Germany's Henkel sets up innovation centre in Pune

Germany's Henkel Adhesive Technologis has set up an innovation centre in Pune to cater largely to automotive sector of India.

It is equipped with customer component testing facilities, dispensing systems, application training, product development and engineering facilities which will provide customers comprehensive adhesive solutions.

For the automobile and metal industry portfolio, the laboratory is well equipped with a simulated environment for automotive acoustic structures.

The sector contributes 50 per cent of Henkel's total business while general industry contributes the rest.

The global market size of adhesive industry is $ 8billion.

The company has four facilities for adhesive manufacturing located at Koparkhairane, Turbhe, Tarappur near Mumbai and Jejuri near Pune.

This is Henkel's 12th innovation centre and will eye on needs of markets like Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific region, and Latin America. However, it has not disclosed the investment details for the centre.

This innovation centre will nurture strong mix of expertise and local know how to benefit across the whole region.

Commenting on this, Jeremy Hunter, President, Henkel India said, "This strategic investment will help strengthen our footprint in India and will provide our wide customer base an access to global innovation and better solutions. India is a very important market for us. Here we are not only eying automobile sector, but exploring others like aerospace, steel, railways and consumer products. By 2016, Henkel expects to grow sales to 20 billion Euros, of which 10 billion Euros is expected from emerging markets like India."