Clariant invests in a state-of-the-art research and development greenhouse to step up support for tackling current and future agricultural challenges.
Inaugurated June 21, the new greenhouse at Clariant Innovation Center (CIC) takes the company’s crop solutions product development support to a new and unique level. It is designed to provide a real-life testing source for novel crop protection and management, as well as yield-enhancement solutions developed by Clariant and also in cooperation with customers.
“The new crop solutions greenhouse creates the perfect environment for fostering joint development in the areas we see as having most potential for delivering sustainable crop protection and, in the bigger picture, addressing the world’s increasing nutrition requirements,” says Britta Fünfstück, member of Clariant’s Executive Committee.
The 400-square-meter greenhouse offers smart simulation of environmental conditions such as humidity, light, rainfall and temperature, creating a proper climate for testing to supplement Clariant’s existing laboratory testing facilities.
The aim is to reduce development time and speed-to-market for advances in the niche growth areas of plant growth regulators, foliar fertilizers and bio-herbicides. These have been identified as focus areas to Clariant for successfully addressing current customer-specific needs and future global food demands.
“The new Greenhouse at the Clariant Innovation Center is another step reinforcing Clariant’s focus on sustainable innovation for the markets we serve,” saysChristian Vang, global head of business unit Industrial & Consumer Specialties (BU ICS). “The BU ICS has driven a number of pioneering innovations in consumer care as well as industrial applications from this location since it opened in 2013.
“For our crop solutions business, this valuable extension to R&D support puts Clariant in an even stronger position to provide answers to current needs and future trends.”
Peter Baur, head of Clariant’s crop solutions Competence Center, adds: “The crop solutions team is delighted to now have the unique, in-house opportunity to create new concepts for screening to complement our already extensive laboratory application tests. We are looking forward to developing novel product innovations for crop solutions and yield enhancement including open innovation collaborations with our customers. This will assist us in making a significant impact for the next essential green revolution.”
