An insight into 8 of Henkel’s innovation centers  

In today's world, it is more important than ever to promote and live a culture of innovation. A company needs a lot to be innovative. Above all, a culture that is characterized by people with a pioneering spirit and in which interaction and cooperation form the basis for mutual success. For this reason – and to make our portfolio, product range and technical expertise available to our customers around the world – we have established a global innovation network on all continents. 

In our innovation centers, we offer state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, inspiration through customer visits in the customer experience and platforms for knowledge exchange in order to respond to the local needs of our customers and consumers. When developing our innovations, we rely on open collaboration and trusting partnerships to jointly achieve solutions along the entire value chain. Because we want to improve the lives of people around the world every day with our products and technologies. Discover a selection of our global innovation centers and learn how Henkel drives innovation.

Together and in cooperation – so that we can understand change today and shape the future for generations to come.

In the global innovation and customer center of Henkel Adhesive Technologies in Düsseldorf, more than 650 Henkel experts work on 47,000 m² spread over seven floors. Innovative solutions and leading technologies are researched, developed and tested here in close cooperation with customers and partners from industry and science. The focus of innovation is on sustainability and highly customized solutions. In the ICD's automated laboratory – one of the center's 34 laboratories – over 1,000 data points are collected for research and development every day and over 3,000 tests are carried out every month. Customers find inspiration in the customer experience by physical and digital application examples from various industries. Other highlights of the ICD include a battery engineering center, a technology center for furniture and components, a laboratory for printing technologies and various partner laboratories.

2. Research & Development Center of Henkel Consumer Brands

From consumer center, analysis, research and product development to packaging design and product evaluation, our largest Henkel Consumer Brands Research & Development Center in Asia is tailored to both current and future needs of the business unit. Spanning more than 2,500 m², the center promotes agile product development across various functional areas based on local consumer habits and insights. Among other things, active ingredients are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to gain insights into the performance and quality of raw materials and products, 3D printing technologies are used to create prototypes in packaging design and cutting-edge technologies are researched using in-vitro and in-vivo testing procedures for extensive validation.

3. Henkel dx Hubs

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At the Henkel dx Hubs in Berlin and Shanghai, our digital unit Henkel dx is passionately driving the digital transformation at Henkel while creating added value for customers and clients. With a focus on individual customer and consumer needs, the Tech & Digital Hubs are shaping solutions of the future and bringing innovations to life. In this way, we are accelerating our transformation journey and actively shaping our business of tomorrow. Our in-house digitalization experts also work with start-ups and tech giants to jointly develop digital business models and leading technology solutions.

4. Global Technology Center Bengaluru

Accelerating innovation, scaling business programs – this is the focus of the Global Technology Center in Bengaluru ‏(GTC), a city characterized by its many start-ups and a dynamic technology ecosystem. With its high-tech facility, the center serves as a hub where digital and tech experts from Henkel dx come together with Henkel's business units and functions. The common goal: to bring products to market faster and increase competitiveness through innovation-oriented thinking. In addition to the dx hubs in Berlin and Shanghai, the GTC bundles further digital and IT competencies under its own roof, thus enabling greater agility. The focus here is particularly on the implementation and scaling of digital ideas and innovations as well as the further development of digital infrastructures.

5. Technology Center Mumbai

Henkel Adhesive Technologies' Technology Center Mumbai enables close collaboration with leading customers and accelerates the development of high-impact solutions for a wide range of applications in local markets in IMEA. With a product development center and the Henkel Flexible Packaging Academy under its roof and close cooperation with the Adhesives Service Center Pune, the Technology Center not only creates added value for customers and partners, but also helps identify future growth potential. The Technology Center Mumbai has already been awarded as the best innovation center in India (2022-23) and is labeled as a particularly environmentally friendly building (LEED v4.1).

6. J-Beauty Innovation Hub

Our J-Beauty Innovation Hub in Tokyo combines the know-how of Schwarzkopf and Shiseido Professional and enables a unique fusion of Asian and Western beauty concepts and trends. Here, experts of various nationalities conduct research in state-of-the-art laboratories on hair color innovations as well as premium hair and scalp care or anti-hair loss, styling and perming solutions for the Asian market. In addition to research laboratories, product evaluation facilities are also an important part of the hub. Here, consumers are also actively involved in the optimization of product design and the development of tailor-made solutions: In a simulated household bathroom, our experts examine the experiences of test users and collect feedback. 

7. Technology Center Bridgewater 

At the Technology Center Bridgewater, a sustainability-focused innovation and customer center of Henkel Adhesive Technologies, more than 200 experts are working on tomorrow's innovative technologies in over 50 laboratories. Solutions for local markets in North America and Mexico are developed here in a laboratory area of 9,300 m². Together with partners and customers from over 800 manufacturing industries, the Bridgewater Technology Center promotes collaboration along the entire value chain. These include sustainable packaging for consumer goods, sustainable palletizing applications, intelligent healthcare solutions with printed electronics, personal health monitoring and digital MRO solutions for production facilities and timber construction applications. Modern analytical and rheological facilities as well as laboratories for flexible packaging, furniture and construction elements provide the ideal research framework.

8. Bright Ideas Co-Creation Center

With the help of qualitative market research studies, the Bright Ideas Co-Creation Centers in Düsseldorf, Trumbull and Dubai involve consumers in the development process at an early stage. Whether through product tests, individual interviews or group discussions – the inclusion of consumer opinions enables our experts to approach the development of suitable products backwards, based on consumer feedback. This open exchange enables us to meet constantly evolving needs and further expand our business. In doing so, we rely on the synergy of best practices from different countries.