German specialty chemicals company LANXESS inaugurated its India Application Development Center (IADC) in Thane, Mumbai, strengthening its innovation and customer service capabilities. The center, taking up an entire floor at LANXESS House, serves as a hub for two business units with capacity for future expansion.“India is a critical growth region for LANXESS, offering immense opportunities for collaboration and innovation,” Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG, said at the inauguration ceremony. “The new application development center represents our commitment to delivering solutions tailored to the needs of our local customers while driving organic, innovation-led growth. I am also thrilled that this important milestone for India coincides with our 20th anniversary as a company: an opportunity to celebrate twice.”The IADC underscores LANXESS’ strategic focus on India as a key market and innovation hub, enhancing the company’s ability to deliver high-value, specialized solutions tailored to local needs. In a first step, it integrates expertise from two key businesses in India: Lubricant Additives (high-performance additives and additive systems, synthetic base fluids and ready-to-use lubricants) and Material Protection Products (antimicrobial, disinfection, and preservation solutions).Customers will for example benefit from advanced studies of friction and wear of lubricants, the synthesis and testing of new materials and the evaluation of the antimicrobial performance of paints, emulsions, and other water-based chemistries.“By establishing the IADC, we are bringing our expertise closer to our Indian customers. This center will not only support innovation but also strengthen our ability to address evolving market trends with speed and precision,” Namitesh Roy Choudhury, Vice Chairman & Managing Director at LANXESS India, said.The establishment of the IADC aligns with LANXESS’s transformation into a specialty chemicals company, focusing on less cyclical business areas and solutions for critical applications such as sustainable mobility or consumer protection. India’s growing industrial base and expanding consumer markets make it an ideal platform for driving such advancement. LANXESS has a long-standing presence in India, with representation from all 10 of its business units and a workforce of around 800 employees. The company operates two production hubs: one in Jhagadia, Gujarat, focusing on Rhein Chemie, Liquid Purification Technologies, and Material Protection Products, and another in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, which specializes in Flavors & Fragrances.