Representatives from Axalta Coating Systems, a global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, were invited to attend and speak at the 2016 International Forum on Automobile Materials hosted by the China Automotive Technology & Research Center in Beijing on June 2. Representing the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers, Dr. Fucheng Yan, Product Director of Axalta Greater China, gave a presentation on how innovations such as Axalta’s high-performance coating systems and future technologies are formulated help automotive companies meet the industry’s increasingly strict standards for fuel economy and environmental protection and support a sustainable future.

The 2016 International Forum on Automobile Materials focused on key technological breakthroughs in new materials all along the automotive supply chain, aiming to promote environmentally sustainable growth for the auto industry.

President of Axalta’s Greater China Operations, Luke Lu, believes that Axalta is ideally positioned to contribute in this area. “As industry searches for ways to reduce environmental impacts with new technologies, the value added by coatings in areas far beyond protection and aesthetics should not be underestimated,” said Mr. Lu. “For the past 150 years, Axalta has been committed to developing high-performance technologies, products and solutions. We strive to minimize environmentally hazardous emissions, conserve energy and reduce material waste in our own manufacturing processes. Helping our customers in the vehicle manufacturing sector support environmentally sustainable manufacturing and products is one of our key goals as well.”

Dr. Yan’s presentation focused on the ways in which Axalta’s latest generation coating solutions and future technologies can contribute to the fast growing trend of developing lightweight vehicles, as well as reduce the environmental footprint of vehicle manufacture through the use of energy saving technologies and non-hazardous materials. Axalta is developing the formulations needed to ensure its coatings can be as effective on the plastics, carbon fiber, aluminum and other lightweight substrates, used increasingly to improve vehicle fuel economy, as they are on traditional materials.

Dr. Yan also shared Axalta’s internal control systems, which aim to reduce the use of the restricted hazardous chemical substances in the production processes and products. As Dr. Yan explains, “We employ an evaluation and approval process to minimize the use of regulated substances during raw material introduction and processing. We also review existing products regularly to ensure compliance with new standards and regulations and to identify potential new restrictions.”

As a major supplier of industrial coatings in 130 countries, Axalta is committed to engaging sustainable manufacturing and practices, and to providing environmentally responsible products and application systems designed to help customers save energy and reduce CO2 and VOC emissions. Axalta has received a global, multi-site RC14001 certification for its Responsible Care Management System.