US
engineering giant Honeywell plans to expand its research into
speciality materials at its Shanghai-based Asia technology centre.
The $3.2m expansion will triple the laboratory space that Honeywell Speciality Materials has in Asia. The facility is in Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park in Pudong and employment will grow to 60 researchers from the 40 employed today.
The centre's research projects focus on speciality chemicals, electronics materials and performance materials used for application-related research and development.
The new lab space is part of a larger $13.5m expansion of Honeywell lab and administrative space at the facility.
Honeywell joins the growing list of technology-based multinationals that are expanding their R&D presence in China.
These move allow western firms to better respond to the increasingly sophisticated demands of local Chinese market, and also provide a cost-effective way to supplement their traditional R&D facilities in the west, where research staff are not only more expensive but in short supply.
In recent months, Nortel, Siemens and Microsoft have all made similar announcements. See this earlier EngagingChina story.
