Posted in: Industry News
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AkzoNobel to Expand R&D Facilities in Houston

Posted on Monday, September 21, 2015

AkzoNobel Performance Coatings, headquartered in Amsterdam, is investing around $3.4 million to expand its research and development facilities in Houston.

The upgraded facility will support the company’s Protective Coatings, Marine Coatings and Specialty Coatings businesses. Completion is due in early 2016.

“The expanded facility will provide a central, state-of-the-art technical resource for our businesses in the U.S., creating the critical mass for effective R&D to efficiently support our customers,” says RD&I Director for Protective Coatings Aidan Mernin.

The expanded facility will be able to house up to 35 laboratory staff, with 30 skilled technologists initially employed. The facility will include a dedicated area for experimental paint making, a modern paint application laboratory and environmentally controlled drying areas for conditioning test panels. Enhanced chemical resistance testing will also be available to support the Ceilcote and Enviroline linings ranges in North America.