Coatings World - JULY 2013

BASF Coatings
Ludwigshafen, Germany
www.basf.com

PUBLIC COMPANY
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1865
Revenue: $3.808 billion t (2011: 3.956 bn)

MARKETS SERVED

• Automotive OEM • Automotive refinish
• Commercial vehicles • Decorative coatings
• Industrial coatings

KEY EXECUTIVES
Raimar Jahn, president, BASF Group’s Coatings Division;
Helmut Rödder, member of the board of BASF Coatings
AG; Udo Reiter, head of global technology, coatings;
Klaus Plitzko, head of global applied research and
technology, coatings; Juan Ximenez-Carrillo Gerber,
automotive OEM coatings; Harald Pflanzl, automotive
refinish coatings; Peter Alexander Fischer, industrial
coatings; Rui Artur Goerck, decorative paints.

BASF’s coatings division is one of the world’s largest suppliers of coat- ings solutions for automotive and industrial applications. With its brands Glasurit and R-M for the car refinish business, the company is successful in the premium segment worldwide. In Brazil, BASF is the leading manufacturer of architectural coatings under its flagship brand Suvinil. In China, the new architectural coatings brand Norbin was introduced.

In 2012 BASF recorded sales of $3.808 bn. Broken down re-
gionally, 40 percent of BASF Coatings’ sales came from Europe, 14
percent from North America, 19 percent from Asia Pacific and 27
percent coming from South America, Africa and the Middle East.
BASF reported that its automotive coatings business was successful
due to growing demand in Asia and North America. However, sales
volumes were slightly below the previous year’s levels on account of
declining demand from southern Europe. Automotive refinish coat-
ings also saw decreased demand in Europe.

BASF Opens Advanced Refinish Competence Center in Cesano Maderno, Italy

BASF Coatings opened a new training center for automotive refinishing in Cesano Maderno, Italy. The new Refinish Competence Center (RCC) will offer customers an opportunity to learn, practice and fully master the use of BASF´s automotive refinish products. The training offered includes a wide range of courses at different levels, including courses on application techniques, optimal use of paints and color matching. Training sessions and workshops have been developed and structured in order to enhance the productivity of bodyshops and to increase their efficiency and competitiveness.

The new training center, with an invest-
ment of more than €2.7 million and an area
of 1,200 square meters, will train on average
800 people a year including technicians and
end users yearly. “I am extremely pleased
with the opening of the Refinish Competence
Center,” said Erwin Rauhe, managing director
of BASF Italia and head of the group in South-
ern Europe, “not just because this brand new
center in Cesano Maderno further enhances
the Group’s global network of training cen-
ters, but also because it confirms our com-
mitment and our investments in the local area
where we operate.”
The new Italian RCC, which expands the
BASF’s global Refinish Competence Center
network, represents a center of excellence
exhibiting some of the most advanced tech-
nologies and equipment. It offers two lines
specifically devoted to small damage repair,
two paint booths, a painting mixing station
and a state-of-the-art infrared drying system.
Moreover, the local trainers, who have out-
standing experience in refinishing techniques
and color matching, regularly attend refresher
courses given by the BASF Coatings Global
Trainers.

The new Italian RCC represents a center of excellence exhibiting some of the most advanced technologies and equipment. It offers two lines specifically devoted to small damage repair, two paint booths, a painting mixing station and a state-of-the-art infrared drying system.