Axalta Celebrates 1-year Anniversary of Philadelphia Global Innovation Center

Axalta celebrated the first anniversary of delivering new technologies to its customers around the world from its Global Innovation Center, the world’s largest R&D center dedicated to coatings and color located in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard.

Dennis M. Davin, Pennsylvania secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, joined Axalta in celebrating the anniversary by touring the facility’s specialty labs.

“What we’re doing at the Global Innovation Center is really special – we’re innovating in Philadelphia and delivering new products that provide solutions for our customers all around the world,” said Robert Roop, VP and chief technology officer, Axalta. “Thanks to our employees and the world-class facilities at Axalta’s Global Innovation Center, we continue to deliver new and innovative solutions that protect and beautify everything from cars and bridges to football helmets and home appliances. Philadelphia’s Navy Yard is the perfect home for our lab as we are situated amongst other leading technology companies and are able to recruit high-quality talent from some of the best universities in the world.”

Since opening the Global Innovation Center, Axalta has developed innovations in Philadelphia and brought them to the global market, including:

• PercoTop CS306 – an innovative, sustainable primer for direct-to-metal application that provides outstanding corrosion protection and produces the optimum surface finish for the commercial vehicle market;
• Lumeera 5220 – a clearcoat for light vehicles that provides superior scratch and chemical resistance obtained from novel high-performing resin development and nanodispersion technology;
• Corlar 3.5 – a corrosion-resistant and highly durable primer for commercial vehicles that provides protection from the elements and maintains an excellent appearance. Corlar 3.5 reflects the latest technology in corrosion inhibition and advanced formula design;
• Acquire Quantum EFX – a fifth-generation spectrophotometer that packs innovative color modeling technology into a lighter, faster and more accurate device that matches the color of a vehicle with the best coatings formula, allowing collision repair body shops to return damaged vehicles in perfect condition;
• Pamake – a solvent-based refinish coating built from locally-sourced raw materials that delivers outstanding appearance and application with new resin and dispersion technology.

The 175,000-square-foot Global Innovation Center employs more than 200 engineers, scientists and technicians, and features synthesis, color, process technology and specialty coatings labs. Axalta’s Global Innovation Center serves as the central hub for Axalta’s global network of technology centers, which are focused on innovative research, product development and technology initiatives that benefit Axalta’s customers.

“Innovation is at the core of our business,” said Roop. “The innovations from this past year have been nothing short of impressive, and we look forward to continuing to introduce new, award-winning solutions that grow our customers’ businesses. We are proud to be an active company in the Navy Yard and plan to continue innovating for the world from right here in Philadelphia.”