Axalta’s Cash Discusses Shift to Lower VOC Technologies

“The shift to more environmentally responsible coatings, such as low VOC, waterborne or powder applications, will accelerate over the next several years, driven, especially by China’s recent legislation to require a tax on coatings above a certain VOC level,” said Michael Cash, senior vice president and president, industrial coatings, Axalta Coating Systems. “Up to now, the USA, Canada, and Europe have successfully pressed forward with low VOC coating regulations, but now, with the largest Industrial coatings market in the world enacting a tax on medium and low solids solventborne products, we believe we’ll see the adoption of even more environmentally low impact coatings.”

“This will be a critical period because it is not only important to meet VOC regulations, but we need to be able to do so with sustainable alternatives that can also offer increased productivity for our customers’ operations. Sustainability needs to be achieved from both an environmental and commercial feasibility perspective,” he added. “Fortunately, by working closely with our customers in mature and developing markets alike over the past few years, we are already well along in successfully supplying productive, environmentally responsible coatings in most of our global Industrial coating markets.  This includes a significant global position in providing powder coatings as a strong practical alternative to solventborne liquid coatings.”

“We are committed to intently listening to our customers – both existing and new – and delivering value to exceed their expectations in terms of the products we supply, the services we deliver, and the support we provide,” Cash concluded. “We recognize that, if we do the things to help make our customers successful and play a supporting role in delivering innovation to their customers, we will be successful.  We have been rewarded with this approach throughout this past year.  This happens, first and foremost, with a highly talented and committed team of people within our Industrial Coatings business. This enables us to deliver new products and services, growing with our customers into new markets, and continuing to invest in improving our manufacturing capabilities and footprint.  We have seen practical examples of this in the substantial investments we’ve made recently to expand production capacity in China, Brazil, Germany, and Mexico that will support all Axalta customers. This is all part of our commitment to put our customers first.”