Philip M. Neal Research Center

The Philip M. Neal Research Center in Kunshan, China is the cornerstone of Avery Dennison's commitment to growth and technology in the Asia Pacific Region. It is the Company’s principal research facility in Asia and is dedicated to pioneering research in materials science, polymerization, precision coating and printing processes.

The facility, named after Avery Dennison's fourth chief executive officer, was designed to enable the Company to conduct fundamental and applied research, pilot testing and commercialization all under one roof, while closely situated with its customers and suppliers in China. The building was opened in 2006 and

• covers more than 4,000 square meters,
• houses 12 research laboratories,
• will employ approximately 50 engineers and scientists when fully staffed,
• will contain two pilot coaters by the end of 2009, and
• includes clean rooms, library resources, technical computing networks, advanced scientific equipment and state-of-the-art telecommunications.

Avery Dennison's Gateway to the Asia Pacific

Neal Research Center is the second major research facility built by Avery Dennison and reflects the strong growth of its business in Asia Pacific and China. The Company, founded by R. Stanton Avery in 1935, is a global operation with more than 30,000 employees and manufacturing, distribution and sales offices in over 60 countries. The Company established its first facility in China in 1995 and today employs more than 14,000 employees at 20 sites, including Kunshan, Nansha, Guangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, and Hong Kong.

Avery Dennison is a company founded on innovation and invention. It manufactured the world's first self-adhesive labels in 1935. Avery Dennison later developed the first die-cutting method, in-line machinery and rotary die for the production of self-adhesive labels; the first synthetic-based pressure-sensitive adhesive and quick release coating backing for self-adhesive products; the first systematic approach to label identification and pricing; and the first manual dispenser for self adhesive labels. The Company continues to make significant investments in research and development and to introduce new technology and products.

The Neal Research Center will enable Avery Dennison to accelerate the transfer of established technologies and products, customized for local use, to Asia Pacific and China. The facility will allow the Company to offer high-level dedicated technical resources to the region’s customer and business base and develop, analyze and test new products designed specifically for the Asia Pacific market. It will enhance the Company’s ability in understanding regional needs, respond to customer requests and provide faster service.

Technological Strengths

The Company incorporates an enormous amount of technology into its proprietary self-adhesive products and coating processes. The molecules for each application must be precisely designed, synthesized and formulated to achieve specific performance results and require a dedicated concentration of technical knowledge, resources and experience. Avery Dennison’s understanding of surface science, polymer structure and performance correlation is evident in each specific discipline operating in the Neal Research Center.

• Rheology: Basic research into polymer physics and rheology has contributed to the successful development of sophisticated adhesives, coating processes and other innovative new products engineered for specific applications.
• Synthesis: Avery Dennison has developed laboratory equipment and instrumentation for basic research in polymer synthesis, which has led to a number of breakthrough discoveries, including the development of nonsolvent adhesives and coatings.
• Materials Science: The Company's advanced analytical instrumentation is augmented by custom-designed equipment responsible for advances in chromatographic separation, surface science and spectroscopy techniques for detailed polymer analysis. It is also complemented by state-of-the-art optical and scanning-electron microscopy.
• Pilot Plant Facilities: Neal Research Center's pilot plant facilities provide an ideal environment for testing new coating, polymerization and film extrusion processes under full-scale manufacturing conditions, ensuring the successful transfer of research knowledge to production.
• Materials Performance Testing: A wide variety of materials performance testing methods have been developed by Avery Dennison scientists and engineers to aid in characterizing and monitoring product performance.