To serve the ever-important Asia-Pacific region, Bayer MaterialScience (BMS, Leverkusen / Germany; www.bayerbms.com) has recently opened the doors to its newest innovation centre; this one located in Shanghai. About 200 professionals will soon be busy creating innovations to be used in high-quality plastics, foams and coating solutions. The centre is located in the same building as the company's polymer research and development centre – see also Plasteurope.com from 27.06.2011.

With the new centre, the goal is to attract local talent as well as to develop and disseminate knowledge. Working in international teams with colleagues from BMS’s research and development centres in Europe and North America is an integral component and ingredient to the new centre's success.

Thus, it will play a significant role in contributing to the global innovation network, said Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer MaterialScience. “It should become indispensable in terms of competencies, projects and products. We are aiming to reach a global innovation footprint for Bayer and its partners by exporting China-made technology to the rest of the world by 2020.”