PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
In 2016, Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA) celebrates 150 years of
creating innovative industrial coatings. Axalta’s heritage dates back to
1866 when its first products were developed in Germany and since then
the company has grown into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of
liquid and powder coatings.
“All of us at Axalta are excited to reach this important milestone in
the history of our company,” explained Axalta Chairman and CEO Charlie
Shaver. “Over the next 12 months we will celebrate our past and build on
our extensive knowledge and experience for the next 150 years. With
nearly 13,000 employees and 120,000 customers in 130 countries, we will
continue to use advanced technologies to develop next generation
coatings while providing outstanding quality and service in the years
ahead.”
From the earliest products that supplied European carriage manufacturers
with colorful coatings in the nineteenth century, Axalta evolved to meet
the needs of an automotive industry that flourished in the twentieth
century. In the 1920s, Axalta introduced the first quick drying
multi-color lacquer line for automobile production in the U.S. Company
scientists developed the L,a,b color equations that became a key
analytic tool in the catalogue of color science. In the subsequent
decades, technology at Axalta evolved to produce coatings that were
increasingly durable and productive. In the 1980s, the company ushered
in the first more environmentally responsible liquid coating systems
with the introduction of waterborne products.
Building on experience acquired with its original Spies Hecker®
and Standox® products, Axalta branched out to provide
refinish technicians with improved coating products and systems. In the
1990s, the Cromax® family of waterborne products was
introduced to automotive body shops. Handheld spectrophotometers and
VINdicator™ color tools were developed to help provide excellent color
matching which saves repair time and reduces waste.
As the needs across many industries evolved, so did Axalta’s portfolio
of products. To serve a growing number of industrial customers, Axalta
introduced Nap-Gard® powder coatings for oil and gas pipeline
manufacturers. Today, both functional coatings and a wide array of
decorative Alesta® powder coatings are used in thousands of
applications. Voltatex® electrical insulation coatings
enhance the productivity of motors and a host of electrical components.
Vehicles ranging from heavy duty trucks and buses to trains and other
rail stock rely on Imron® to protect their vehicles from the
elements while using vibrant colors to build recognition for their
brands.
“We have been expanding both the global capabilities and global reach of
Axalta,” added Shaver. “We have accelerated our investments to expand
production capacity in Germany, Brazil, China, Mexico and India. We
announced construction of a new Global Innovation Center in
Philadelphia, PA and began construction of an Asia-Pacific technology
center in China that will keep our technology at the cutting edge. We’ve
taken strong regional brands and introduced them globally. All of these
measures, plus the many advances we are making in color technology, are
focused on meeting the needs of our customers well into the future.”
About Axalta Coating Systems – Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings
Industry
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely 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 150 years of experience in the
coatings industry, the 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to
better serve our more than 120,000 customers in 130 countries every day
with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more
information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com
and follow us on Twitter @axalta and on LinkedIn.
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Source: Axalta Coating Systems