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AGATEX Opens New Innovation Center In Austria To Accelerate Textile And Specialty Chemical R&D

• By  Textile Excellence
• January 30, 2026

AGATEX Feinchemie GmbH has strengthened its commitment to research led growth after inaugurating a new Innovation Centre at its Edt bei Lambach site in Austria. The facility became operational at the end of 2025 following a seven-figure euro investment completed in under twelve months, underlining the company’s long-term focus on innovation driven manufacturing.

Expanded Research and Application Capabilities

The new Innovation Centre significantly upgrades AGATEX’s research and development infrastructure. It houses an advanced chemical laboratory and a dedicated application technology laboratory designed to replicate real industrial processes used by textile, fibre and nonwovens manufacturers. This setup allows products to be tested under realistic production conditions, helping customers shorten development cycles and improve process reliability. Additional office and collaboration spaces further support closer interaction between technical teams and global clients.

Global Growth Anchored in Sustainability and Speed

Managing Director Georg Bauer highlighted that the investment reinforces Austria as a strategic base while parallel investments in Thailand enhance proximity to high growth Asian markets. Managing Director Nikolaus Bauer Harnoncourt added that customer co development remains central to AGATEX’s strategy, particularly as textile and industrial producers face rising demands around efficiency, sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Founded in 1921, AGATEX supplies specialty chemicals to the fibre, nonwovens, paper, pulp and wood-based materials sectors. Global demand for performance chemicals in textiles is projected to grow at over 4% CAGR through 2030, driven by technical textiles and sustainable processing solutions. The new Innovation Centre positions AGATEX to respond faster to these trends while reinforcing its role as a technology partner to the global textile value chain.

Managing Director Georg Bauer highlighted that the investment reinforces Austria as a strategic base while parallel investments in Thailand enhance proximity to high growth Asian markets. Managing Director Nikolaus Bauer Harnoncourt added that customer co development remains central to AGATEX’s strategy, particularly as textile and industrial producers face rising demands around efficiency, sustainability and regulatory compliance.