The Valspar Corporation announced that its Automotive division has begun a major extension of its Technology Center in Lelystad (NL). Over the next six months, a two-story wing will be added to the existing main building. The new addition will become a dedicated Center of Color Excellence. The expansion was necessitated by the strong growth of Valspar’s Automotive business, the acquisition of Quest Specialty Chemicals (Matrix® Automotive Finishes, Prospray® Finishes and U.S. Chemical & Plastics®) and Valspar’s on-going commitment to deliver color excellence to its customers. Over the next few years, Valspar Automotive aims to become the leading specialist in automotive refinish coatings worldwide.

Valspar Automotive champions three core values: color, technology and trust. The new Center of Color Excellence will effectively bring these elements together. “Valspar Automotive consistently invests in color technology, the optimization of color mixing systems and color matching solutions, which is essential to effectively bring new developments to the automotive market” says Valspar’s Peter Maassen van den Brink, Global Technical Director Valspar Automotive. “We aspire to be the leading color provider for our customers, with rapid and efficient color information translated into the right products at the right time.”

"Our technical groups specialize in delivering complex special effects, such as highly-saturated candy effects, three-coat pearls and colors based on color-shift pigments," says Paul Goedhart, Global Director of Automotive Refinish Color Technology. "The market for effect colors has been increasing, and what’s more, OEMs, particularly in Japan, are using new innovative application techniques that are difficult to match with existing refinish applications. There is also a trend to replace gloss coatings with matte finishes and textures. Valspar Automotive is focused on bringing new technical solutions to meet these market needs and help our customers distinguish themselves from their competitors.”

To support this goal, various technical groups will be merged and provided upgraded facilities in the new Center: refinish coatings research & development, global color technology and color science. The Center will accommodate the team that collects color information from all over the world, which will be stored in an intelligent, unique system for archiving original sprayed color panels at their disposal.