The Hindu Business Line : Knowledge Centre DuPont to invest Rs 100 cr

Hyderabad March 19 DuPont, the US-based science-based products and services company, has announced that it is open for alliances in research and product development at the new facility, the sixth major one for the company, it planned here.

The company is going to invest Rs 100 crore on the DKC (DuPont Knowledge Centre), which would house the company's first plant biotech research centre outside the US, coming up at the ICICI Knowledge Park near here.

The DKC would house 300 scientists in the first year. The number would double in three to five years.

Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone for the project on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here Mr Richard Goodmanson, Chief Operating Officer of DuPont, said the centre, among other areas, would focus on research in molecular biology to develop high-yielding and disease resistant crop varieties.

Mr K.V. Subba Rao, Country Manager of Pioneer (a DuPont company), said agricultural scientists would work on better corn and soya varieties.

The company would also eye opportunities for food packaging segment in the backdrop of boom in the food retailing in India.

The research activity at the centre would be based on `integrated science,' applying biology to traditional strengths in chemistry and materials science to develop company's application pipeline in India and other emerging markets.

The company, however, said that it would take at least five years to see something tangible emerge out of the centre. Some product applications could happen, though.

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