DuPont Opens Automotive Center in China

DuPont recently announced the opening of the DuPont Automotive Center to provide “one-stop” design and application development services for the rapidly growing China automotive market.

Located at the DuPont China Research & Development Center in Shanghai, the facility further enhances the network of global automotive application development centers designed to strengthen the industry’s ability to collaborate on ways to reduce dependence of fossil fuel. Developing markets – including China – represented 32% of DuPont’s total sales in 2010. Sales in developing markets grew 30% in first quarter 2011.

“Technology and materials will be critical to the continuous development of the automotive industry in China,” said Tony Su, president of DuPont Greater China, at the opening ceremony of the center. “This new automotive center provides a platform for our customers to access the integrated capabilities of our company and allows us to collaborate more closely with our customers to address challenges, as well as growth opportunities, in the automotive market.”

The DuPont Automotive Center contains three functional laboratories, encouraging collaboration with experienced application-development teams from DuPont’s businesses and drawing from more than 100 innovations and products to develop new ideas for safer, more fuel-efficient and more comfortable vehicles.

“This is a pivotal time in the automotive industry. With more than 3 billion vehicles forecast to be on the road by 2035 – many of which will be made and sold in China – congestion, emission, passenger and pedestrian safety are paramount,” said Diane Gulyas, president – DuPont Performance Polymers (DPP). “We, as an industry, must move faster to implement new technologies for the benefit of our environment, for ourselves and for future generations. We can only meet this challenge by working together on science-powered innovation to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy and vehicle safety while meeting consumer demands.”