SHANGHAI … Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced that it has opened a new innovation center in Shanghai, China, to drive the company’s growth in the Asia Pacific region by leveraging and developing advanced technologies.

“The China Innovation Center, which is the latest addition to our global footprint in technology innovation, provides better access to technologies and innovation talent from China. It will support Eaton in achieving its growth objectives in the important Asia Pacific market through innovative product and services offerings, “said Michael Wynblatt, Eaton vice president – Innovation Center.

Eaton's corporate Research and Development organization, the Innovation Center services Eaton's Electrical and Industrial Sectors from six corporate locations globally and provides technology development and expertise in several key areas including: electrical/electronic, power electronics, electromechanical, mechanical/thermal, control systems, hydraulic systems, materials, software, and simulation.

The China Innovation Center will initially focus on the areas of vehicle electrification and smart grid and will broaden its scope to involve a wide range of technologies across the business groups. The center, located at Eaton's Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Shanghai, China, will be led by Dr. Bin Lu, manager – Eaton China Innovation Center. In his new role, Lu will report to Wynblatt with a dotted line to Joe Tao Zhou, Eaton China president.

Dr. Lu was previously a member of the Eaton Innovation Center's Power Systems and Architecture team in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., where he was responsible for projects in the areas of inferential sensing and diagnostics, electric machines, and motor drives. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and a doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S.