Innovation
A leader in sustainability with a portfolio rich in innovative products
Growth driven by innovation
We invest significantly in R&D
We create more profitable, safer, and more sustainable products and processes, develop our own capabilities, and improve the way we work. We believe that being open to the ideas and enthusiasm of outside collaborators will help our company achieve its maximum potential and lead the way to a more sustainable chemical industry. Put simply, our growth is driven by innovation.
of revenues from Eco-Premium Solutions
partnerships with universities, customers, and institutes
of R&D pipeline is focused on solutions with sustainability benefits
individual patents covering key developments in 60 countries
Our Innovation Centers provide for larger, global platform development while Application Development Centers are regional in order to allow us to tailor solutions to local market and customer needs.
We continually invest in the innovation of solutions with more sustainable benefits. In 2022, 77% of our R&D pipeline* focused on solutions with sustainability benefits versus 69% in 2021.
Our product development processes are designed to drive continuous sustainability improvement in the overall portfolio as products are updated or replaced. Eco-Premium Solutions are a fundamental driver of our sustainability
agenda for creating more value from fewer resources, of the products we sell, and of the processes we use to manufacture them.
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Check out how we are creating innovative, more profitable, safer, and more sustainable products.
Collaborative innovation
We believe that being open to the ideas and enthusiasm of outside collaborators will help our company achieve its maximum potential and lead the way to a more sustainable chemical industry. We therefore work closely with customers to develop solutions that meet their changing needs and forge partnerships with external parties such as startups whose unique ideas complement our experience, resources, and business needs.
Have a great idea? Talk to us!
Go to our Open Innovation Space and learn more about work with us as equal partners to make the chemicals industry more sustainable.
Academic partnerships and programs
Examples includes the Impuls Program with the Technical University of Eindhoven, ARC-CBBC; our partnership with technology venture capital company Icos Capital; screening, scouting and venturing, our own global technology scouting team; the open innovation campus at our Deventer research center and many more initiatives driven by our business units as well as. We also partnered with Icos Capital on the Swedish cross-sector Innovation Summit Accelerating Sustainability in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Our collaborative innovation program
Through our collaborative innovation program Imagine Chemistry we invited startups, scale-ups, university spin-outs, and other potential partners to work as equals and tackle chemistry-related challenges and uncover new ways to create value for customers. The program was first launched in 2017 and ran for 3 years. Our Open Innovation Space allow us to with anyone who has expertise or innovative solutions that fit with our business such as a newly patented technology requiring co-development to a finished product ready to be launched.
The majority of our R&D budget is dedicated to growing our existing portfolio of innovative products and developing next generation products and technologies. This is managed by the individual Business Units and much of this work is done in collaboration with our customers. The deep knowledge of our customers' applications allows for focused, application-driven research and innovative customer support.
To support these efforts our Expert Capability Center Deventer provides deep expertise and high-level facilities in the fields of measurement and analytical sciences, materials technologies and environmental testing.
Solving your challenges using our expertise
The ECCD boasts state of the art equipment, world class experts and over 50 years of experience in solving challenges in the chemical industry.
Find out moreOur innovation strategy
Much of our innovation efforts focus on three areas where we push the frontiers of chemical innovation and strive to remain a true sustainable innovation leader. Through initiatives which span our entire business, we are pushing new frontiers in:
Biomass to chemistry
We are leveraging our heritage in surfactant and cellulose chemistry to create an industry independent of fossil feedstocks.
We continue to use partnerships to accelerate innovation and manage risk. With Itaconix we are developing several applications using their bio-based polymers.
We keep developing novel bio-based solutions within our businesses. We are developing several applications using bio-based polymers to accelerate innovation and manage risk. For instance, our SolAmaze™ Natural polymer is a novel 100% bio-based, biodegradable, film-forming polymer that offers superior water resistance and pleasing aesthetics.
Resource efficient technologies
In Brazil, our integrated manufacturing model contributes to the circular economy practices within each partner’s value chain.
In close collaboration we support our customers to produce polymers sustainably. For example, our CiD technology increases PVC production capacity by 20-40% while improving quality, reducing costs, and making production safer.
We have our own innovation programs on developing new, sustainable polymer solutions.
A number of societal trends are driving demand and presenting opportunities for our sustainable solutions. These include a growing and aging population, a rising and increasingly health conscious middle class, climate change, and natural resource preservation. For example, our solutions help increase crop yields and improve crop quality; make products more biodegradable and easier to recycle; make buildings and vehicles more energy efficienct; and increase the durability of bridges and wind turbines.
Learn more how we provide sustainable solutions for many everyday products in our animated experience.
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About Nouryon
Nouryon is a global, specialty chemicals leader. Markets and consumers worldwide rely on our essential solutions to manufacture everyday products, such as personal care, cleaning goods, paints and coatings, agriculture and food, pharmaceuticals, and building products. Furthermore, the dedication of approximately 8,200 employees with a shared commitment to our customers, business growth, safety, sustainability and innovation has resulted in a consistently strong financial performance. We operate in over 80 countries around the world with a portfolio of industry-leading brands.