Centraal Laboratorium Geleen: Where the past and future of chemistry meet
Official Recognition as National Chemical Heritage 2025
Scientific presentations at this event will be in English.
Every innovation has a history. This year, the Central Laboratory of the former State Mines (later DSM) in Geleen receives official recognition as National Chemical Heritage — a landmark where scientific curiosity and industrial progress shaped decades of chemical advancement.
Join us on June 24, 2025, as we celebrate this recognition with a mini-symposium at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus. You’re warmly invited to explore the past, present, and future of chemistry at this iconic location.
Pioneering New Frontiers
Since its founding in 1940, the Central Laboratory has been instrumental in shaping the field of chemistry in the Netherlands. Under the guidance of research directors Gerrit Berkhoff and later Dirk van Krevelen, groundbreaking work flourished in an industrial setting.
The lab played a pivotal role in advancing reactor engineering, physical technology, catalysis, and polymer science — earning a strong international reputation. It was also the birthplace of innovative materials such as Dyneema (ultra-strong synthetic fibers) and Stanyl (heat-resistant plastics).
Symposium Highlights
Our program will reflect on how this scientific heritage continues to inspire and inform today’s challenges — and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Speakers include:
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Prof. Ernst Homburg (Emeritus Professor) on the lab’s historical legacy
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Rein Borggreve (CTO, Dutch Polymer Institute) on the lab’s global impact on material innovation
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Gert-Jan Gruter (CTO, Avantium) on the future of plastics made from biomass and CO₂
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Zuyd University of Applied Sciences – speaker to be announced soon
In addition to engaging presentations, the event offers a chance to network, exchange ideas, and raise a glass to 85 years of chemical excellence. The afternoon will close with an informal reception.
Register Today
Will you be there? Sign up via the registration form and celebrate this special milestone in the history of Dutch chemistry with us.
