Covestro launches a wall painted with its brand-new sustainable polyurethane coating technology for children who have autism at the Shanghai Qingcongquan Training Center for Children with Special Needs on Monday. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
German polymer developer Covestro is keen to provide more technological support to local communities in China through its corporate social responsibility programs. By doing so, it aims to create a more comfortable and sustainable life for different groups of people.
Covestro created a wall painted with its locally developed, brand-new sustainable polyurethane coating technology for children who have autism at the Shanghai Qingcongquan Training Center for Children with Special Needs on Monday.
We are delighted to leverage our material expertise to provide innovative solutions that support these children’s development and therapies
Holly Lei, president of Covestro China
The wall is low-gloss, washable and easy to clean. It can provide a healthy and comfortable environment for children with autism to enjoy painting art therapy, the company said. More than 10 children at the center were invited to draw pictures on the wall on Monday.
"Supporting organizations like Qingcongquan embody our commitment to CSR and the company's diversity and inclusion culture. It is also in line with our mission for sustainable development," said Holly Lei, president of Covestro China. "We are delighted to leverage our material expertise to provide innovative solutions that support these children's development and therapies."
Zhong Xiaobin, senior vice-president of the coatings and adhesives segment at Covestro Asia-Pacific, said that a new formula, involving technologies developed by Covestro and its newly acquired Resins and Functional Materials, was used in the project. The formula can effectively reduce the gloss of the paint film, thus creating a visually comfortable indoor space for children at the center. The new formula is also suitable for use in hospitals, offices and residential interiors.
Holly Lei, president of Covestro China, draws pictures on the wall with a child. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Founded in October 2004, Qingcongquan is a nonprofit private organization committed to providing professional training and coaching to children with autism as well as their families. Covestro has been supporting Qingcongquan through volunteer services and event sponsorships since 2017.
According to Chen Jie, founder and headmaster of Qingcongquan, painting and art therapy has been proven to promote mental health and development, as well as the recovery of cognitive functions for children with autism.
"By using its innovative coating technology, Covestro turned an ordinary wall into a surface on which children can paint freely, allowing them to express their creativity with various colors and tools without limitation.
"Teachers are then able to easily wipe away the drawings, keeping the wall clean and allowing it to be used again. In addition, the used coating has no obvious smell from construction to commissioning, which safeguards the health of children and teachers," Chen said.
In recent years, Covestro has taken advantage of its know-how in material development to support the work of local communities, covering a slew of areas including elderly care and education.
Covestro staff members lead a storytelling program for children. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
In 2020, Covestro used its two-component waterborne polyurethane coating technology to help Hubei University renovate the polyvinyl chloride floor of a gymnasium. The gymnasium was used as a mobile cabin hospital and a place for the storage of anti-epidemic materials during the fight against COVID-19 in Wuhan. The refurbished floor is easier to clean without requiring frequent waxing maintenance, which reduces maintenance costs and increases the usage of the site, according to the company.
In 2019, the company joined hands with sports flooring manufacturer Jiangmen Changhe Chemical Industry Group to repaint the floors of the laundry room and outdoor corridors at Shenjiang Nursing Home in Shanghai. The coatings have low odor, good abrasion resistance and higher friction.
"We hope we can use our material expertise to help more people improve their quality of life while also giving back to society," Lei said.
Covestro, with a strong presence in the automotive and transportation industries, construction, furniture and wood processing, is one of the largest polymer companies in the world. Its annual sales revenue reached 10.7 billion euros ($12.68 billion) in 2020.
China is Covestro's biggest single market with sales revenue hitting 2.25 billion euros last year. That figure accounted for 21 percent of the company's total worldwide sales. Covestro has been committed to supporting the circular economy in China and has partnered with many local companies including bottled water brand Nongfu Spring.
