Symrise opens new Creative Center in Shanghai, ...

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Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this 
announcement. 
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An investment in the Shanghai location / "Navigator" launched to
focus on consumer research


On June 18, 2008 the global fragrances and flavorings manufacturer
Symrise is opening its new Creative Center in Shanghai. The new
facility will house all functions and creative resources of the Scent
& Care division for the Chinese market. It will also serve as the
newly established regional hub for North East Asia. This means the
center will be the new home for all departments which are critical
for an effective creative process: fragrance development,
application, consumer research, marketing and sales for all of the
business units in the Scent & Care division (Fragrances, Life
Essentials, Aroma Molecules and Mint). 51 employees will work at the
new Shanghai office; by 2013 this number is expected to increase to
70.

The Center is located in Puxi, the creative heart of Shanghai. The
Symrise building is part of an old factory unit which has been
renovated and converted into an inspiring home for culture, art and
design. The ambience was designed to inspire both employees and
clients, encourage a creative exchange and express the company's
innovative spirit.

A key component of the Creative Center is its newly-founded consumer
research facility, the global Navigator Center. This is where Symrise
will implement the Navigator on an international basis, a unique
consumer-research system developed by Symrise which combines
different approaches and techniques that extend far beyond the
possibilities of classic analytical methods. Its software works with
an international database being constantly updated by the global
consumer insight team network. The Navigator documents consumer
trends, analyzes consumers' language about fragrances and flavors,
studies the acceptance of products in different categories and
provides sensory criteria which are helpful tools in positioning
brand products. The Navigator's primary task is to give Symrise
insightful information about preferences and consumer trends in the
important Asian growth markets such as China, India, Indonesia,
Thailand and the Philippines. Beyond that, the system can compare
global consumer needs and thus enables Symrise to identify and
predict global trends. By creating a "fragrance language" based on
the Symrise Genealogy the Navigator will also optimize communications
between consumer researchers, perfumers, marketing specialists and
clients. Facilities for focus groups and sensory-analysis make it
possible to do essential qualitative research on site.

Achim Daub, Global President of Scent & Care, says, "China is one of
the most important growth markets for Symrise. Opening the new
Creative Center in Shanghai is proof of the critical role that the
entire Asian market plays in the development of our business. It also
shows that we do not see creativity and innovation as decorative
details - they are an indispensible part of our corporate strategy.
We have created the perfect environment for our employees in Shanghai
- an inspiring atmosphere where they can be highly creative and
efficient in their work and their interactions with clients."

Thomas Dressler, Regional President, Scent & Care, Asia Pacific,
comments, "Sensory and consumer insight is one of Symrise's core
competencies, and it is especially critical on the Asian continent,
where the average per-capita income is steadily growing. The new
Navigator Center in Shanghai will not only gather and analyze
information about Chinese consumers, it will take on a key role in
all of our company's work in global sensory analysis and consumer
research. With the Navigator, we will continue to develop our
existing knowledge about trends and consumer behavior, and we will
keep working with our clients to translate this knowledge into
promising product concepts."



About Symrise
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavorings and raw
materials and active ingredients for the perfume, cosmetics and food
industry.

Its sales of ¤1.27 billion in 2007 place the company among the top
four in the international flavors and fragrances market.
Headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, Symrise is represented in more
than 30 countries in Europe, Asia, the United States and South
America.

With more than 40 first patent applications per year, Symrise is one
of the most innovative manufacturers on the market. Used by
manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics and foods, our products are an
inseparable part of daily life. At Symrise we combine an awareness of
consumer trends with cutting-edge technologies, focusing on
innovative fashion and lifestyle products that have additional
practical value for the consumer. Symrise - always inspiring more.

www.symrise.com


Contact:
Katja Derow
red roses communications
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]


 
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Symrise AG
Mühlenfeldstraße 1 Holzminden Germany

WKN: SYM999; ISIN: 
DE000SYM9999; Index: MDAX, TecDAX;
Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr 
in Bayerische Börse München, 
Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr 
in Börse Berlin, 
Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart, 
Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse;