The new facility is part of a planned series of investments enabling SiVance to better address current and future customer needs in target markets such as electronic semiconductors, contact lenses, coatings and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The lab will also speed process development for custom manufacturing of speciality silanes, silicones and other chemistries. “This state-of-the-art facility is a major milestone in our continuous investment strategy for the business, which was initiated following Milliken’s acquisition of SiVance in 2011,” said Saikat Joardar, vice president, SiVance, LLC. “The new lab was designed from the ground up to support customer needs. It enables us to accelerate product and process development and scale up to manufacturing, strengthen collaboration with customers and take advantage of new market opportunities for chemistries that fit our expertise and capabilities. We look forward to welcoming customers to the lab.” The new building is outfitted with equipment for research, process development and testing. Installations include eight benchtop hoods for small-scale research development and eight large walk-in fume hoods that enable large-scale development activities and the manufacturing of materials for sampling.