Coatings World - June 2016

AkzoNobel To Acquire BASF’s Industrial
Coatings Business For €475 Million

AkzoNobel has made an agreed of- fer to acquire BASF’s Industrial Coatings business for €475 million.

The transaction would include technologies, patents and trademarks, as well as securing supply to customers worldwide. Two manufacturing plants – one in the UK and one in South Africa – would also be transferred to AkzoNobel. The business generated revenue of approximately €300 million in 2015 and supplies products for a number of end uses, including coil, furniture foil and panel coatings, wind energy and general industry, and commercial transport.

“This proposed acquisition will
strengthen our position in the important
coil coatings market and fits well with
our existing business, allowing us to offer
essential solutions to our customers,” said
AkzoNobel CEO Ton Büchner. “We are
continuing to deliver on our strategy to
achieve our vision of leading market posi-
tions delivering leading performance.”
The planned transaction is expected to
be completed in the second half of 2016,
subject to regular consultation with em-
ployee representatives and satisfaction
of certain closing conditions, including
receipt of required regulatory approval.

BASF Opens New
Automotive Competence
Center in Houston

BASF recently opened a new Refinish Competence Center in Houston, Texas. The center includes the latest in virtual and in-person training facilities, state-of-the-art spray booths and market-leading application equipment to enable next generation training for all job functions in the collision repair industry.

“We’re not only teaching the latest
painting techniques here in Houston,” said
Paul Whittleston, BASF vice president,
Automotive Refinish, North America.
“We now offer VisionPlus University and
Advanced Business Solutions classes to
help our customers drive more business
through their shops.”
“BASF continues to place a high prior-
ity on our presence in Houston and the
Gulf Coast market,” said Whittleston.
“At BASF we’ve harnessed the power
of a world-class talent pool and become
one of the region’s major employers. The
Refinish Competence Center is another
sign of our commitment to the area.”

“Our new training center brings us closer to our customers in the Southwest,” said Nick Maloof, BASF Automotive Refinish Zone manager. “The new facility can also support industry and networking events, for up to 50 people, to enhance customer interactions. We also look forward to hosting a variety of business groups and industry organizations in our new facility.”

PPG Foundation Donates
$10,000 to Allegheny
College for Educational
Program

The PPG Foundation recently provided a $10,000 grant to Allegheny College in support of the Creek Connections program, an educational collaboration between Allegheny College and middle and high schools in Western Pennsylvania.

“The Creek Connections program fos-
ters students’ curiosity in science-related
fields by turning local watersheds into
outdoor laboratories through hands-on
biological investigations,” said Ron Cole,
provost and dean of Allegheny College.
“We’re thankful for PPG’s support,
which assists in providing an environ-
ment where students interact with science
in real-life environments and apply scien-
tific techniques outside of the classroom.”
More than 50 teachers and 40 sec-
ondary schools participate in the Creek
Connections program each year, offering
students hands-on research opportunities
as well as experience with field-testing
techniques, water quality monitoring, the
scientific process, data analysis and inde-
pendent research procedures. The PPG
Foundation grant will support chemi-
cal refills for teachers’ test kits, travel to
schools and stream sites, and a student
research symposium.

“By supporting Allegheny College and the Creek Connections program’s unique approach to science education, PPG aims to continue to spark students’ interest in scientific areas,” said Sue Sloan, executive director, PPG Foundation. “Memorable hands-on programs like these are what inspire students to pursue careers in math, engineering and technology.”

Hempel’s Dynamic Delivers Fuel Savings for Lemissoler Global shipmanagement company Lemissoler Navigation, via its affiliated and managed company Frontmarine Co. Ltd, has achieved significant fuel savings from coating its newbuild 58,500dwt supramax bulk carriers with Hempel’s Dynamic antifouling product.

As part of an environmental efficiency drive, Lemissoler has adopted a unique hull design for the new vessels, fitted them with fuel-efficient propellers and coated the undersides with Hempel’s Dynamic antifouling. According to the design specification, fuel consumption was calculated at 24. 7 tons per day at 14.2 knots in ballast condition. Thanks to the eco-innovations, these vessels in sea trials are achieving a fuel consumption of just 23 tons.

Lemissoler Navigation has coated four of the eight newbuilds with Dynamic and, based on its successful performance, is planning to coat the remaining four vessels with the same product.