BASF Coatings opens Design
Studio in Europe in Münster
BASF Coatings has opened its first Design Studio in Europe for the coatings industry near its headquarters and production plant in Münster, Germany. The studio covers a total area of about 300 square meters of the converted former Villa Kaven, including a presentation space of about 180 square meters. In representative showrooms, existing customers and other interested parties from the automotive industry are given information on the current color trends in the automotive industry and are provided with solutions for the coating of their particular vehicle models.
Until recently, the BASF Coatings design team, which every year develops about 20 new colors for the automotive industry and publishes annual trend forecasts, had been working in a design studio in the middle of the production plant. “With the new competence center, which is in the middle of a green landscape whilst remaining close to the pulse of the Münster factory, we are taking account of our customers’ need for professional design and will be able to help them even better in future,” said Juan Ximénez-Carrillo Gerber, head of the automotive OEM coatings Europe business unit.
The lower floor of the new Design Center is reserved for presentations and customer meetings, while the upper floor provides a working space where designers can research and finalize their ideas. The heart of the lower floor is the large presentation area, where the current trends are showcased. The library, which is fully stocked with specialist books and magazines, is not only a place where users can look up information but also provides an inviting space for breaks or meetings. The light cabin is another important feature for the presentations. Here, different lighting situations and their optical effects on the color of the coating are simulated. The capability to test colors and effects under direct daylight conditions is also extremely important. This facility is provided directly in the large garden of the Design Studio.