AkzoNobel has inaugurated a new €7.5 million innovation laboratory at its Sassenheim facility in the Netherlands, strengthening its position as the company’s largest global research and development center. The new facility will primarily focus on powder coatings and is designed to accelerate the development of more sustainable, solvent-free, and energy-efficient coating technologies.
The laboratory was officially opened by Dutch Minister of Climate and Green Growth, Stientje van Veldhoven. The investment is expected to enhance AkzoNobel’s capabilities in powder coating innovation while expanding research into coating performance, application technologies, and advanced particle analysis.
Frank Vergeer, R&D Director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business, said the company has built a global reputation for product innovation and that the new laboratory will play a key role in maintaining this position. He added that the investment would strengthen AkzoNobel’s leadership in powder coating technologies while broadening its overall innovation capabilities.
A major area of research at the new laboratory will be next-generation powder coatings, including lower-temperature curing technologies. Such solutions could help customers reduce energy consumption during coating applications while improving operational efficiency. The facility will also investigate technologies designed to enhance customer productivity and optimize coating processes.
Beyond energy efficiency, researchers will explore opportunities to extend the service life of coated products while reducing maintenance requirements and material consumption. These developments could support customers in lowering their environmental footprint while improving the durability and performance of finished products.
The initiative aligns with AkzoNobel’s broader sustainability strategy. By developing coatings that require less energy and materials, the company aims to reduce carbon emissions across the value chain. AkzoNobel has already achieved a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions from its own operations, covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions against a 2018 baseline, reaching the target four years ahead of schedule.
Minister Van Veldhoven highlighted the importance of combining sustainability with economic growth and said the new laboratory supports the Netherlands’ ambition to remain a leader in clean technologies.
AkzoNobel currently employs approximately 2,700 R&D professionals across 70 laboratories worldwide. The company has invested more than €1.3 billion in research and development over the past five years, demonstrating its continued focus on technology, sustainability, and product innovation.
Impact on Product & Chemical Commodity Prices
The new laboratory is expected to strengthen AkzoNobel’s powder coatings portfolio by accelerating low-temperature curing, solvent-free, durable, and material-efficient products. For customers, these technologies could reduce energy consumption, maintenance costs, and coating material usage, supporting wider adoption of powder coatings in industrial applications. From a chemical commodity perspective, stronger demand for powder coatings could gradually support consumption of polyester and epoxy resins, curing agents, pigments, additives, and related intermediates. However, the immediate price impact is likely limited because the facility is focused on R&D rather than large-scale production. Over the longer term, successful commercialization could increase demand for specialized coating raw materials and place moderate upward pressure on selected prices.
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