Investment will double production capacity and establish coatings
development laboratory
MUMBAI, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid
and powder coatings, is expanding its presence in India with investments
that will enable the company to double production capacity and construct
an automotive OEM coatings development laboratory at its operations
center in Savli in Gujarat State. The added capacity will enable Axalta
to meet the need for additional coatings among light vehicle automotive
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India. The Savli facility
will continue to manufacture coatings for Axalta’s refinish, automotive
parts and commercial vehicle customers.
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Axalta Chairman & CEO Charlie Shaver and local executives break ground on construction of new manufacturing and coatings development facilities in Savli (Photo: Axalta)
The project, which is scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter
of 2017, will be able to expand production capacity of both high and low
temperature bake coatings. Low temperature bake coatings are needed for
use on the latest lightweight plastic and composite materials - used in
vehicles to reduce weight and fuel consumption - because they cannot
withstand traditional high bake temperature curing ovens. Axalta’s
technology-backed products include primers, basecoats, and clearcoats
used in the full line of Axalta’s solventborne products for different
substrate and process requirements. These products include Axalta’s
higher productivity and more environmentally responsible high solids,
high solids 3-Wet, and high solids monocoat technologies. Formulated to
reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, high solids coatings
can help reduce the environmental impact of coatings while providing
superior finishes and improved OEM productivity. The facility will also
be designed to scale up to produce waterborne coatings when customers
elect to convert.
The new automotive OEM coatings development laboratory is scheduled for
completion during the second quarter of 2016 and will focus on
developing special formulations to ensure superior color match,
appearance, and quality. Axalta’s improved laboratory space will feature
contemporary robotic spray applicators that can precisely replicate line
application conditions inside customer manufacturing plants. The
equipment is designed to facilitate the development, approval, quality
control, and customer line support required by automotive customers.
Additional new capabilities at the next generation facility also include
color measurement tools and accelerated paint testing equipment.
“Our investment aligns with Axalta’s global growth strategy and will
allow us to expand our presence in India with light vehicle
manufacturers,” explained Axalta Chairman and CEO Charlie Shaver.
“Axalta’s improved laboratory and expanded production capacity in Savli
will provide high-quality products designed to meet the needs of the
growing local automotive OEM market and reinforce our position as a key
coatings supplier in India.”
Axalta already has a strong presence in the refinish, commercial vehicle
and automotive part segments in India and serves a growing network of
distributors and body-shops supported by offices and regional training
centers in Mumbai, Vadodara, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and Bangalore. The Savli
plant today employs a range of environmental, health and safety
processes and systems to reduce the facility’s environmental impact.
“Axalta is committed to its customer partners in India as proven by
recent customer recognition of our performance and service in the
refinish and commercial vehicle segments,” explained Vinay Rajadhyaksha,
Managing Director of Axalta in India. “Our additional investment will
provide near-term capacity improvements and allow Axalta to bring forth
a renewed commitment to India’s automotive OEM segment.”
About Axalta Coating Systems
Axalta is a leading global company focused on coatings and providing
customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable
solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish
applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings
are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the
materials we coat to last longer. With nearly 150 years of experience in
the coatings industry, the approximately 12,800 people of Axalta
continue to find ways to serve our more than 120,000 customers in more
than 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings,
application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and
follow us @axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
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Source: Axalta Coating Systems