Nalco opens new R&D facility,corporate office

Erik Fyrwald,Nalco chairman and chief executive officer,said the India was an important part of the company’s growth strategy. “The investments we have been making in India,both in terms of facilities like this and in hiring more people,are beginning to pay off,as we have seen strong sales growth and increased market share throughout the country.”

The Pune laboratory will eventually employ more than 100 engineers and chemists. “The Pune centre will become one of Nalco’s major innovation hubs for water and energy technologies. Its immediate focus will be to provide technical support to our Energy Upstream (oil field) and Downstream (refinery and chemical processing) customers throughout the eastern hemisphere,including the Asia Pacific region,the Caspian,Middle East,North Sea and West Africa,” said Manian Ramesh,chief technology officer,Nalco.

In addition,a global knowledge solutions group will develop advanced modeling tools for water,wastewater and thermal energy systems. These models would help identify areas of improvement in industrial water use,recycle,and energy conservation.

“The Pune technology centre includes an advanced analytical laboratory that will provide diagnostic services. Within the next year we plan to expand Pune’s capabilities by adding a microbiology services laboratory.” ,” said Peter Scrivener,managing director,NLC Nalco India Ltd.