Ashland, a global specialty chemical company has set up a specialities technical research and development (R&D) centre in Mumbai.

The state-of-the-art facility has dedicated formulation laboratories to hair, skin, oral and home care, controlled environment laboratories for measurement science to support claims substantiation and a microbiology laboratory for preservative optimisation and micro challenge test. It will support producers of personal and home care products in India and Southeast Asia. It will focus on bringing new personal and home care innovations to market and providing technical support that may be required to meet consumers’ rising expectations for higher-performing products in these regions. The facility is expected to cater to clients like Hindustan Unilever, P&G, Colgate Palmolive, L’Oreal, Godrej Consumer Products, Emami, Dabur India, CavinKare, Himalaya and Marico Industries among others.