On the spot with RED SPOT

Coatings World: How would you characterize the state of the global automotive OEM coatings market? Is the global economy rebounding along with car sales? How are regional markets responding differently?

Red Spot: Dynamic, evolutionary and revolutionary are three words that immediately come to mind when we think of the global automotive OEM coatings market. Three drivers that stand out as critical to change are the “greening” of the mature, first world markets, the growing entry level/middle class in second and third world markets, and the downward trending in age demographics.

Green is pushing new technology in the form of hybrid, diesel, electric and biodiesel concepts. These are changing our concept of how a car or truck should look, sound, accelerate and refuel. Additionally, the OEM’s in North America are discovering that there is a market for small cars. Not cheap, basic, unrefined cars, but smaller versions of the large, well designed, good handling, good accelerating, feature laden fun to drive cars they are used to.

All this change in the automotive market is opening the door for changes to conven