Coatings World - September 2015

PPG Industries has acquired Consorcio Latinoamericano, which operates a network of 57 paint stores in Central America. Financial terms were not disclosed.

With this acquisition, PPG will operate 87 company-owned stores across Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. PPG plans to brand stores in Panama with the Glidden brand, which is well recognized in the region, and offer products from its protective and marine coatings business in stores throughout Central America. Consorcio Latinoamericano operated as a concessionaire network for PPG-Comex, the company’s architectural paint and coatings business in Mexico and Central America. PPG completed its acquisition of Comex in November.

AkzoNobel to Build € 30

Million Performance Coatings Facility in Thailand AkzoNobel has announced plans to invest more than € 30 million in a manufacturing facility in Thailand to support regional growth of its Performance Coatings business.

The project, which is being supported by the Thailand Board of Investment, involves constructing a 120,000m2 site within the Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in Chonburi. Earmarked for an initial capacity of 45,000 tons per year, production is due to start in the third quarter of 2016.

The new plant will support several Performance Coatings businesses, including Metal Coatings, Protective Coatings, Specialty Coatings and Marine Coatings, as well certain products from the company’s Decorative Paints business.

“By investing in this new facility we
are supporting our continued growth
within Thailand, as well as making prog-
ress with our regional business expansion
strategy,” explained AB Ghosh, managing
director of AkzoNobel’s Metal Coatings
business. “A number of existing opera-
tions will be consolidated into the new
site, allowing us to achieve world class
operational standards.”
Added Conrad Keijzer, the company’s
executive committee member responsible
for Performance Coatings: “Thailand is a
key market for our growth strategy and
this investment will enable us to further
strengthen our position as a leading sup-
plier, both within Thailand and as a hub
to support the supply network through
the region.”
“Our business in Asia has experi-
enced strong growth during the last
several years,” he went on. “As demand
and volumes continue to rise, the new
site will enable us to better serve our
customers whenever and wherever they
need our products.”

Sika Strengthens its
Presence in Latin America

Sika has expanded its production and service capacity in Paraguay’s capital Asunción to meet the rising demand in the infrastructure and residential construction sectors.

The company has opened a mortar plant with additional production facilities for concrete admixtures and liquid applied membranes to become fully operational in 2015. The plant significantly enlarges Sika’s production and service capacity in Paraguay. It will supply the market with the full range of Sika mortar products and concrete admixtures as well as liquid applied membranes for roofing and façade solutions.

A differentiating factor in the market will be the new concrete lab for product developments and services to customers: it is the first of its kind in Paraguay’s construction chemicals sector and will allow Sika to strengthen its customer focus by providing tailored solution for their specific requirements in the local market.

The new plant represents a ma-
jor step in accelerating the growth and
strengthening the company’s market
position in Paraguay. In 2013, Sika had
entered the market by acquiring the in-
dustry leader Inatec SRL with subsequent
operational expansion and broadening of
Sika’s local product portfolio.

PPG Earns Environmental
Achievement Award for
GREEN LOGIC Matrix
Systems

PPG Industries has announced that GREEN LOGIC Matrix paint detackifier systems have been recognized by the Environmental Management Association (EMA) with the 2014 Environmental Achievement Award. The Green Logic Matrix system for automotive manufacturing was recognized by EMA for exhibiting a commitment to the environment and using resources from the environment to provide innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

The Green Logic product line by PPG offers manufacturers environmentally responsible options for paint denaturants or detackifiers used in water-washed paint spray booths. Green Logic Matrix detackifier, launched last year, is a liquid made of materials derived from vegetables and natural fibers that draws in paint overspray to render it non-sticky and keeps it in suspension until removed by a decanter. The system enabled by the Green Logic Matrix product uses less than 10 percent of the water required by a traditional system, saving the equivalent of 1.5 million glasses of water. The product also helps minimize paint booth cleaning and maintenance, which reduces costs and maximizes vehicle throughput.

Axalta Coating Systems
Launches 30 New
Architectural Colors

Axalta Coating Systems, a global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has extended its powder coatings’ Fine Textured Collection of Alesta AP colors.