DuPont to set up innovation centre at Pune

US-based DuPont today said it will set up an innovation centre at Pune by the end of this year to mainly cater to the automotive segment in the country. Its wholly owned subsidiary, DuPont India, plans to start the centre in the last quarter of 2011.

"It (the centre) will primarily focus on the automotive segment, collaborating with auto companies to help address their demands for new technology innovations," DuPont India Innovation Centre Project Leader Amandeep Cheema told reporters here.

It will foster exchange of ideas and enhance speed of response to customers, Cheema said while not disclosing the investment figure for setting up the centre. The centre would be one among four new global DuPont Innovation Centres in Asia Pacific. The other three centres are in South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

"The Pune centre will have technical people who would interact with the customers. If need arises, they can take forward the customer's specific requirements to over 75 R&D centres across the globe," Cheema said. Through the new centre, DuPont plans to collaborate with automobile manufacturers on seven areas, including light weight technology and safety aspects. "Our decision to set up the Innovation Centre this year is part of our strategy to support our growth plans in one of the world's fastest growing economies," DuPont South Asia President Balvinder Kalsi said.The firm, which reported revenues of USD 700 million from the Indian market in 2010, expects it to touch USD 1 billion by the end of next year. "Our aim is to exceed USD 1 billion in sales in India by next year," Kalsi said.

The company is present in various business verticals in India, including agriculture, nutrition, health care and electronics among others.

It is already working in collaboration with various auto firms in India for developing new technologies.

It had set up DuPont Knowledge Centre in Hyderabad for basic research in 2008.