ESSEN, Germany – Evonik opened a new Coating Additives laboratory at its Tuzla (Istanbul, Turkey) site on January 31, 2017. The state-of-the-art laboratory, which also includes a customer service center, will support customers with the development of innovative surface coatings in Turkey and throughout the Middle East.

The application technology laboratory features equipment for processing customer requests for a wide range of coatings and printing ink applications. This allows the lab staff to effectively formulate, apply and test a variety of coatings and printing inks in water-based, solvent-based or radiation-curing formats. The modern laboratory equipment also includes a spray booth and a climatic chamber.

“The new laboratory strengthens our presence in the region,” said Gaetano Blanda, the head of the Coating Additives business line. “It enhances our market proximity and enables us to provide our customers with technical service and product solutions for the development of new formulations even faster.”

From its Tuzla site east of Istanbul, Evonik Ticaret Ltd. manages the distribution for the Turkish domestic market and exports to adjacent growth markets with a staff of 50 employees. Evonik Ticaret will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in Turkey in August 2017. The opening of the new laboratory is just another milestone of the Evonik growth strategy for Turkey.

Evonik’s most important products in Turkey include monomers, amino acids, cyanides, silicas and superabsorbents. The group also holds 51% of shares in Egesil Kimya Sanayi & Ticaret, a joint venture based in Adapazari (near Istanbul) for the production of silica.