Coatings World - December 2016

company sees at least 65,000 stores handling its products by the end of 2018, a 50 percent jump from the end of 2015. The number of locations that only handle Nippon Paint products will grow 10 percent to 3,300.

Nippon Paint will also set up locations to provide after-sales services. The company hopes all these efforts will help boost its share in China’s home-interior paint market from around 30 percent today to as high as 50 percent.

The company turned its Chinese joint venture with Singapore’s Wuthelam Group, its top shareholder, into a consolidated unit in December 2014. This raised the contribution of Asian operations to Nippon Paint’s overall sales to 60 percent in the fiscal year ended this past March. The figure is expected to go up further, since the company is looking to hike sales at its Chinese operations from 232.8 billion yen in fiscal 2015 to 300 billion yen or more as soon as possible.

Nippon Paint has also set its sights on expanding group sales by 30 percent from the current level to 700 billion yen in the year through December 2018, and then to 1 trillion yen over a longer term.

China is the world’s biggest paint market. Its construction-related paint segment, estimated to be worth roughly 700 billion yen a year, is forecast to deliver double-digit growth in coming years. At the same time, demand for inorganic paint is expected to climb, as organic paint comes under increasing pressure from tightening government regulations. Chinese consumers are also becoming more aware of organic paint’s detrimental effects on health.

Axalta Acquires United
Paint’s Automotive Interior
Rigid Thermoplastics
Coatings Business

Axalta Coating Systems has announced
the acquisition of the automotive inte-
rior rigid thermoplastics coatings busi-
ness of Michigan-based United Paint
and Chemical Corporation. Production
will temporarily remain at United Paint’s
Southfield, Michigan facilities and will
transfer to Axalta’s facilities in a phased
manner. Financial terms of the transac-
tion were not disclosed.

“United Paint’s interior rigid ther-
moplastics coating technology is a great
fit for Axalta as we fulfill our commit-
ment to provide our customers in the
global vehicle manufacturing industry
with a complete range of coating sys-
tems,” said Steven R. Markevich, Axalta
executive vice president and president
of Transportation Coatings and Greater
China. “Vehicle interiors are a logical
extension of the expertise we have de-
veloped to serve the growing automotive
plastic components market as traditional
materials are replaced by lightweight al-
ternatives. Vehicle manufacturers will
benefit by being able now to rely on
Axalta as a single source supplier of coat-
ings for vehicle interiors as well as exte-
rior surfaces.”
“We believe Axalta is an excellent
long-term home for our automotive in-
terior rigid thermoplastics coatings busi-
ness,” said J. Geoff Piceu CEO of United
Paint. “With its leadership position in the
automotive exterior coatings market, its
history of innovation, focus on customers
and its global scale and reach, we are con-
fident Axalta will allow the individuals,
products and customers associated with
this segment of our business to maximize
their global potential.”

PPG, Mill Steel Expand
Access to DURASTAR
ULTRA-COOL Coatings for
Coil Coatings Market

PPG and Mill Steel have announced that Mill Steel will stock, market and sell DURASTAR ULTRA-COOL silicone-modified polyester (SMP) coatings by PPG to building product manufacturers. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mill Steel is one of North America’s largest steel distribution and service centers.

Brian Knapp, PPG director, coil and building products, said the agreement leverages the strengths of both organizations and enables them to meet growing demand for innovative solutions in the building products industry.

“PPG looks forward to offering
Durastar ULTRA-Cool coatings’ full
cool-color palette exclusively through
Mill Steel,” he said. “Building products
manufacturers choose to work with Mill
Steel because they value a trusted supplier
that inventories a wide palette of colors
in durable, sustainable, high-performance
coatings. With its legacy of growth and
proven sales organization, along with un-
matched distribution and fulfillment, Mill
Steel will broaden access for all consum-
ers to PPG’s advanced product offering.”
Based on proprietary resin technology
and an exclusive coatings formulation
process, Durastar ULTRA-Cool coatings
deliver a cost-effective blend of the ex-
ceptional exterior durability required to
protect metal siding, roofing and other
building components with an optimum
balance of exterior gloss retention, chalk
and fade resistance, and forming flexibil-
ity to help them look good.

Durastar ULTRA-Cool coatings incorporate infrared-reflective pigments that reflect solar heat to keep buildings cooler and reduce air-conditioning-related energy use. They are available in an array of light, medium and dark colors to meet cool roof requirements established by LEED, ENERGY STAR, the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), Title 24 and ASHRAE 90.1.

All Durastar ULTRA-Cool coatings undergo industry-standard testing for South Florida weather exposure and resistance to salt-spray, humidity, acid rain, abrasion and other environmental hazards.