CLEVELAND - Lubrizol Corp.'s Performance Coatings business is forming a new global Center of Excellence at its Ritterhude, Germany, facility, centralizing the research, testing, and production of surface-modifier technology for coatings and inks. The new Center of Excellence will allow closer team coordination, faster scale-up and improved commercialization of new surface modifier wax technology.

"Lubrizol is building this Center of Excellence with one primary goal - to focus on the right surface modifier technologies that will help advance the coating and ink industry on a global basis," said Herbert Fuesser, Lubrizol Performance Coatings Global Product Manager, Surface Modifiers. "This investment brings our expertise and resources to one consolidated location and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative surface-modifier performance for our customers worldwide."

Manufacturing capabilities have been upgraded to ensure the continued delivery of outstanding product innovation, consistent production and customer support of advanced micronized and liquid wax products. "The installation of new milling lines offers increased manufacturing flexibility to meet our customers' changing performance requirements and growing demands," continued Fuesser. "We've also successfully integrated production into the plant of nearly all surface modifiers that were previously produced in North America."

Consolidation of manufacturing resources at the same site, where all technical and global technical support staff are based, enables direct translation of customer requirements into new product solutions. Overall, the upgrade of manufacturing processes will lead to improved capabilities to customize surface modifiers for customers as well as increase capacity and flexibility in production.

The transition of lab and manufacturing capabilities from North America is scheduled for completion by late summer 2015.