International. Henkel today laid the cornerstone of the new global innovation center of its Adhesive Technologies business at the company's headquarters in Düsseldorf. The company invests more than 130 million euros to erect a state-of-the-art building.
Once completed, the facility will enable more than 350 Henkel experts to develop new technologies and applications for a variety of industries. The building will also serve as a global customer center, where Henkel will present new solutions for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings. The opening of the innovation center is planned for the end of 2020.
"Innovations are an integral part of our corporate strategy. They drive our growth. That's why we're making this specific investment in innovation and growth," henkel CEO Hans Van Bylen said at the groundbreaking ceremony. "This particular investment also implies a strong commitment to our hometown of Düsseldorf, which is one of our largest research, development and production centers in the world."
The seven-story innovation center will feature numerous laboratories, research and testing facilities, offices and conference rooms spread over an area of approximately 50,000 square meters. The building will represent all the technologies that the business unit offers globally under one roof. Following its planned completion at the end of 2020, more than 350 employees from the areas of Research and Development, Product Development, Application Technology, Technical Service and Innovation will move to the innovation center. All these employees currently work in different buildings on the Düsseldorf site. Thanks to its modular design, the innovation center will also enable future growth.
