Multinational company Henkel and ALBA Synchrotron have announced signature of a collaboration agreement based on research and development projects of new products using synchrotron light techniques. Ramon Bacardit, R&D Worldwide Vice-president of Henkel Adhesives, has played a very active and crucial role to attain this agreement. Caterina Biscari, Director of ALBA, and Ramon Pascual, Chair of the ALBA Executive Commission, have promoted and fostered this collaboration.
Henkel, world leader in the production of lines of laundry and home care, beauty care and adhesive technologies, is very interested in applying to its developments the advanced characterisation and analysis techniques by synchrotron light. That aspect, together with the know-how exchanging amongst scientists and technologists from both organisations, will enable to reinforce and expedite the innovation process of its products. According to the same collaboration agreement, Henkel will fund a researcher staff to carry out its activities at ALBA Synchrotron.
Henkel decides to trust ALBA Synchrotron, which continues with the company long tradition of creating, developing and supporting research centres in Catalonia and Spain. Thus, since 2010 Henkel is supporting two R&D centres located in the Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ) and in the Research Park of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (PRUAB). As examples, these centres have developed new reversible adhesives for electronic applications, based on polymerisation with memory effect, which mimics nature; or new resins for curable adhesives by means of the air oxygen. Likewise, Henkel has announced 7 million euro investment on the commissioning of three new R&D laboratories in Catalonia, two of them in the same locations mentioned above and the third one in the Leitat technology centre.
ALBA Synchrotron, the only scientific facility in Spain of this type, owns an international human capital of scientists and technologists which allows the development of the seven experimental beamlines currently installed. ALBA has a high potential due to its capacity to host up to thirty beamlines in the future.
For ALBA Synchrotron this agreement means the definitive confirmation of the huge contribution that this kind of large scientific and technological facilities can offer to industry and society. It is not only a key factor in competitiveness of leading companies in research, development and innovation, like Henkel, but it also turns into a major attraction for future advanced technological companies.
