Covestro Builds New TPU Application Development Hub In China
- Three-site network now complete: AD Center in Guangzhou, production in Zhuhai, and R&D in Changhua – driving integrated regional synergies
- Strategically located near key industry clusters in consumer electronics, automotive, footwear, PPF and specialty extrusion
- Co-located Engineering Plastics and Specialty Films teams bring compounding, color and film capabilities for customers
Covestro today officially opened its new Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) Application Development (AD) Center in Guangzhou, China. The opening marks a significant milestone in implementing the company’s strategy to bring innovation closer to customers across Asia-Pacific. The new AD Center complements the company’s soon-to-be largest global TPU production site in Zhuhai, which began operations earlier this year, and its existing regional R&D center in Changhua. Together, the three sites form an integrated network spanning R&D, application development and large-scale manufacturing.
The Asia-Pacific TPU market, particularly in South China, continues to see strong demand from fast-growing sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive and specialty films. The Guangzhou AD Center strengthens the company’s ability to translate this demand into tailored material solutions through closer technical collaboration with customers.
“This new Application Development Center represents a strategic cornerstone in our global TPU strategy to grow in high-value and emerging segments in Asia-Pacific,” said Dr. Andrea Maier-Richter, Global Head of TPU at Covestro. “We will explore, pilot and upscale new application fields for TPU in robotics, healthcare and mobility solutions together with our customers – in close collaboration and at the heart of the market.”
Capabilities designed for speed and precision
The center is designed to help customers move faster. Its processing simulation lines replicate real production conditions in extrusion and injection molding, enabling rapid formulation adjustments and material modification. These capabilities help reduce trial cycles, shorten time-to-market, and deliver solutions tailored to specific application needs.
“Asia is home to some of the world’s most dynamic and fast-moving industries, and our customers here expect partners who can keep pace with them. This center is our answer to that, bringing together our cross-business capabilities under one roof right here in South China,” said Holly Lei, President Covestro China. “It also reflects our deep commitment to this market and our belief that true innovation happens when you are close to your customers and the industry.”
Unlocking value through cross-business synergies
A distinctive feature of the Guangzhou AD Center is its multi-business setup, with Engineering Plastics (EP) and Specialty Films (SF) teams co-located on the same site, enabling close collaboration and faster integration of capabilities. The EP unit brings compounding expertise and color competence, supporting in-house color matching for applications such as consumer electronics, footwear and paint protection films (PPF). The SF unit enables pilot production and finished product commissioning for high-performance films and other extrusion-based applications. This integrated approach brings together capabilities across business entities, creating added value for customers.
“Innovation at Covestro is led by our markets and always strives to combine our global strengths across the business entities for our customers,” said Dr. Christian Haessler, Head of Global Innovation TPU at Covestro. “TPU is a material for a more sustainable future, and the Guangzhou AD Center will enable the development of highly versatile and recyclable TPU material solutions in one of the most dynamic innovation ecosystems worldwide.”
The Guangzhou AD Center is now open for customer and partner collaboration across Asia-Pacific, offering end-to-end customer support from initial material consultation to pilot production and troubleshooting.
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