AkzoNobel has opened a €2.5 mil- lion technical application center for its Wood Coatings business in
Malmö, Sweden. The new facility is one
of four global centers that work closely
with customers to develop application
systems to suit their specific manufacturing needs.
As well as housing experimental application equipment, the center is also
equipped with several state- of-the-art
application lines and temperature and
humidity controlled spray booths. They
give the company the unparalleled ability
to mimic customer conditions in all segments of the industrial wood market.
“The facility enables us to replicate
our customers’ own manufacturing
processes, making it easier to develop
products and technologies that can be
tailored to their specific application environments,” explained Anthony Woods,
RD&I director for AkzoNobel’s Wood
Coatings business.
“This helps us to develop new prod-
ucts aimed at improving their processes
and productivity, particularly efforts to
reduce application costs and lower the
use of solvents and formaldehyde in line
with changing regulations.”
Several breakthrough innovations are
showcased at the Malmö center, such as
AkzoNobel’s proprietary technique for
applying edge coatings with millimeter
precision, as well as the company’s auto-
mated system that scans wood for holes
and cracks and automatically applies
filler. It also includes a facility to dem-
onstrate UV-LED curing, a sustainable
wood finishing technique which uses up
to 30 percent less electricity than compet-
ing curing methods.
Customer feedback has been very positive, with Per Dahlen, technical manager
at IKEA Industry, being particularly impressed with the LED curing facility: “It
was very interesting, showing just how
far AkzoNobel has come with this technology,” he said.
Commenting on the new center,
Volkan Goren, managing director of
AkzoNobel’s Wood Coatings business,
added: “It is pioneering facilities such as
this, our people and our insight into our
customers’ processes that have enabled
us to achieve a number one positon globally in this market. The new facility will
enable us to work more closely with our
customers to satisfy their product, application technology and sustainability requirements, as well as helping to inspire
BASF Celebrates 30th
Anniversary of its Windsor
Automotive Paints
Manufacturing Site
BASF hosted a community celebration for
employees, their families and community
stakeholders in Windsor, Canada. The
event celebrated the company’s global
150th anniversary and also recognized
the 30th anniversary of the Windsor
manufacturing site.
“BASF has been a proud member of
the Windsor community for 30 years,”
said Darryl Ferguson, Windsor Site
Director. “We opened our doors to show
our appreciation to our employees, neigh-
bors and the local community, who have
made our success possible. Visitors will
have the opportunity to tour our facility,
learn more about the products we manu-
facture in Windsor, and understand our
company priorities for health, safety and
security.”
The community event included re-
marks from Carles Navarro, president
of BASF Canada, guided site tours, and
information about the Responsible
Care program and BASF’s operations in
Canada. Children also had the opportu-
nity to explore chemistry at a BASF Kids’
Lab, the company’s award-winning hands
on science program.
“As a Responsible Care company, it
is important for us to maintain an open
and active dialogue with our community
neighbors in Windsor,” said Navarro.
“The community event provides a forum
for us to answer their questions, share
our progress and remind them of our
continued commitment to being a re-
sponsible neighbor.”
BASF’s Windsor site manufactures
both waterborne and solvent-based au-
tomotive paints and coatings, including
brands like Glasurit, R-M, and LIMCO.
These products are used by major auto-
motive manufacturers, as well as collision
repair centers across North America.
PPG Aerospace Qualifies
Basecoat-Clearcoat Exterior
Topcoat Systems at Airbus
Basecoat-clearcoat exterior topcoat systems by PPG Industries’ aerospace coatings group have been qualified at Airbus
that offer appearance, production, operating and maintenance benefits.
High-solids DESOTHANE HD/
CA 9008 basecoat-clearcoat has been
qualified for application as a topcoat
system as well as with chromate-free
DESOPRIME CF/CA 7049 primer that
Airbus has long used. Also qualified is
the basecoat-clearcoat selectively strippable system with chromate-free F565
intermediate coat applied over the primer that facilitates repainting without removal of the primer.
Desothane HD/CA 9008 basecoat-clearcoat consists of a heavily pigmented basecoat that provides color with
less paint than conventional high-solids
paints and a clearcoat that extends service
life, improves buffability and achieves a
smoother, high-gloss surface that is easier
to clean.
PPG basecoat-clearcoat systems provide superior aesthetics, while weight
savings improve fuel economy and the
enhanced color and gloss retention helps
reduce maintenance to benefit airlines, according to Dirk Thelen, PPG key account
director for Airbus programs and business manager, EMEA (Europe, Middle
AkzoNobel Opens €2.5 Million Technical
Center for Wood Coatings in Sweden
