Axalta Coating Systems (formerly DuPont Performance Coatings) has announced it is to invest over US$50 million to construct a new facility to manufacture and supply up to 25,000 metric tons of paint to car manufacturers that are expanding into south and central China.  The plant will be dedicated to production of the company’s waterborne coatings that meet both manufacturer and regulatory environmental standards.  Construction of the new facility is expected to commence in the second half of 2013 with production beginning the first quarter of 2015. 

“Our Board’s decision, reached only 100 days after becoming an independent company, to invest and grow with our customers reflects our long term commitment to the auto industry in China and around the world,” said Charles Shaver, Chairman and CEO of Axalta Coating Systems.  Saver added that close proximity to manufacturing bases in China is essential to provide a fast response to OE customer needs.

The new facility will utilise some of the latest advances made by Axalta including production of a specially formulated primer of Axalta’s 3-Wet water-based system which replaces the need for a full oven bake step required after the application of traditional primers. This enables manufacturers to replace larger ovens which are expensive to build and costly to operate.  Products manufactured at the new facility will also be used with Axalta’s EcoConcept production system, a proprietary technology that combines the primer and basecoat, enabling manufacturers to replace multiple bake steps with only one.