Axalta breaks ground for new Shanghai eco-friendly plant

January 20 , 2014: Axalta Coating Systems, a global supplier of paint and powder coatings, has broken ground to expand its manufacturing capacity for coatings with the construction of a new $50 million eco-friendly waterborne facility in the Jiading district of Shanghai.

At a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the region, Axalta chairman and CEO Charlie Shaver ushered in a new phase in the company’s commitment to the automobile industry in China.

Expected to begin production in 2015, Axalta’s Shanghai waterborne facility will manufacture and supply up to 25,000 metric tonnes of its waterborne products. “We invested in this facility to meet growing customer needs for high-performance water-based paint coatings solutions. With this new facility, we are expanding our capacity to provide waterborne paints to help China’s auto industry develop sustainably,” said Shaver. “Our technological leadership focuses on developing environmentally friendly paint coating solutions. Our new facility will also employ the latest-generation production systems to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations.”

Axalta’s waterborne production process utilises a global waterborne technology system to produce ‘Lean and Green Automotive Coatings’ that vehicle OEMs can use to significantly reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), energy consumption and investment. The process includes primer-less coatings and 3-wet coatings which can achieve full layer performance without having to flash and bake between coats.

The company says the increased productivity results in a better bottom line for customers while also producing an unparalleled finish on vehicles. Axalta’s waterborne products meet global environmental requirements such as the EU’s VOC Regulation 2004/42/EC which Axalta adheres to in China.

Photographs: Axalta chairman and CEO Charlie Shaver with local government officials at the ground-breaking ceremony of the new plant.