Henkel Announces New Consumer Brands R&D Center in Trumbull, Connecticut

Henkel, a manufacturer of well-known consumer and industrial brands such as all free clear laundry detergent, Dial soap, Schwarzkopf hair care, and Loctite, Technomelt, and Bonderite adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, has announced the development of a new Center of Research & Development in Trumbull. The state-of-the-art R&D campus represents Henkel’s largest non-manufacturing capital investment in North America over the past decade, with a total investment exceeding $70 million.

Construction of the Henkel Center of Research & Development has now begun. The new facility will consolidate the company’s North America Consumer Brands R&D teams—currently spread across three locations in Connecticut—into a single campus designed to enhance collaboration, creativity, career development, and customer-focused innovation.

The campus will consist of three buildings spread across more than 10 acres, with over 110,000 square feet of interior space. Once completed, the facility will accommodate more than 200 employees and feature 27 laboratories along with three pilot plants.

Once completed, the Henkel Center of Research & Development will host a wide range of functional teams, including hair, body, laundry, and home care product development, as well as packaging, processing, microbiology, analysis, product safety, and regulatory affairs. The facility will continue to support innovation across Henkel’s Consumer Brands portfolio, which includes well-known products such as Persil and all free clear laundry detergents, Snuggle fabric softeners, and Dial soaps.

“We are excited to begin this next chapter for Henkel Consumer Brands R&D in North America,” said Phil Schaffer, Corporate Senior Vice President, Henkel Consumer Brands North America. “Innovation is deeply rooted in our DNA, and bringing our teams together will enable us to deliver transformative solutions that delight consumers and customers and have the potential to shape category trends. This significant investment underscores our long-term commitment to innovation, growth, and our talented teams in Connecticut.”

The campus currently comprises facilities at 30 and 4 Trefoil Drive and will be expanded with a new building at 9 Trefoil Drive. The newly acquired two-storey facility at 9 Trefoil Drive spans approximately 45,000 square feet and will serve as the central hub of the campus. It has been designed to achieve LEED Gold, meeting rigorous sustainability and environmental performance standards.

Connecticut is a global hub for innovation because of the pioneering research taking place at our companies and academic institutions, and the collaborative ecosystem that supports them,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. “With Henkel’s new Center of Research & Development in Trumbull, we are continuing that legacy by supporting cutting-edge research that will drive the next generation of consumer products and strengthen our state’s leadership in innovation, advanced manufacturing, and product development.”

Scheduled to open by the end of 2027, the Henkel Center of Research & Development will feature a range of new amenities, including a cafeteria, EV charging stations, outdoor workspaces, and modern collaboration areas, creating a flexible and future-ready R&D environment.

“Henkel’s expansion in Trumbull will help drive cutting-edge research and product development while creating countless opportunities for career development and innovation,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “Talented professionals and their communities will benefit. I’m thrilled to see Henkel continue building on its strong roots here.”

Source: Henkel