Axalta completes waterborne coatings plant expansion in China

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Axalta Coating Systems has completed the expansion of its waterborne coatings plant in Jiading, Shanghai, China to meet growing demand for sustainable coatings for automotive, commercial vehicle and industrial markets in China and the Asian Pacific region.

The expansion includes new waterborne basecoat, primer and small batch capacity.

In addition, Axalta has opened two new warehouses that will more than double the Jiading plant’s waterborne production capacity.

The company said the facility will optimise productivity through use of automation that will maximise the use of raw materials and accelerate manufacturing cycle time.

Axalta also said that its efficient facility will minimise the environmental impact of the production process.

“The Jiading expansion further strengthens Axalta’s position as a leader in eco-responsible coatings and supports our long-term growth strategy,” said Barry Snyder, senior vice president and chief operations and supply chain officer.

“Axalta will continue to make investments in China that expand our footprint and capabilities in order to meet the growing needs of our customers,” he added.

Customer demand for waterborne coatings is growing due to the emphasis on more environmentally friendly products. Waterborne coatings have a reduced environmental footprint by having a low energy consumption and reducing CO2 and VOC emissions.

The automotive market in China continues to be the largest in the world and as the push for sustainable products increases, Axalta says its products will be at the forefront to capture that demand.

The coatings manufacturer was one of the first suppliers to introduce waterborne automotive coatings to China in the late 1980s.

Axalta opened its Shanghai Jiading waterborne plant in March 2015.

The company said its recent is expansion is now fully operational and producing products to major leading automotive manufacturers and industrial customers in China.