capabilities for its Alesta®
brand at its powder coatings production facilities in
Landshut, Germany due to
growing market demand.
The investment supports Axalta’s
powder coatings growth strategy and
follows progress in its powder coating
business in Eastern Europe coupled with
increased demand from Central Europe.
It is the second investment to expand
powder production in the Europe, Middle
East and Africa (EMEA) region this year.
The first was at Axalta’s Montbrison,
France, facility in April 2016, which saw
lean automation and upgraded production technology appreciably increase line
capacity and productivity.
“Minimal supply time is very impor-
tant to our customers, and that’s one
of the reasons we chose to invest in the
Landshut site. Once complete, the addi-
tional production facilities will provide
significantly greater capacity. This means
we will produce even more of our high
quality powder coatings for the Austrian,
German, Italian and Swiss markets, as
well as those in Eastern Europe,” said
Matthias Schönberg, vice president of
Axalta Coating Systems and President of
its EMEA region.
Axalta’s powder coatings offer out-
standing mechanical properties, are
highly resistant to weathering and are
well-suited for architectural façade
applications.
The investments in Montbrison and
in Landshut demonstrate Axalta’s com-
mitment over the past two years to
further develop capacity and increase
productivity in the manufacture of its
coatings around the world in order to
meet its customers’ needs. The expan-
sion project in Landshut consists of
three phases, and is due to be completed
by the end of March 2017. Phases one
and two concluded at the end of 2015
and in March 2016 respectively.
BCF Welcomes Support for
Exports and Infrastructure
The British Coatings Federation welcomed the Chancellor’s announcements
in his first Autumn Statement, notably to
stimulate exports and grow infrastructure. In Philip Hammond’s first major
announcement as Chancellor, there was
an emphasis on R&D, housing and local
infrastructure. This will help stimulate
investment and greater confidence in the
manufacturing industry long-term, particularly given the uncertain economic
climate business is currently faced with.
The boost to science and innovation is
vital for the success of the Government’s
industrial strategy, and the doubling of
support for exports is encouraging for the
coatings industry to expand in growing
markets abroad. The Chancellor has also
BASF receives the German Federal Ecodesign Award for “Cool Coatings”
BASF’s Coatings division has won the German Federal Ecodesign Award. The jury was convinced by the “Cool Coatings” automotive coating technology’s innovative approach and its sophisticated design, which enables a broad color range. BASF’s
Cool Coatings reflect infrared light and in so doing, reduce the
temperature on the automotive surface and interior. This passive
temperature management reduces heating of the car surface
by up to 20°C, which leads to a reduction of 4°C in the interior
of the vehicle. Due to the savings in air conditioning, fuel consumption can be reduced or the range of electric cars can be
extended. BASF uses the technology to support its customers in
optimizing their vehicles’ fuel and energy efficiency.
“In addition to providing an attractive appearance and protecting the vehicle, Cool Coatings also feature additional functional properties. The technology is an important step toward
modern mobility. We are especially happy to receive the award,
since it honors exactly this aspect,” said Mark Gutjahr, head of
Automotive Color Design EMEA.
BASF offers a complete package of temperature-manage-ment solutions for all types of vehicles. The special formulations can be integrated into conventional application processes
without any extra effort and meet the high quality standards
for the life cycle of a finish. “The Cool Coatings technology allows a broad color range. This way, even complex colors can be
produced – ranging from warm, intensive colors to cool color
concepts”, said Stephan Schwarte, head of Pigmentdispersion
& Innovative Colors.
This year marks the fifth time the German Federal Ecodesign
Award has been presented by the German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUB) in cooperation with the International Design Center
Berlin (IDZ). The jury, whose members are experts in the areas
of design, ecology and economics, selected contributions from
over 350 submissions in the categories Product, Service and
Young Talent.
Stefan Sickert (Product Management basecoats BASF), Stephan Schwarte
(head of Pigmentdispersion & Innovative Colors BASF) and Barbara Hendricks (minister of the environment) - Photo © IDZ | Kühnapfel Fotografie
