Kemira Annual Report 2005

For years now, Kemira’s titanium dioxide nanoparticleshave been used widely to provide UV protection – in cosmetics,for example. Our proprietary applications are alsofinding a growing range of uses in coatings. The photoactiveproperties of the nanoparticles are being evolvedfor purifying air and water as well as for manufacturingself-cleansing surfaces.Award-winning technical prowessLuminol UV and Uvitec represent a new generation systemfor industrial surface treatment lines. Tikkurila receivedthe RadTech Europe Innovation Award for developingthe UVITEC curing method by means of which waterbornelacquer is cured using ultraviolet radiation in an inan inert atmosphere (oxygen-free state). The method isan example of an environmentally sound product thatbrings customers cost savings and better quality. Themethod replaces existing solvent-based surface treatmentsubstances that are used in the furniture industry.R&D expenditure breakdownCustomerorientedproductdevelopmentand service39%Business-specificresearch projects37%Group-wide research projects24%R&D expenditure totaled EUR 43.1 million in 2005. Risk and the timeframedecrease towards the top of the pyramid and grow larger towards thebase.Benchmarking performanceOur goal is to increase our inputs into research and development.We gauge the efficiency of our research in termsof how Kemira’s product range is renewed. We determineonce every quarter the share of revenue from new productsthat have been brought to market. In 2005, just undera fifth of our revenue came from products that wererolled out during the last three years. Today, this benchmarkingcovers over half of our product output, and itwill be expanded across the entire spectrum of ouroperations.Helsingborg, Sweden. At the hydrogen peroxide plant, visitors get to take a peek at the process.Process engineer Carsten Olsson leads the way.23