AkzoNobel Ramps
Up Use of Renewable
Energy with
Vattenfall
A new contract with energy company
Vattenfall will enable AkzoNobel to
ramp up the supply of renewable electricity to its facilities in Sweden and
Finland. Hydro power and wind already
make up the majority of the electricity
supplied by Vattenfall, and the companies have agreed to further increase the
share of renewable energy to the facilities to 100% by 2020.
AkzoNobel currently has a global
renewable energy share of 40%; this
contract takes the share in the Nordic
region to 60%. “As an energy intensive
company, we are always looking to do
more with less,” said Anders Österlund,
Energy director, AkzoNobel. “This con-
tract provides a reliable and affordable
energy supply in support of our sustain-
ability strategy.”
The contract supplies AkzoNobel
with 1.25 terawatt hours of electric-
ity per year to power six Specialty
Chemicals sites and one Performance
Coatings facility. That amount of elec-
tricity is equivalent to the energy use
of approximately 125,000 Swedish
households.
In addition, the agreement allows
the two companies to work together
to balance swings in renewable power
supply on the Swedish national grid.
This is particularly important as the
rising share of wind and solar power
will lead to larger volatility due to
swings in supply.
“AkzoNobel’s aim to increase the
use of renewable energy fits well with
the strategy of Vattenfall to power
climate-smarter living,” said Branislav
Slavic, Head of Business Sales Nordic,
Vattenfall. “AkzoNobel was looking
for a partner for long-term cooperation, renewable electricity and flexibility in supplies. I am pleased that
Vattenfall can enable our customers
like AkzoNobel to reach their sustainability targets. The deal shows that it
is possible to combine customer needs
and contribute to a climate smart
society.”
Two Axalta Coating
Systems Global Refinish
Brands Re-approved By
Major Car Manufacturer for
2017
BMW Group has renewed its approval
of Spies Hecker and Standox - two of
the premium refinish brands of Axalta
Coating Systems for the repair of BMW
passenger cars. The endorsement applies to the BMW Group service network in 40 countries around the world,
from Albania to the United Arab
Emirates, and follows a series of rigorous tests of both brands’ paint materials to make certain they meet BMW
Group’s high standards.
The agreement recommends BMW
Group’s dealerships and service garages use Spies Hecker and Standox
refinish technologies to ensure repairs to the paintwork on BMW cars
perform to the specified quality levels. To help body shops attain optimal
results with the two refinish paint
systems, the agreement also includes
wide-ranging support and focused
training from both Spies Hecker and
Standox.
“We offer BMW Group service centers
across the globe comprehensive expert ad-
vice and practical application guidance,”
explains Jürgen Knorr, Key Accounts
Director for Axalta’s Refinish Systems in
Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Our fo-
cus is always on benefiting our customers
through innovation, cutting-edge tech-
nologies, and tailored service.”
Spies Hecker and Standox refinish
paint technologies have been approved
for use by BMW Group service centers
for more than 20 years. The endorse-
ment applies to the following coun-
tries: Albania, Argentina, Australia,
Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark,
Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Greece,
Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico,
Norway, Oman, The Philippines, Saudi
Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United
Arab Emirates and Yemen.
AkzoNobel Introduces
Powder Coatings
Purchasing App for Android
Mobile Devices
AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business
introduced today an Android app that
along with their popular iOS app allows
customers to buy powder coatings directly from most mobile devices including
phones, tablets, and computers.
Efficiency and productivity are the
main drivers behind the move to digital
ordering. By providing customers with
24/7 access to product data, AkzoNobel
wants customers to be expert shoppers
with extensive product information at
their fingertips. AkzoNobel is at the
forefront of digital innovation, increasing the customer efficiency by making
vast amounts of information accessible
through simple, yet powerful apps. The
Powder Coatings purchasing app, found
in the iOS and Android app stores under
the name Interpon, is the latest addition
to the company’s fast growing offering of
mobile apps.
“AkzoNobel Powder Coatings is fo-
cused on digital advancements to provide
customers with easy, convenient meth-
ods to complete procurement tasks and
obtain product data,” says Steve Kiefer,
North America Business Director for
AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business.
“Apps in both Apple and Android oper-
ating systems are the most powerful and
widely available tools to access product
information and make purchases with all
the mobility of a cell phone.”
The apps give AkzoNobel customers
the ability to search the comprehensive
catalog of Ready to Ship (RTS) and RAL
AkzoNobel products, allowing them to
sort by color, chemistry, specification, or
performance criteria. The intuitive nature
of the apps gives customers the ability to
identify products specific to their needs.
Product data sheets, stock locations, and
pricing are available for each of the 400+
products included in the AkzoNobel
Powder Coatings catalog.
Customers have given positive feedback on the full range of digital tools
available to access product data. Elk
Grove, Illinois Sales Representative,
Brian Liewergen, from Acme Finishing
