Fresh Paint
Petersburg. Ford enters into aligned
business frameworks agreements only
with select key partners that are especially efficient and competitive in
respect to technology and global presence. The agreements spell out business
practices designed to increase future
collaboration, including phased-in up-front payment of engineering and deve-
lopment costs, extended sourcing and
data transparency. Worldwide, the
automaker works together with cur-
rently more than 65 ABF partners.
According to Ralf Dieter, CEO of Dürr
AG, “The framework agreement is a
milestone in our relationship with Ford
as it opens up additional, global business opportunities for Dürr.”
BASF USES AI FOR COLOR MATCHING
BASF Automotive Refinish Solutions has developed a software program that
applies artificial intelligence using neural networks to the process of color
matching paint. Developed by BASF’s Craig McClanahan, manager of color
research for BASF Coatings North America, this artificial intelligence was
designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the color matching process.
This software uses a machine-learning algorithm to achieve its color matching
ability from previously developed color formulations. Standard color matching,
on the other hand, relies on human trial and error.
“One of the significant elements of this artificial intelligence is that it
takes color matching to a higher level with a greater degree of accuracy
than ever before seen in the automotive refinish industry,” said
McClanahan. “It actually learns and gets better over time.”
As BASF produces new color matches over time, the intelligent system
learns from them; then automatically and exponentially applies that
learning to the matching of new colors, resulting in improved color match-
ing speed and precision.
“BASF is acknowledged by its customers as a color leader in the automotive refinish industry,” said Darlene Eilenberger, director of marketing
for BASF Coatings North America. “And each year our customers tell us
that the single most important thing we can provide to them is a good color
match. Through this new artificial intelligence, we achieve high quality
color matches more than 90% of the time, versus the current industry
standard of approximately 50%.”
McClanahan and the artificial intelligence development team located in
Whitehouse, OH, use information from BASF’s globally integrated color
laboratories around the world to “train” the artificial intelligence software
with global BASF color-matching information. By the end of 2009, this
artificial intelligence will contain color data from all ten BASF automotive
refinish laboratories in Japan, Australia, China, Brazil, France, Germany,
India, Spain, Italy and the U.S.
The artificial intelligence color matching system is already at work in
five of BASF’s global automotive refinish laboratories. During the next six
months, McClanahan and Benjamin Delespierre from BASF in France will
complete the roll out to the remaining global laboratories.
At this time, BASF’s artificial intelligence color matching system is only
used internally within BASF. In the future, BASF plans to offer this sys-
tem to its global automotive refinish customers; and leverage the technol-
ogy in the OEM coatings market.
ERKKI JÄRVINEN IS NEW
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TIKKURILA
Erkki Järvinen has been appointed
president and CEO of Tikkurila Oy. He
is currently working as president and
CEO of Rautakirja Corporation, which
belongs to Sanoma Oyj. He has held
the position since 2001. Järvinen is
also a member of the executive management group of Sanoma Oyj.
Järvinen previously was president and
senior vice president of Kiosk
Operations in Rautakirja Corporation
during 1997–2001. Prior to joining
Rautakirja Järvinen held positions in
companies that belonged to Cultor
Group: in Vaasanmylly Oy in marketing positions and in Siljans Knäcke AB
in Sweden as managing director. He
has also worked in marketing for Oy
Karl Fazer Ab.
Järvinen will take his position as
the president and CEO of Tikkurila
during the first quarter of 2009. Jarmo
Mäenpää will work as the managing
director until Järvinen starts his work
at Tikkurila. Visa Pekkarinen who is
responsible for Kemira´s coatings
business will retire at the end of
October 2008.
AKZONOBEL STRENGTHENS
PROTECTIVE COATINGS PORTFOLIO
AkzoNobel has strengthened its
marine and protective coatings portfo-
lio following the acquisition of the
Enviroline business from Florida-
based Industrial Environmental
Coatings Corporation.
Enviroline is a specialist supplier of
high performance, corrosion-resistant
linings predominantly in the oil and
gas industries, specializing in both
new construction and maintenance
projects. The deal includes the trans-
fer of goodwill, intellectual property
and employees.
“This acquisition highlights the
company’s strategy of consolidating
our leading market positions and
12 DECEMBER 2008 WWW.COATINGS WORLD.COM
