Synthomer launches Asia innovation centre in Malaysia 

London – Synthomer has recently launched its “Asia Innovation Centre” (AIC) at Malaysia’s iPark near Senai Airport, Johor Bahru.

The flagship facility spans over 6,000 square metres and is fully operational now, offering R&D services to the group’s performance elastomers and functional solutions business units, said Synthomer in a 1 April statement. 

The RM35 million (€7.1 million) facility will particularly provide support in nitrile innovation to “ensure Synthomer continues to stay at the forefront of nitrile latex product development and applications know-how,” said Gan Boon Teck, VP & general manager of performance elastomers division in Asia.

“Synthomer’s business has been growing robustly with continual increase in demand from our customers over the past few decades. In view of that, we strongly believe that there is a need to further invest in research, development and applications support,” he added. 

The UK group said the technical centre is the first phase of what it expects to be an ongoing investment in innovation in Asia. The unit, said Synthomer, will have a major focus on the NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) business.

“In addition to expanding our pilot Dido lab reactor capacity, we are also investing in a new robotic dipping arm to more effectively mimic our customers' processes and accurately predict the behaviour of our polymers,” said Dr Zhenli Wei, VP of innovation for performance elastomers division at Synthomer.

In addition, Synthomer is working on a range of new product innovations at the lab, he added.