Axalta Coating Systems Supports 2016 EyesOn Design Summer Activities

Axalta Coating Systems played a major role in the EyesOn Design program that took place June 17-19, 2016 at prominent southeast Michigan venues. EyesOn Design is an annual benefit supporting the visual research program at Henry Ford Health System’s Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology (DIO).

Axalta was the lead sponsor at the Vision Honored black-tie event held on June 17 at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Stewart Reed, chair of the Transportation Design Department at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, received the Lifetime Design Achievement Award during the program attended by automotive and design industry leaders.

On June 19, Axalta also supported the 29th annual Automotive Design Exhibition at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan where Axalta Color Design Director Nancy Lockhart served as a judge.

“We are proud to be a long-standing partner of the EyesOn Design organization,” said David Fischer, Axalta Vice President of Market Strategy and Growth. “As a company that values color and design, the work that EyesOn Design is doing on behalf of the blind and visually impaired hits close to home. We salute their efforts.”

Last January, Axalta supported the EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Axalta presented the EyesOn Design Award for Innovative Use of Color, Graphs or Materials. The 2016 award went to the designers of the Acura Precision Concept.

At the two June events, Axalta displayed the No. 88 Axalta/University of Michigan Chevrolet SS racecar. It was unveiled to the media on June 13 and shown to the general public for the first time on June 16 at Campus Martius in downtown Detroit. The racecar features an Axalta/University of Michigan (U-M) paint design and will be driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Pure Michigan 400 on Aug. 28 at the Michigan International Speedway.

Axalta and U-M recently entered into an educational partnership to support engineering and business students. To celebrate the relationship, the U-M brand is painted on the side of the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet SS. Axalta will host 50 U-M business and engineering students at the Pure Michigan 400 race to provide an out-of-the-classroom experience that highlights automotive racing and coatings performance technology and innovation.