MUTTENZ/FRANKFURT, Germany - The cornerstone of the new EUR 100 million Clariant Innovation Center was officially laid during a ceremony at the Industriepark Höchst in Frankfurt. Attending the event were Hessen State Finance Minister Thomas Schäfer, Clariant Executive Committee member Christian Kohlpaintner, and Ulrich Ott, Managing Director of the company’s operations in Germany. Over the next several months, the Swiss specialty chemicals corporation will build an innovative office and laboratory facility of roughly 36,000 square meters on a site that will soon provide jobs for some 500 researchers. The concept for the building, which aims to offer an optimal working environment through its open architectural design, was developed by the Düsseldorf-based architectural firm of HPP. 

Christian Kohlpaintner, whose responsibilities at Clariant include research and development, explained Clariant’s targeted research policy: “We want to develop products and procedures that yield sustainable benefits and represent true progress.” He underscored that a major focus in the future will be on megatrends, such as functional materials, energy efficiency and renewable raw materials. 

In the future, Clariant’s global research activities will be centered in Höchst, Germany. “We have selected Höchst as the location because it already provides a maximum of research and development resources, including technical schools and institutions of higher education,” explained Dr. Ulrich Ott. “In addition, Frankfurt offers a number of infrastructure advantages, such as an attractive industry park, the proximity to various business partners and universities, as well as excellent connections to the transportation network.”