Axalta Unveils New Sustainable Coatings for China’s Commercial Vehicle Market

Axalta Coating Systems launches Imron Hydro and Imron Elite in China. The two products are part of the Imron family of coatings that are designed to help commercial vehicle manufacturers and operators meet productivity goals and increasingly challenging global and Chinese environmental regulations.

Axalta’s Imron Hydro range of waterborne solutions provide a high-quality and environmentally responsible system for manufacturers and operators of heavy-duty trucks, high-speed rail cars, buses, and agriculture, construction and earth moving (ACE) equipment as well as other industrial goods. Imron Hydro is based on concentrated and effective tints that use the latest generation pigments and dispersion technology. Combined with a variety of binders based on patented Axalta resin technology, Imron Hydro is available either as a factory package (fac-pac) or product line consisting of unique water-based mixing tints combined with quality binders that enable local preparation of any made-to-match topcoat color customers may need. Imron Hydro is formulated to provide excellent hiding capability. This improves productivity by reducing both the amount of paint required and application time while still offering excellent appearance, superior durability and strong chemical resistance. In addition, because Imron Hydro is a waterborne coating it generates lower levels of VOC emissions which can help customers meet China’s environmental regulations.

Axalta is also introducing to China its Imron Elite high solids solventborne solution, a simple but versatile system for high-performance, low-VOC commercial finishing. Using high solids 2K polyurethane technology, Imron Elite provides a premium quality finish with superior durability and high chemical resistance. Imron Elite offers more than 18,000 color formulas. The higher ratio of solids to solvents in the formulation results in reduced VOC emissions which help make Imron Elite compliant with VOC regulations in China and a number of other markets.

Imron products are well established around the world and have been used on over three million vehicles. Globally, more than 1,000 commercial vehicle customers are using the Imron family of products to reduce paint consumption, application cost and VOC emissions. With Imron brands, Axalta customers enjoy sustainable coating solutions that are both environmentally and financially responsible, and are empowered to provide high quality coatings for trucks, buses, railways, and various other commercial vehicles.

“Axalta is very focused on sustainability and helping our customers meet both their commercial and environmental goals,” said Luke Lu, Vice President of Axalta and President of its business in China. “We are a major supplier of coatings and finishes to the Chinese automotive and commercial vehicle industry and it is essential that we, working with our customers, do all we can to support the government’s drive for reduced emissions to protect the environment. Our Imron Hydro and Imron Elite products comply with China’s environmental regulations and we continue to be a leader in the coating industry’s efforts to reduce VOC emissions while at the same time improving productivity for our customers. We strive to produce coatings that are easy to apply, offer outstanding durability and provide a finish that will enhance the image of every vehicle.”

Earlier this month, Axalta opened a new waterborne coatings manufacturing plant in Jiading, near Shanghai, to produce sustainable solutions for China’s growing transportation market, a milestone initiative which is part of Axalta’s global strategy to drive long-term sustainability in China’s transportation industry as well as in other sectors.

Axalta’s other facilities in China include two additional liquid coating manufacturing operations, an Asia Pacific R&D laboratory and color development center, four training facilities for refinish customers and six powder coating manufacturing locations. Axalta’s multiple resources in China work together to support the sustained, long-term growth of China’s transportation and other industries that use Axalta coatings.