DKSH has opened a brand-new polymer innovation center in Seoul, Korea. Along with this opening, the company expands its existing innovation center for the personal care and cosmetics industry.
Media release
Seoul, Korea, March 25, 2019 – DKSH's Business Unit Performance Materials, a leading ingredients and specialty chemicals distributor, has increased its global network of innovation centers to a total of 39, including nine for the specialty chemicals industry and 13 for the personal care and cosmetics industry.
The new state-of-the-art polymer innovation center is fully equipped with the latest technology for the evaluation and testing of solutions in polymer production, with a focus on engineering plastics and polymer additives. Operated by specialists with extensive experience in polymer R&D, the center conducts regular activities including customer seminars, technical trainings, injection molding tests and product property comparisons. Polymer production in Korea is a rapidly growing sector and relies on investment in R&D to ensure it remains innovative and cutting-edge on the world stage.
DKSH Korea also recently inaugurated a new innovation center dedicated to paints and coatings applications. The center provides formulation support and technical assistance to paints and coatings customers, which allows faster time-to-market for new products developed by DKSH key clients.
The existing innovation center for the personal care and cosmetics industry will relocate to larger premises to even better serve DKSH's large customer base of manufacturers. Among its many competences, the center provides solutions for color cosmetics, skincare, sun protection and body care formulations. It has successfully contributed to the commercialization of many innovative products and supports companies to tailor industry trends from other markets to local needs.
Specialists from both innovation centers also work in tandem with DKSH's regulatory consultation teams to assist and support business partners on the complexities of regulations in Korea. With its worldwide innovation center network, DKSH fosters a culture of knowledge transfer across industries to drive synergies and develop added value for its business partners.
Seungpil Jang, General Manager, DKSH Korea, commented: “We are very proud to expand and enhance our innovation and formulation capabilities in Korea. Our existing personal care innovation center has provided advanced solutions to our large customer base of cosmetics companies since 2014. The expansion highlights our commitment to continuously providing innovation support and expertise.”
Thomas Sul and Natale Capri, Co-Heads Business Unit Performance Materials, DKSH, added: “We are very excited to venture into the development of polymer innovation. Our Korean customers in the automotive, electric and electronic sectors as well as our general industry customers will greatly benefit from the expertise that our new innovation center provides.”
The new investment supports the diligent and consistent implementation of DKSH's strategy for sustainable, profitable and inclusive growth.
For further information, please contact:
DKSH Performance Materials
Daniel Hollister
Manager, Group Communications
Phone +44 20 8879 5500
daniel.hollister@dksh.com
About DKSH
DKSH is the leading Market Expansion Services provider with a focus on Asia. The Group helps other companies and brands to grow in the Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Performance Materials and Technology sectors. DKSH’s portfolio of services includes sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services. Publicly listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, the Group operates in 35 markets with 33,000 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 11.3 billion in 2018. With its strong Swiss heritage and long business tradition since 1865, DKSH is deeply rooted in Asia Pacific. The DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials distributes specialty chemicals and ingredients for food, pharmaceutical, personal care and various industrial applications. With 39 innovation centers and regulatory support worldwide, we create cutting edge formulations that comply with local regulations. With around 1,080 specialists, the Business Unit generated net sales of CHF 960.4 million in 2018.