Strategic investment of Covestro focuses on sustainable solutions and advanced digital capabilities.
Covestro
has announced a significant investment of approximately €100 million in its global R&D infrastructure, aimed at enhancing its innovation capabilities and securing future competitiveness through 2025. This investment will support the development of sustainable technologies, particularly in core industries such as automotive and construction, and facilitate the transition towards a full circular economy.
“Our investments in R&D are integral to our strategy of creating value for our customers. They are enabling us to expand and maintain our innovation pipeline at a high level. By this, we are the go-to partner for more sustainable solutions which help to meet the climate-neutrality targets of our customers. Thanks to this global innovation booster, we come even closer to our joint goal to become fully circular,” has stated Sucheta Govil, CCO at Covestro.
Key highlights of the investment include:
- Digital R&D Simulations:
Enhanced capabilities for researching recycling innovations and chemical processes to expedite the development of sustainable solutions.
- In-Mold-Coating Expertise:
Investments in facilities, particularly in Leverkusen, enhance innovation in In-Mold-Coating technologies, resulting in high-quality surfaces for automotive production.
- High-Performance Computing: The implementation of high-performance computers (HPCII) in Leverkusen will accelerate research processes and enable efficient simulations, benefiting various applications, including energy-efficient refrigeration.
- Chemical Recycling Initiatives:
Projects like the Evocycle® CQ mattress initiative focus on innovative chemolysis technology for recovering key components from used polyurethane foams.
“Simulations of chemical processes are a key element in the development of recycling technologies and research on new molecule classifications. Moreover, laboratory digitalization enables test data to be recorded in higher quality and to a greater extent than is usual in analogue ways. Both help us to find the most possible and more sustainable solutions for our customers more quickly. Many developments in the field of recycling would be like looking for a needle in a haystack without digital R&D and simulations,” has added Torsten Heinemann, Head of Group Innovation & Sustainability at Covestro.
Additionally, Covestro is modernising its laboratories in Leverkusen and upgrading facilities in Pittsburgh, USA, to support innovative research. The company's investment in the innovation center in Shanghai further demonstrates its commitment to leading solution developments for the automotive and electronics industries. Through these advancements, Covestro aims to deliver faster and more sustainable solutions for its customers while advancing its circular economy goals.