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Axalta Adds Colour to International Coatings Conferences

May 17, 2016 Axalta, automotive paint, BodyShop, refinish


Axalta Coating Systems took on a major role in early May at the Detroit Society for Coatings Technology’s 41st annual Future of Coatings Under Study (FOCUS) conference. More than 200 participants from the coatings industry and area universities attended the day-long event in Troy, Michigan.

Senior members of Axalta’s global transportation coatings management group participated in a number of the FOCUS conference sessions and panels. Matt Boland, Axalta Product Director, Light Vehicle North America, served as the event’s 2016 Co-Chair. Axalta Vice President for Global Product Management, Eric Degenfelder, participated in the Technology in Motion, Paint it Forward panel which examined current trends and future opportunities in the coatings industry. Other panelists included representatives from coatings suppliers and auto manufacturers.

“In the coatings industry, we are encountering new challenges and opportunities almost every day,” said Boland. “From an automotive perspective, advances in component design, vehicle processing, coating chemistry, and legal requirements led us to where we are today and are pushing us into the future. ”

Michelle Dyke, Axalta Chemist at the company’s technology centre for the Americas in Mount Clemens, Michigan, led a discussion on methods for real-time coating defect detection and analysis during coating applications. The methods discussed the latest technologies including the use of smart phones with mountable microscopes. Axalta Senior Product Specialist, Joseph Subda, delivered a presentation focusing on a step-by-step comprehensive dirt control program. He provided guidelines for determining types, sources and the impact of dirt and methods for elimination in the application of coatings. “Dirt … everybody has it, nobody wants it,” said Subda during the conference. “Whether you are in a small shop with two people or in a large facility with 100 people, dirt is a threat to coatings.”

Just days later, Dan Benton, Axalta Coating Systems’ Colour Marketing Manager, participated in a panel discussion at Auto Care Association’s 2016 Paint, Body and Equipment Specialists (PBES) conference last week in Denver, Colorado. Benton shared his perspectives during a session titled, Trends and Challenges of OEMs Specialty Coatings. During the event, hundreds of PBES professionals including distributors and manufacturers collaborated to identify and define challenges and share perspectives on a variety of topics like colour match, styling and refinish repair techniques.

“It’s a sincere pleasure to participate as a panelist in the PBES conference,” said Benton. “Axalta values its partnership with our distributors. We invite them to our online learning campus and in-person training centers for continued education. They assist in technical application and training that helps body shops prepare to spray specialty colors that are highly saturated or contain special effects. We appreciate the opportunity to share insight with this important community and we look forward to continuing to advance the industry together.”

Benton also stressed the importance of preparation due to the ever-changing coatings technology. After 150 years of innovation, Axalta will continue to focus on making new and exciting colours to meet the evolving needs of our customers.



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