AkzoNobel is active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals and employs approximately 49,600 people (including its Specialty Chemicals business).
Akzo Nobel N.V. reported positive volume growth and an improvement
in return on sales (ROS) for the full-year 2014. Excluding incidentals,
ROS was 7. 5 percent (2013: 6.1 percent).
Decorative Paints successfully implemented a new operating model in Europe.
Volumes for the full year were up one
percent with a positive volume development in Asia. Revenue declined six percent
compared with 2013 due to divestments,
adverse currency effects and an adverse
price/mix effect. Q4 revenue was down
one percent, mainly driven by the sale
of the German stores, which offset three
percent revenue growth in Asia and six
percent revenue growth in Latin America.
Operational results clearly improved.
Performance Coatings continued to profit from operational
improvements and successfully introduced a new organizational
structure with fewer management layers. Volumes for the full year
were up one percent, mainly from growth in Marine and Protective
Coatings and Powder Coatings. Revenue was flat compared with
the previous year due to adverse currencies. Q4 revenue was up four
percent on 2013 due to favorable currencies and price/mix, with
four percent revenue growth in Powder Coatings and eight percent
revenue growth in Marine and Protective Coatings.
AkzoNobel Performance Coatings is investing approxinately
$3.4 million to expand its research and development facilities in
Houston, Texas. The upgraded facility will support the company’s
Protective Coatings, Marine Coatings and Specialty Coatings businesses. Completion is due in early 2016.
The expanded facility will be able to house up to 35 laboratory
staff, with 30 skilled technologists employed initially. Key capabilities will include a dedicated area for experimental paint making,
a modern paint application laboratory and environmentally controlled drying areas for conditioning of test panels.
02AkzoNobel Amersterdam, the Netherlands www.akzonobel.com
PUBLIC COMPANY
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1994
REVENUE: $11.55 billion t (2013: $13.3 billion)
MARKETS SERVED
• Decorative paints • Marine and protective coatings
• Auto and specialty coatings • Industrial and powder
coatings
KEY EXECUTIVES
Ton Büchner, chairman and CEO; Maëlys Castella, CFO;
Ruud Joosten, executive committee member, Decorative
Paints; Conrad Keijzer, executive committee member,
Performance Coatings; Werner Führmann, executive
committee member, Specialty Chemicals
managing directors: Oscar Wezenbeek (marine coatings);
John Wolff (powder coatings); Alberto Slikta (specialty
coatings); AB Ghosh (metal coatings); Mauricio Bannwart
(protective coatings); Simon Parker (vehicles refinishes);
Volkan Goran (wood coatings); Roger Jakeman
(performance coatings); Klaas Kruithof (Performance
Coatings – RD&I director); Jaap Kuiper, Decorative Paints
managing director – LATAM; Lin Lianqi, Decorative Paints
managing director – China and North Asia; Amit Jain,
Decorative Paints managing director - North West Europe;
Jan-Piet van Kesteren, Decorative Paints managing
director - Eastern Europe & Africa; Jeremy Rowe,
Decorative Paints managing director - South East & South
Asia, Middle East; David Menko, Decorative Paints global
marketing director; Trudy Schoolenberg, Decorative Paints
global supply chain and R&D director.
Key Developments 2014
New Products Launched
• Launched the first ‘Picture it before you paint it” app.
• Introduced methodology for ships to generate carbon credits for
CO2 emission reduction.
• Launched Human Cities initiative, which is designed to engage
with the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century city
through color, heritage, transport, education, sport and leisure
and sustainability.
• Opened a new Decorative Paints site in Chengdu, part of a € 50
million investment to build manufacturing facilities for both paint
and powder coatings, strengthening its position as a leading player
in China’s vehicle refinishes and commercial vehicle OEM markets.
• Developed breakthrough coatings to create the world’s first 100
percent recyclable and compostable paper cup.
• Dulux Weathershield KeepCool can drastically reduce the amount
of heat being transferred to the interior of a house or building,
resulting in major energy savings.
• Launched an innovative, bright metallic powder coating that
provides a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to chrome
plating. Interpon Cr, part of AkzoNobel’s Interpon powder coatings range, combines a chrome-like finish with the proven performance of a two-coat powder coating for applications such as
furniture, lighting and other interior fixtures.
The core innovation behind the Visualizer, app launched by AkzoNobel’s
Decorative Paints, is the Computer Vision technology which enables the
user to apply realistic virtual paint to their walls, in real-time.
Ton Büchner
