Focus On: Expanding Excellence

Bostik celebrates Business & Technology Center expansion.

Focus on Bostik — Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish, second from right, listens as Ai Nguyen, senior chemist, conducts a tour of a new lab at Bostik America's expanded Business & Technology Center.

A VIP list of political, business and economic development leaders helped Bostik celebrate the grand opening of its expanded business and technology center in Wauwatosa, Wis., late last year. The expansion is intended to consolidate Bostik’s administrative and research and development functions from multiple facilities to the Bostik Americas Business & Technology Center, located at 11320 Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa.

Bostik has also established the Wauwatosa R&D site as its “Global Center of Excellence” for one of its key technology platforms: hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesives (HMPSA). The Wauwautosa facility has 270,000 sq ft; the expansion is converting some of that space from warehouse into laboratories, technical testing centers, office space, and conference rooms.

The invitation-only grand opening marked the completion of Phase I of the project, which will add a total of 76 R&D and business leadership positions to the previous employment of 164 at the Wauwatosa site by the end of 2014; about half of those jobs are now in place. Preparing the site for the new functions and positions required a capital investment of $8 million.

The selection of Wauwatosa for the Bostik Americas Business &Technology Center was the result of a coordinated economic development initiative by a team that included the Milwaukee 7, a regional economic development organization of the seven southeastern counties in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Economic and Development Corporation (WEDC) and various state and local political leaders.

“The R&D functions and business leadership positions being located here at the Bostik Americas Business & Technology Center in Wauwatosa solidifies Bostik’s position as a leader in the adhesives and sealants industry,” said Bob Marquette, president and CEO of Bostik Inc. “We are gratified by the initiative and enthusiasm shown by our state and local leaders in helping us to bring these high-skill positions to our state and community.”

About Bostik

Bostik, a subsidiary of Paris-based Total, is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of technologically advanced adhesives and sealants. With 2012 sales of €1.55 billion (~ $2.07 billion), the company employs 4,800 people and has a presence in more than 40 countries.

For more information, visit www.bostik-us.com.

To find suppliers of pressure-sensitive adhesives and other products, visit www.adhesivesmag.com/suppliers.