IMCD Group has announced a 50% expansion of its coatings lab in Cologne and a new collaboration with French laboratory BioPreserV; both moves are expected to boost the company's coatings business group, which currently has 14 labs in four market sectors in three regions. The lab expansion in Cologne will allow the company to focus on decorative coatings and construction applications as well as enhance its technical support. The collaboration with BioPreserV will provide the Dutch-based specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with a lab dedicated to the French market and will cover architectural and industrial coatings with a special focus on coating additives and microbiological studies.