South Korean chemical giant LG Chem said Wednesday that it has set up a new research and development center in the US state of Georgia called the North America Innovation Center, as part of its big push to secure global talent for its burgeoning next-generation materials business.

The new plan was unveiled as part of its partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology signed a day before.

Under the agreement, the center will serve as an R&D base for diverse collaboration projects with not only Georgia Tech, but also other national research institutions in North America.

LG Chem, in particular, expressed high hopes for R&D synergy with North America’s extensive research infrastructure on next-generation materials, citing battery materials, recycling and bioplastics as the three growth drivers of the company.

Throughout the collaborative research, the company said it aims to nurture and recruit new talent as well.

The company added it plans to expand the center in phases into an independent R&D base in North America by 2025.

“We seek to leap forward as a leading chemical company on a global stage by solidifying our research capacities and securing talent in a technologically advanced country such as the US,” LG Chem Vice Chairman and CEO Shin Hak-cheol said in a statement.

LG Chem is rapidly expanding its presence in the US. The company plans to build a large-scale cathode plant in Tennessee and a bioplastic plant in Illinois. It also acquired Aveo Pharmaceuticals, a US biotech company specializing in developing anti-cell drugs.