Henkel Inaugurates Adhesive Technologies Inspiration Center Düsseldorf (ICD)
06 September 2022: Henkel has inaugurated its new Inspiration Center Düsseldorf (ICD). With an investment volume of 130 million euros, the Adhesive Technologies business unit has built a state-of-the-art and unique global innovation and customer center on the premises of the company headquarters over the past few years and has been gradually commissioning it since mid-2021. With a floor area of 47,000 square meters, the ICD provides space for 30 laboratories, 4 technology centers and more than 650 Henkel experts. At the same time, the new building serves as a global customer center where Adhesive Technologies presents its entire technology portfolio of adhesives, sealants and functional coatings and works on new solutions together with customers from over 800 industry segments.
“The ICD marks the largest single investment in our company’s history and is a key element of our strategic framework for purposeful growth. With this state-of-the-art building, which is unique in the industry, we have created the infrastructure to take the innovation capabilities of Adhesive Technologies to the next level,” said Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel. “In 1922, Henkel started producing adhesives for its own use – today we are very proud to celebrate another milestone in the 100-year success story of Adhesive Technologies, which will further expand our leading position in the adhesives business. As such, the ICD is a prime example that embodies both our pioneering spirit for sustainable action and our long-term entrepreneurial thinking.”
At the same time, the ICD brings our entire portfolio to life for our customers and enables close collaboration with them and with external partners on novel future-oriented solutions. Our focus is particularly on sustainable innovations that contribute, for example, to CO2 reduction for our customers or to new solutions for a circular economy.”
With the ICD, Henkel has designed a unique innovation building. On a total of seven levels, in addition to office workplaces and conference rooms, it comprises 30 laboratories with various research and testing facilities, as well as 4 technology centers with double-height rooms that house, among other things, pilot production lines and equipment for large-scale applications such as in the automotive industry or for engineered wood. The laboratories are modular and can be adapted quickly and flexibly depending on the research and development task and to support collaboration between teams.
