13-09-2012

PolyOne expands innovation centers for increased customer collaboration and development

PolyOne Corporation, a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, has made several customer-focused upgrades and enhancements to its collaborative Innovation Centers. As part of PolyOne’s commitment to develop specialized, innovative solutions in close cooperation with its customers and suppliers, the company operates 11 state-of-the-art Innovation Centers. Located in seven countries and three regions around the world, customers work side-by-side with PolyOne technologists and designers to develop products and solutions. PolyOne continues to upgrade and invest in its Innovation Centers to further serve the needs of customers interested in collaborating to solve product and performance challenges, while accelerating their speed to market. 

Recent Innovation Center expansions and enhancements include:  
· Launching a new color and additives Innovation Center in Seoul, South Korea.  

· Doubling the size of PolyOne’s Shanghai Innovation Center, including the addition of a training facility, design showroom, and equipment that expands prototype capability to textile and fiber applications.  

· Launching rapid prototyping equipment at PolyOne’s Avon Lake (Ohio) Innovation Center. This new technology provides customers Fused Deposition Modeling capability, which utilizes computer drawings to directly manufacture working prototypes, eliminating the costly and time-consuming step of machining molds from metal. This new 3-D printing capability also allows for on-the-spot experimentation with multiple base materials.  

· Increasing production capacity and expanding capabilities to support customers by prototyping film, sheet and injection molding processes at PolyOne’s Suwanee (Georgia) Innovation Center.  

“PolyOne invests in leading technology to support our customers,” said Dr. Christopher Murphy, vice president, research and development and chief innovation officer, PolyOne Corporation. “We’re known for our collaborative approach to innovation, and these latest investments are great examples of how we’re always striving to help our customers succeed.”