Covestro has announced it will open a new automated laboratory in 2025 to optimize coating and adhesive formulations using digitalized, data-driven workflows. The facility will support development efforts around binders and crosslinkers, allowing tens of thousands of formulations to be tested annually.

Capable of operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the lab will use robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to accelerate formulation testing and material optimization. According to Covestro, the system will support the industry’s push for greater efficiency, sustainability, and circularity—without compromising product performance.

“With our automated laboratory, we can work together with our customers on the future of coatings and adhesives,” said Thomas Büsgen, head of the laboratory. “Because it operates almost completely autonomously and learns from our existing knowledge and data lake as well as newly generated data, it makes the process of optimizing and developing formulations many times more efficient and precise.”

The new facility is designed to test formulations using Covestro’s binders and crosslinkers, which are essential to properties such as hardness, adhesion, gloss, and durability. It can analyze complex combinations of 7–15 components using computer-aided test design and high-throughput automation. The result is faster screening of materials, including alternatives such as bio-based and recycled raw materials.

“Our new automated laboratory gives us more possibilities for testing formulations,” said Martin Merkens, head of sales and market development EMLA for Covestro’s Coatings and Adhesives business. “It relieves our specialized laboratories of standard tasks and allows us to focus more deeply on customer-specific challenges and sustainability goals.”

The facility also supports 1K and 2K water- and solvent-based systems, conducts raw material testing, and simulates environmental conditions. Results can be forwarded digitally to specialized testing labs to supplement market-specific datasets and accelerate insight generation.

Learn more at www.covestro.com.