Ciba opens R&D center in Shanghai

Ciba Specialty Chemicals marked the opening of its R&D Center in Shanghai on Thursday, April 28, 2005, with an inauguration ceremony that included a senior management delegation from Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Government officials from Shanghai and the Swiss Ambassador to China, Dante Martinelli, and 200 VIP guests. The center represents an investment of around USD 20 million by Ciba Specialty Chemicals.
Armin Meyer, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Ciba Specialty Chemicals, opened the ceremony by reiterating the Company’s commitment to strengthening its operations in China: “I am very pleased to be here to open our newest global research facility and our first center of this type in China. It is a significant step in the implementation of our strategy to strengthen our presence in China. It also reflects Ciba’s belief that innovation is the key to profitable and sustainable business growth, everywhere in the world.”
It is foreseen that 100 scientists will work at the new R&D Center that is located in Cao He Jing Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai and covers an area of approximately 6,000 square meters. The center’s mission is to combine expertise in organic synthesis, physical chemistry, polymer chemistry, photochemistry, and analytical chemistry with application and formulation sciences to create new products and solutions for its customer industries in particular in Asia but also globally. The new research and development facilities in Shanghai are part of Ciba Specialty Chemicals’ global research network, which has more than 1,600 employees at 24 research sites around the globe.
Ciba Specialty Chemicals’ history in China goes back over 100 years. Today, Ciba Specialty Chemicals has a presence in China that has expanded to three trading companies, six branch offices and 12 production sites. The Company has invested over USD300 million in the China Region (including P.R. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan). Its business in China has been showing steady double-digit growth over the last few years.  The new R&D Center in China, as the newest member of its global R&D network, demonstrates Ciba’s belief in the growth potential of the region and its continued commitment to China.