UNIDYNE Technical Center Shanghai

The UNIDYNE Technical Center is a company based laboratory that supports technology for UNIDYNE water and oil repellents. It was established as a technical base in China, the world’s largest market for water and oil repellents used in textiles, paper, and non-woven fabrics, to accurately assess market needs and quickly respond to market needs with new product development.

The UNIDYNE Technical Center is located in the Minhang district, which is situated in the southwestern part of downtown Shanghai. As an important base for the chemical industry in Shanghai, the Minhang district is a driving force for chemical technology development. The Center is within a two to three-hour drive from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the world’s largest markets for water and oil repellents. Easy access to air transportation is available by the Shanghai Hongqiao international airport, which is only 30 minutes away by car.

With this central location, we can quickly provide technical services to our customers.

Customers of UNIDYNE water and oil repellents primarily occupy the business fields of textiles, thin food grade paper and molded pulp food containers, and non-woven fabrics.  The UNIDYNE Technical Center is a company based laboratory that supports the technologies used for UNIDYNE water and oil repellents in China and contributes to the businesses of our customers through the following four functions.

 

• 2-1. Technical services

The Center engineers form a frontline technical team to introduce products to customers and propose the optimum use of Daikin products.

Technical services are also provided by the Center to solve every type of customer problem through activities including development of formulation products to match customer usage conditions, proposals for processing recipes, evaluations, and analyses.

 

• 2-2. Product development

Since its establishment in 2013, the Center has been developing water and oil repellent products for Chinese as well as global markets. Market needs are determined through daily sales activities and technical service activities and quickly incorporated into UNIDYNE research and development for products ranging from general use to high performance.

Similarly, we develop original Chinese products, such as anti-graffiti agents and mold release agents, that are particularly suited for the Chinese market.

 

• 2-3. Open lab

The Center also functions as an open laboratory. In the lab we aim for development and evaluation that fully meets customer expectations by having Daikin engineers jointly conduct test evaluations with customers.

Through this process, people can experience the appeal of UNIDYNE just by visiting our open laboratory.

 

• 2-4. Seminar activities

Information is closely shared with Daikin global bases and laboratories in other regions of China to ensure that our customers have the latest market and technical information. Additionally, we hold “Waterproof salons (seminars)” several times a year as a venue to convey market shifts in water and oil repellants including new technologies, changes in the various laws and regulations, and current trends.

Although Daikin is the largest manufacturer of fluorinated-based water and oil repellents, we are also exploring non-fluorinated water repellents and oil/grease resistant agents in view of the growing need for non-fluorine products around the world.

 

• 3-1. Water repellents for textiles

Demand for non-fluorinated water repellents for textiles has been rapidly increasing due to requests from apparel brands in China and overseas. As use of non-fluorinated water repellents has become widespread, issues relating to functions outside those of water repellents have become apparent.

At The Center, not only do we closely examine aspects related to water repellency, but we also study appearance and texture and work to develop products and processing recipes that are easy for customers to use.

 

• 3-2. Oil/grease resistant agents for paper

From a viewpoint of sustainability, awareness has been moving from plastic to paper. While directed mainly toward exports to Europe and the United States, demand for non-fluorinated product has also rapidly increased for oil-resistant food contact paper and pulp paper containers.

To achieve the required level of oil resistance for food wrapping paper, a recipe suitable for non-fluorinated oil resistant agents is essential.

 

The Center works in cooperation with paper companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and food brands which are end-users to develop non-fluorinated oil-resistant agents that are suitable for customers in China and propose recipes.

The UNIDYNE Technical Center strives to understand the needs from the perspective of the customer and contribute to the customer’s business through technical services and product development.