The Barcelona R&D Center (“the Center”) of Wanhua Chemical (SHA:600309; “the Company”), located at Cornella de Llobregat, has officially opened its doors as a pivotal move by the company to advance its footprint in Europe and beyond with a quicker response to the requirements of downstream customers and bolsters efforts in collaborative scientific research and innovation.
Image Credit: Wanhua
At Wanhua Chemical, we've always prioritized technological innovation as our core competency. The opening of Barcelona R&D center symbolizes our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality products and meeting customer needs. We aspire to engage with the industry in a spirit of openness, collaborating to drive innovation and lead the way in sustainable development.
Dr. Hua, Executive Vice President of Wanhua Chemical
The Center will be poised to quickly meet the needs of downstream customers, offering expert technical consultations on a range of topics, including product performance, application methods, and raw material selection. It will customize solutions to address the specific needs and challenges of its customers, facilitate the development and validation of new products, provide timely technical support for quality concerns, and keep pace with technological advancements in the industry through research and innovation.
The Barcelona R&D Center, an essential measure for the Company to drive sustainability forward, also unveils its ongoing research and development directions, which include green chemistry technology studies, renewable energy utilization, circular economy and waste utilization, and sustainable product development, while actively engaging in international cooperation and standard-setting initiatives. Currently, the Center has established connections with local leading research forces, including the University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the Autonomous University of Catalonia, the Catalonia Institute of Chemical Research, and the Spanish Standardization, with future plans aimed at joint project research acceleration, talent cultivation exchange, and technology transfer facilitation.
Additionally, the Center will assist the company in providing technical support and services to downstream customers in fine chemicals and materials. It will collaborate with leading research institutions and universities for innovative development, fully leveraging external scientific research resources and expertise to drive innovation and enhance competitiveness. Simultaneously, it will serve as the company's stronghold in Europe for attracting talent, especially from Spanish-speaking regions, to support the development of the Latin American market.
Barcelona is Wanhua's second R&D center in Europe. The Gödöllő R&D Center in Hungry focuses on the polyurethane industry, while the Barcelona center will concentrate more on business collaborations within the fine chemicals and materials industries, such as coatings, adhesives, and engineering plastics, as well as R&D cooperation with local entities on renewable energy, carbon capture & recycling, biosynthesis, and bio-based materials. Its proximity to Western Europe and the Mediterranean not only enhances support for these regions but also aids development efforts in North Africa and Latin America.
The two centers enhance each other's capabilities in terms of the downstream industries they focus on, the geographical areas they cater to, and the paths they take toward collaborative development, thereby significantly contributing to the growth of Wanhua's international operations.
Barcelona's unique geographical advantage positions it as a gateway to Europe, a regional innovation hub, and an essential center for the global flavor and fragrance chemical industry. It also hosts several leading research institutions, like ICIQ and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, making it an ideal location for Wanhua to showcase its technological advancements and products to Central and Western European clients and partners.
With the strategic move of establishing the Barcelona R&D Center, Wanhua will continue to play an active role, emphasizing its commitment to innovation and sustainable development.