R&D AT SAINT-GOBAIN, IN SEARCH OF INNOVATION.
Saint-Gobain spends over 350 million Euros in research and development, and a staff of some 3000 are working in the group's 15 research centers, which are complemented by a large number of smaller development units specializing in pilot projects and other activities with the main production sites.
The objectives of this particularly important resource for Saint-Gobain in its innovation strategy are to prepare Saint-Gobain's future by developing attractive new products, by innovative use and combination of leading-edge materials while improving quality and performance of existing products to satisfy customer expectations, as well as protecting the environment by designing optimized utilization properties and recyclability into the products, by upgrading manufacturing processes, and by fostering safety and health considerations.
SAINT-GOBAIN RESEARCH (SHANGHAI)
The new center in Shanghai will become one of the major R&D Center of Saint-Gobain and will be made up of three major parts: R&D Groups, TSS(Technical Share Service) Groups and General Supporting Groups.
Technical Shared Services Groups will include:
- Physical characterization
- Chemical characterization
- Structural analysis
- Material Processing (General, Polymer and Furnacing)
- Asia Grinding Technical Center (AGTC)
- Computer simulation
Research Groups will include at the start:
- Grains & Powders
- Crystals
- Abrasives
- Performance Plastics
- Ceramics
- Automotive Glass
- Piping
The primary focus will be on:
1. Research & Development
2. Piloting and testing
3. Transfer / Assign & license research testing
4. Provide services for: Plant start-ups, products and raw materials characterization, process optimization, application engineering, trouble shooting at customers and at plants, internal technical training, performance and quality monitoring |
