Coatings World - July 2016

110 of its best suppliers from 17 countries who consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value, or brought new innovations to the company.

“We are focused on building posi-
tive supplier relationships, bringing new,
customer-centric innovations to GM,
and being the OEM of choice among
suppliers,” said Steve Kiefer, GM vice
president, global purchasing and supply
chain. “The companies we recognize to-
night not only have brought innovation,
they delivered it with the quality our
customers deserve.”
The number of suppliers to receive the
award in 2015 represents a nearly 40 per-
cent increase in the number of suppliers
honored in 2014 and constitutes the larg-
est number of winners recognized in any
year since the Supplier of the Year award
debuted in 1992. More than half of the
suppliers are repeat winners from 2014.
This is the fifth time Axalta has received
the award.

Winning suppliers were chosen by a global team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing, and logistics executives and selected based on performance criteria in Product Purchasing, Indirect Purchasing, Customer Care and Aftersales, and Logistics.

Sika Acquires LM Scofield
in the U.S., Accelerates
Growth Strategy in North
America

Sika has acquired L.M. Scofield, a U.S.-
based market leader in the production of
concrete color additives for ready-mixed
concrete, along with decorative products
and treatments for concrete refurbish-
ment. Scofield offers a comprehensive
range of color solutions to serve cus-
tomers in the fast-growing decorative
concrete market of North America, and
generated sales of CHF 17 million in
2015.
Based in Los Angeles, California, L.M.
Scofield is a 100 year old, family-owned
company that has long been established
as the number one trusted brand of con-
crete color additives and decorative prod-
ucts in North America, Sika said. With
two strategic production locations (Los
Angeles, California and Atlanta, Georgia),
L.M. Scofield produces a complete range
of color solution products that are highly
regarded and widely specified – even be-
yond the North American continent.
The acquisition fits with Sika’s acceler-
ated growth strategy in North America.
In the past two years the production
footprint for mortars and admixtures has
expanded with the addition of four new
plants – in Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia
and Vancouver – the number of factories
in North America now totaling 18. In ad-
dition, the acquisition of the mortar com-
pany BMI, made in 2015, completed the
supply chain in the dynamic Californian
market.
Christoph Ganz, regional manager
North America: “The acquisition of L.M.
Scofield further accelerates our growth
strategy for North America. It provides us
with a proven, industry leader, and a num-
ber one brand position in colors for new
concrete and refurbishment. We proudly
welcome L.M. Scofield’s employees to the
Sika team and are excited about growing
our business together.”

PPG Foundation Donates
$5,000 to Cleveland County
Schools, on Behalf on Fiber
Glass Facility

The PPG Foundation recently donated $5,000 to Cleveland County Schools in Shelby, North Carolina, to develop a mobile creation and experimentation makerspace for use in district programs. The grant was made on behalf of the local PPG fiber glass facility.

Throughout the year, teams of students in schools throughout the district participate in workshops focused on science, technology, engineering and math that build their capacity to compete against other district teams in various challenges. The makerspace includes 3-D printing and laser cutting, both of which enable students to deepen their experience by using some of the same tools adult engineers use in their careers.

“Hands-on education, such as that provided by the mobile makerspace, helps students better understand what’s involved in engineering and other technical careers,” said Todd Douthit, PPG manufacturing manager at the Shelby facility. “PPG is proud to be involved with a program offering applied learning that helps prepare the advanced-manufactur-ing workforce of the future.”