Specialty chemicals company Clariant today officially inaugurated its Textile Chemicals Business Unit (BU) headquarters in Singapore. Along with the inauguration of the BU headquarters, Clariant is also celebrating the relocation of its global textile application technology lab to Singapore.

The lab will be the main application development facility for all new products developed globally by Clariant's Textile Chemicals BU. Clariant is a leading manufacturer of a comprehensive range of textile chemicals and dyes and with more than 60% of global textile production based in the Asia Pacific region, Clariant is already generating 43% of its textile chemicals sales from Asia.

Supporting regional growth

As part of the relocation to the new headquarters, the senior Textile Chemicals BU management team is now based in Singapore to strengthen customer relationships, focus on strategic priorities, and respond more rapidly to structural changes in the global textile industry. While Asian countries such as China have emerged as important markets for textiles, Europe will clearly remain a key location for Clariant to facilitate new innovations in high-value markets, such as functional finishing and technical textiles.

"The reorganization of the Textile Chemicals BU has enabled us to establish a stronger presence in strategically important markets in Asia, and at the same time implement a new business structure to cater to the higher service level expectations of our European and American customers," says Thomas Winkler, Head of Clariant's Textile Chemicals BU.

"Europe especially remains a significant market for Clariant and a key location for innovation in technical textiles, which will continue to be a major driver of future growth." The relocation of its global application development capabilities to the new Singapore textile chemicals lab facility is another major step Clariant has taken to further boost its commitment to develop innovative, effective solutions for our customers."

"The global application technology facility in Singapore will play an important role in advancing new application technologies for Clariant's global range of textile chemicals products. The facility houses the latest laboratory equipment for product and application development for the entire textile value chain, particularly in dyeing and printing. The Singapore lab also serves as the center where all final-review testing for new global products will be carried out before they are officially certified ready for global release."

"The relocation of our Textile Chemicals BU to Singapore will better position Clariant to respond to global market conditions and Singapore offers the ideal location to serve the world's largest textile markets such as Bangladesh, China, India, and South East Asia," explains Winkler.

"The Singapore lab will play an integral role in exploring new applications for both our new and existing products, as well as developing innovative application processes for textile chemicals."

Sustainable innovations in textile chemicals

To meet market demands and foster future technologies, Clariant's Textile Chemicals BU has developed new products that it says address environmental concerns and help make textile processes more sustainable. These products include:

• The new Pekoflam fire retardant (FR) system offers breakthrough performance in durable FR finishes, enhancing durability while keeping in line with global sustainability and green health standards. Its non-halogenated finishes, formaldehyde and amine emissions below detectable limits, meet the sustainability needs and high performance requirements of the textile industry.
• Clariant's Foam Eco Care finishing sets a new benchmark in wrinkle-free finishes with a new foam-based application improving fabric quality, cutting down production processes and generating benefits in water, energy and time savings. 
• Quiospheres, a new high-tech cosmetic microencapsulation for textile applications with proven benefits, providing a feeling of well-being and wellness. These latest sustainable product lines, coupled with the advanced application development capabilities established in Singapore, are expected to help create more business opportunities in the Asia Pacific region. 

"Clariant has worked closely with many customers around the world to develop new applications to cater to the demands of future market growth," Winkler says.

"Our innovation heritage and strong commitment to sustainability further confirm Clariant's status as one of the leading chemicals suppliers to textile mills and manufacturers.  The successful relocation of our BU headquarters and the subsequent realignment of our global structure enable us to optimize our support to our global customers while providing them with the latest and most innovative solutions, from fiber to finish, for all textile market segments."