in developing innovative design and applications. Focus is a shortening of the time to market in fields like automotive full-width rear lamps, ambient lighting and appliances.

The new Technical Center of Excellence in the USA will be located in Wallingford, Connecticut. It will have a global reach for all medical research and development, providing increased capability to advance new CYROLITE® solutions for the demanding medical device industry. The team will support medical OEM for infusion therapy, blood management, diagnostics and other technologies.

Activities at the center will also include application development, design, and processing support for the region’s automotive applications – such as exterior body elements, signal lighting or interior, where unique designs made possible with ACRYLITE®/PLEXIGLAS® are differentiating factors for car manufacturers.

“By broadening the scope of our research and development and process technologies in China and the USA, we send a strong signal to the market and underline our ambition to become the leading Methacrylate Verbund", states Michael Pack.