Akzo to open Innovation Centre in 2018
- December 21, 2017
- Posted by: Alan Feldberg
- Category: Industry News
AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals has announced that its Deventer site in the Netherlands will be transformed into a chemistry and technology innovation hub in 2018.
The Open Innovation Centre will be available to chemical start-ups in the new year, backed by a seven-year agreement with the municipality of Deventer. The centre is being supported by the Restructuring Company Overijssel and the Province of Overijssel, who together are investing more than €25m.
Companies, knowledge institutes, entrepreneurs, investors and students will be able to gain access to a working environment which includes special research facilities, such as a unique safety laboratory, analytical lab, pilot facilities for scaling up production, and education and training facilities.
Peter Nieuwenhuizen, global RD&I director of AkzoNobel specialty chemicals, said ‘We are strengthening our ties with Deventer and together we are creating an innovative centre of companies and knowledge institutes.
‘Open innovation is an essential part of our business in terms of meeting our growth and sustainability targets. By exchanging knowledge with our partners, we will be able to develop ground-breaking chemtech innovations much quicker and speed up the introduction of new applications in highly demanding chemistry.’
