History
In 1938, the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center was established by the State of Georgia to honor Dr. Charles H. Herty, a chemist whose discoveries spearheaded the utilization of southern softwoods in the manufacture of pulp and paper products. Dr. Herty’s work on pulping chemistry led to the creation of an industry now employing nearly 125,000 people within the State of Georgia and generating over $25 billion in revenues.*
In 2012, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal transferred management of Herty to Georgia Southern University to enhance economic and business development in the State of Georgia. The alignment with Georgia Southern University creates a powerful partnership, which links academic research at Georgia Southern with applied research activities at Herty. As a result, Herty can now provide expertise and support along the full gamut of technical readiness levels: from benchscale to full production and from concept to commercialization.
While much has changed since the founding of the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center, what has never changed is the need to support and encourage new ideas and unlock commercial opportunities. Today, the Herty Center is a global leader in advanced materials innovation. New process and product developers work with the Herty Center to support their materials innovation needs in such diverse areas as fiber recycling, roll-based composites, hydrophobic energy pellet development and bio-based chemical intermediates.
A few highlights from The Herty Center’s rich history include:
Development of the acid sulfite process for softwoods
Development of cellulose acetate from southern pine
Development of recycling processes for both synthetic and natural fibers
Creation of innovative processes to add strength to building and paper products
Development of DuPont™ Kevlar® and Nomex® products
Development of innovative composites for the transportation industry
Development of friction products used in the transportation industry
Development of synthetic non-woven fabrics for the medical industry
Development of hydrophobic wood-based energy pellets
The Herty Advanced Materials Development Center holds true to the fundamentals that Dr. Charles H. Herty established: the need to recognize new concepts, encourage innovation and unlock commercial opportunities.
*Economic Benefits of the Forestry Industry in Georgia 2011, Georgia Forestry Commission
Last updated: 3/28/2016