Driving innovation in footwear and fashion and enhanced collaboration with customers

HANOI, VIETNAM - 19 June 2024 - Henkel, a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, has launched a second application center in Thanh Hoa, north Vietnam, to expand its support for leading sports and fashion brands in Asia-Pacific and Greater China.

The application center will complement Henkel's existing center in Bien Hoa, Ho Chi Minh, to advance local capabilities and create further opportunities for collaboration and accelerate impactful innovation with customers.

"Our expansion from the south to the north of Vietnam with a second application center enhances our proximity with customers and reinforces our commitment as a strategic long-term partner to providing innovative solutions and robust support," said Corbett Wallace, Corporate Vice-President of Consumer Goods at Henkel.

The application center will collaborate closely with Henkel's customers to develop new products and solutions to meet their needs and drive rapid progress in sustainability and innovation. Pursuing this, it will focus on enhancing expertise in bonding techniques, reducing manufacturing time, and tailoring customer solutions through technical training and trial opportunities. It will also leverage digital innovation to showcase advanced application solutions, improving efficiency and accessibility, and serve as a hub for process design and engineering.

Spanning over 500 square meters, the center is equipped with a lab, application room, customer experience room, an office, and dedicated focus rooms for collaboration. It also offers leading automation facilities like auto spray applicators and PUR jet spray solutions to elevate production efficiency.

Dharmesh Shah, Regional Head of Consumer Goods in Asia-Pacific Emerging, said, "As the industry shifts its focus to manufacturing excellence, we look forward to the opportunities this center will bring and remain committed to driving speed to market, cost efficiency and sustainable growth together with our partners."

Through the center, Henkel will also assist partners in sustainability by educating them on best practices, facilitating the adoption of alternatives such as water-based products, and implementing process simplification measures to reduce waste and energy consumption.

The application center in Thanh Hoa is the latest addition to Henkel's global network of Sports and Fashion labs which includes locations in China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. It will be digitally connected to Henkel's centers worldwide, facilitating collaboration and shared expertise across borders.

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