Textile dyes specialist DyStar is establishing a new Global Innovation Center at the production site of its affiliate DyStar Nanjing Colours Co. in Nanjing, China. The center will incorporate state-of-the-art laboratories for Research & Development, Process Technology Development as well as labs for synthesis and finish of dyes and chemicals for its business segments. A scale-up unit for small production will also be housed in the new facility.

Covering a floor space of 3,000 m2 the center, expected to be completed at the end of March 2017, will focus on new molecules and chemicals development. DyStar said one of its key innovation targets is to help customers achieve new milestones in product and process excellence with regard to shorter and more economical dyeing procedures, reduced water and energy consumption and lower waste water and polluting effects. 

The activities of the Global Innovation Center will not only focus on the textile industry, which is its key customer, but will also look for new application industries for its new  products, the company said. Dystar was initially founded in Germany to incorporate the spun-off textile dyes activities of industry pioneers Bayer and Hoechst, later joined by BASF. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2010, as its location in a high-wage country made it unable to compete with lower-cost Asian producers. It was subsequently sold to India’s Kiri Dyes & Chemicals, which moved the business first to Singapore and later to China.