procurement, information technology and logistics activities housed at the Global Services Center.
“Our aim in expanding our Asturias Global Services
Center is to strengthen its role as a center of excellence
with a global reach. The added efficiencies and synergies will
ensure we are well-placed for future growth. We are delighted
to have talented graduates from the University of Oviedo to
help us make this happen,” said Joe McDougall, Axalta’s senior
vice president, Global Branding, Corporate Affairs, and Chief
Human Resources Officer.
Axalta established its presence in Asturias in 2002. Since
then, the company has expanded its footprint in the area and
developed a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with the
University of Oviedo.
Elisa Miguélez Gonzalez, vice-rector for Student Affairs at
the University of Oviedo, said “It is wonderful to be able to of-
fer our graduates the opportunity to work in a successful global
company such as Axalta and to apply the knowledge gained
during their degree courses in the real world.”
With a more than 400-year history, the University of Oviedo
is a public higher education and research institution. It offers
a comprehensive range of undergraduate degrees in all areas,
as well as postgraduate degree programs in collaboration with
other national and international universities and more than
500 companies.
This collaboration underscores Axalta’s commitment to supporting educational institutions around the world. Some of the
initiatives include guiding the next generation of business leaders and promoting the so-called STEM subjects -– science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
New Dresbach Bridge in Minnesota
Features Textured Coating by TEX∙COTE
A new bridge crossing the Mississippi River between
Wisconsin and Minnesota features a special textured
coating product by Florida-based TEX∙COTE, the manufacturer of specialty textured coatings for building
applications.
TEX∙COTE, is a leading manufacturer of highway and
bridge coatings and offers a complete line of decorative and
protective high-build architectural coatings for commercial,
industrial, transportation and residential uses.
TEX∙COTE products were used for the new I-90
Mississippi River Bridge, which consists of a pair of bridges
over the Mississippi River that connect the area of La Crosse,
Wisconsin to Winona County, Minnesota. The new bridges
opened to traffic in October 2016, replacing a previous plate
girder bridge built in 1967 that was deemed not as safe for
traffic, with more narrow shoulders that lead to lane closures
when disabled cars needed to get over to the side or during
routine maintenance.
The cost for the new set of bridges was $185.5 million. They
were designed to last 100 years, improve safety for drivers,
and improve traffic flow. The new bridges were ordered by the
Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Beckers Group Launches Consumer Design
Finishes Trend Collection
Beckers Group’s business line Consumer Design Finishes
just launched this year’s global trend collection for consumer electronics and lifestyle appliances. The portfolio, called
Layered Dimensions, offers consumer brand companies
an opportunity to extensively explore Beckers’ latest colours, innovative technologies, and special effects. Layered
Dimensions targets trends for 2018/19 and is presented during a roadshow this spring. Interested parties can contact
info-cdf(at) beckers-group.com for more information or to
make an appointment.
“In the trend-driven and fast-changing consumer electronics and lifestyle appliance markets, the look and feel of a product are key differentiators. Inspiring our customers every year
with innovative visual and tactile effects is an integral part of
our service offering,” said Christian Vogel, president Industrial
Coatings at Beckers.
“The core of Consumer Design Finishes is to add value
through creative surfaces. Thus we are continuously exploring
macro trends to offer our customers innovative designs to enhance their portfolio for consumers. Layered Dimensions is the
result of this process,” said Linda Snis, Global Design manager
at Beckers Sweden. CW
