Jayalalithaa launches seven global R&D centres at the IIT Madras Research Park

Chennai: Saint-Gobain Research India's new, state-of-the-art, cross-functional Research Centre, one among the seven global R&D centres, was launched by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday at the IIT Madras Research Park.

Built with an investment of about Rs 200 crores, the new research centre will focus on developing innovative and sustainable solutions for Saint-Gobain's existing businesses which includes abrasives, glass for architecture, glass for automotive, gypsum plasterboard and plasters, high performance ceramics and plastics. It will also enable the group to accelerate its growth in the region.

The focus will also be on establishing multi-comfort in buildings as well as affordable housing and new competencies that will enable it to develop sustainable habitat solutions for hot and humid climates including the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa.

The centre is expected to house more than 250 scientists and engineers.

Anand Tanikella, Director, Saint-Gobain Research India, said, “The brightest Indian minds from across the world (with PhDs from institutes such as MIT, Ecole Polytechnique, University of Tokyo, in addition to top class institutes in India) are currently working at SGRI.” Adding that SGRI is aspiring to develop cost-competitive solutions for customers through co-development and implement 'Innovate in India', Tanikella said, “We are working closely with designers and architects so as to plan and develop sustainable habitat solutions for hot and humid climates through basic and applied research in building science.”