Covestro Unveils TPU Application Development Hub in Guangzhou, Strengthening Regional Innovation Network

Covestro has officially inaugurated a new Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) Application Development (AD) Center in Guangzhou, China. This strategic move marks a significant step in the company’s broader initiative to accelerate innovation and bring it closer to its customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

The newly established center complements Covestro’s existing assets in the region, including its soon-to-be largest global TPU production site in nearby Zhuhai—which commenced operations early this year—and the regional R&D center in Changhua. Together, these three facilities form an integrated network covering the entire value chain, from fundamental research and application development to large-scale manufacturing.

The Asia-Pacific TPU market, particularly in southern China, is experiencing robust growth driven by high-demand sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive, and specialty films. The Guangzhou AD Center is designed to help Covestro translate this market demand into customized material solutions through closer technical collaboration with customers. "This new Application Development Center is a strategic cornerstone of our global TPU strategy to grow in high-value and new segments in Asia Pacific," said Andrea Maier-Richter, Global Head of TPU at Covestro. "Together with our customers, we will explore, pilot and scale new application areas for TPU in robotics, healthcare and mobility solutions—right in the heart of the market".

The facility is equipped with advanced processing simulation lines for extrusion and injection molding, replicating real production conditions to allow for rapid adjustments to formulations. These capabilities are intended to reduce test cycles, shorten time-to-market, and enable precise tailoring of solutions to specific application requirements. "Asia is home to some of the most dynamic and fast-paced industries in the world, and our customers expect partners who can keep up with this pace," noted Holly Lei, President of Covestro China. "This center is our answer to that, bringing together our cross-business capabilities under one roof here in South China".

A unique feature of the Guangzhou AD Center is its cross-business setup, where teams from Engineering Plastics (EP) and Specialty Films (SF) work side by side. The EP unit contributes compounding and color expertise, supporting applications such as consumer electronics, footwear, and Paint Protection Films (PPF), while the SF unit enables pilot production of high-performance films. "Innovation at Covestro is driven by the markets and always aims to combine our global strengths across business entities for our customers," said Christian Haessler, Head of Global Innovation TPU at Covestro. "TPU is a material for a more sustainable future, and the Guangzhou AD Center will enable the development of highly versatile and recyclable TPU material solutions in one of the most dynamic innovation ecosystems in the world".

The Guangzhou AD Center is now open to customers and partners across the Asia-Pacific region, offering end-to-end support ranging from initial material consultation to pilot production and troubleshooting.