DuPont to set up new innovation center in Pune

New Delhi, July 14 (ANI): DuPont today announced that it will set up a new innovation center in Pune, thus expanding its strategic footprint to fuel local collaboration in support of the India growth strategy.

The DuPont India Innovation Center will focus primarily on the automotive segment, working collaboratively with local partners, customers and other companies. In the automotive segment, the center will work with automotive OEMs and component and system manufacturers to support the fast growing Indian automotive industry, a company release said.

"India is of strategic importance to DuPont. In 2008, we set up a world-class DuPont Knowledge Center in the country focusing on high-end research and applications development. Our decision to set up the Innovation Center this year is part of our strategy to support and resource our growth plans in one of the world's fastest growing economies," said Balvinder Kalsi, President - South Asia, DuPont.

"The DuPont India Innovation Center will respond to the needs of our customers. It will primarily focus on the automotive segment, collaborating with auto-companies to help address their demands for new technology innovations that are required to support the growth in one of the world's fastest growing automotive markets", said Amandeep Cheema, Business Leader, DuPont Performance Polymers - India, and Project Leader for DuPont India Innovation Center.

The DuPont India Innovation Center will foster an exchange of ideas and enhance speed of response to our customers. The real-time connection between customers and DuPont scientists around the world will mean innovative solutions and increased speed to market for consumers. DuPont's goal is to partner on solutions that fuel local collaboration and application development and engage customers and partners in inclusive innovation - wherever they are in the world.

"The global population has grown to 7 billion, generating great need for food, energy and protection. We realize that meeting these needs will require more than science. Globally, we are committed to leading collaborative and inclusive innovations to respond to the challenges facing the world today. Collaboration is the driving force behind establishing the country focused Innovation Centers," said Thomas M. Connelly, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, DuPont.

The DuPont India Innovation Center will be one among four new global DuPont Innovation Centers in Asia Pacific. The other three centers in Asia Pacific are located in South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. While the Innovation Center in Korea will service the electronics and automotive industries, the Innovation Center in Taiwan will focus on the electronics and communications markets and the Innovation Center in Thailand will be working on programs around renewable energy initiatives and products.

DuPont India (in.dupont.com) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Wilmington, Delaware, US-based E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. DuPont relationship with India began more than 200 years ago when it received its first shipment of raw materials from India to produce black powder for explosives in 1802.

Today, DuPont India markets a wide range of products in varied market segments. With over 1900 employees (as of end-2010), six production facilities in three locations and a world-class DuPont Knowledge Center in Hyderabad, DuPont India has been growing at double-digit rate annually in the last five years. (ANI)