Axalta holds innovation-themed symposium in China

Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, held its second annual symposium on coatings innovation on Thursday in Shanghai, attracting more than 100 participants.

"Innovation is our life blood and critical to helping us grow our business by serving customers with the best and latest technologies," said Barry Snyder, the company's senior vice-president and chief technology officer.

"The global automobile and industrial markets are changing very rapidly. For example, new platforms, such as autonomous vehicles, are gradually transforming our lives. So, we must stay current with key trends with new technologies," he said.

The symposium also featured an open forum as well as the launch of an industry report on sustainable coatings and technology applications for commercial and rail vehicles in China.

The report was developed in conjunction with the Coating Commission of the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China.

Willie Wu, president of Axalta Greater China, said, "The Chinese manufacturing industry is going through unprecedented transformation in both supply and demand. Innovation will be key to future development."

"As a company that has been rooted in China for near 40 years, Axalta is dedicated to driving its customers' success through continuous innovation," said Wu.

Axalta's 2019 Automotive Color Trend Report was also discussed at the symposium. The automotive color predictions in the report consider the emerging transportation market of autonomous vehicles, specialized vehicles, and regional preferences.