Beijing 2008In the run-up to Beijing 2008, too, DSM supported the Dutch athletes. DSM’s Road to Beijing in fact started as early as June 2005, when a number of innovation projects were defined with the aim of supporting the athletes on their way to success at the 2008 Olympics. Since then, DSM people from various business groups have been working on the development of new products and concepts, a number of which were tested by Dutch Olympic team members and candidates. In developing products for the Beijing Olympics, DSM payed special attention to the tough climate conditions in this region: the heat and the high humidity can lead to dehydration, a weakened immune system and poor recovery. The sports innovations that DSM has developed for the Dutch Olympic athletes have been grouped in the DSM Unlimited Sports Center. In the run-up to Beijing these innovations were presented to the public in a number of media updates.
 NOC*NSF presented the ambassadors of the Dutch Olympic Team in October 2007 in Amsterdam. Until 31 December 2008 Lobke Berkhout and Marcelien de Koning (sailing), Edith Bosch (judo), Marleen Veldhuis (swimming), Rutger Smith (athletics), Anky van Grunsven (equestrian), Theo Bos (track cycling), Minke Booij (field hockey), and Kees Luijckx (football, not in the picture) represent the Dutch Olympic Team. The House in Beijing was located at the National Agricultural Exhibition Center situated in the Embassy Quarter of Beijing. Besides the large hall where celebrations for medal winners and performances by Dutch artists took place, there were various restaurant facilities, reception rooms for sponsors, rooms for the athletes, facilities for the press, an information desk where the Dutch embassy and the ATP travel agency provided services, fan shops and offices for NOC*NSF and operational staff of the HHH. DSM had a major presence at the House, with our Olympic innovations in particular playing an important role. The program included the following activities:
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