Germany – Covestro invests around €100 million in its global R&D infrastructure and assets Covestro is committed to becoming fully circular with continuous investments in its main innovation centers. The company focusses on future technologies to accelerate on the way to a full circular economy. A global digitalization strategy in R&D is a key building block on this way.
One of the key examples of the R&D investments and cooperation across different business segments is the globally available expertise for In-Mold-Coating (i.e., Direct Coating), with the facilities in Leverkusen and other main R&D sites that were enhanced recently. To support further developments in process technology, end-to-end digitalization was implemented to record all process-relevant data. In the highly competitive automotive industry, innovation in In-Mold-Coating technologies enables high quality surfaces for a modern design of cars. This directly feeds the demand for a more efficient automotive production.
Another important investment milestone: High-performance computers (HPCII) mark the next expansion stage of technological evolution in Leverkusen towards an innovation incubator for the circular economy. By enabling simulation of chemical processes, the high-performance computers enable faster and more sustainable research processes. Amongst others they are used for example in foam processing simulations for refrigerators and enable energy efficiency and improved cool chains in end products.
Simulations of chemical processes are a key element in the development of recycling technologies and research on new molecule classifications. Laboratory digitalization enables test data to be recorded in higher quality and to a greater extent than is usual in analogue ways. Many developments in the field of recycling would be like looking for a needle in a haystack without digital R&D and simulations. “
Chemical recycling is a promising approach especially for plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled or can only be recycled with considerable effort. With chemical recycling, large quantities of the original material can be recovered. One example is the Evocycle® CQ mattress project: Together with partners, Covestro has developed an innovative technology for the chemolysis of flexible polyurethane foams from used mattresses, in which the main components –polyol and the precursor to the isocyanate TDI – can be recovered. In this way, used mattress foams are directly converted back into renewed polyurethane building blocks.
A functioning infrastructure is the basis for innovative research. Covestro’s investments therefore include modernization measures in its laboratories in Leverkusen. Also in the U.S., Covestro is investing in a series of modernization and technical upgrades across its Pittsburgh campus. In the innovation center in Shanghai, China, distinct investments into infrastructure and digitalization over the past months echoed the leading solutions developments for automotive and electronics industries.
