AkzoNobel Opens R&D Center in the UK

Paints and coatings company AkzoNobel announced it has opened a new £10 million global research and development center at its Slough site in the U.K.

The facility, which joins a growing list of similar facilities opened by AkzoNobel globally to further advance the company’s product development, is home to 120 specialists and will act as a major hub within the company’s worldwide R&D network and help to further advance AkzoNobel’s innovation capabilities.

“The inauguration of this fantastic new center will help us to continue our long tradition of pioneering new products and developing more sustainable solutions for our customers through ground-breaking innovations,” said AkzoNobel CEO, Thierry Vanlancker.

The opening of the Slough facility follows on from the 2019 UK launch of AkzoNobel’s R&D Innovation Campus in Felling, which is home to some of the company’s leading scientists and technical experts in marine and protective coatings. The new center is located close to the company’s flagship Dulux Academy.

Fiona McLachlan, AkzoNobel’s Technical Director Color, said, “Our paints and coatings have a strong heritage in the U.K. and Ireland, touching so many aspects of our day-to-day lives. This modern, fit-for-purpose center will continue this legacy into the future. It will enable us to further our long-standing contributions to the paints and coatings industry, while helping to drive the local economy, both regionally and nationally.”