“The future of the coatings industry rests with scientists and engineers in R&D and their ability to develop sustainable coating solutions that can keep up with global demand,” said Dr. Panos Kordomenos, Chief Technology Officer and head of global research and development for Axalta Coating Systems, at a Tech Talk workshop hosted by Axalta on December 2, 2014, with students, academics and industry professionals at the East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), one of the most prestigious universities in China. Axalta is a leading global supplier of liquid and powder industrial coatings with extensive operations in China.

The Shanghai Tech talk is the pilot session of Axalta’s Sustainable Technology Education Program which supports academic excellence in the field of sustainable technology and brings promising students closer to the field of international research and development in the coatings industry.

Dr. Kordomenos provided an overview of Axalta and then launched into an overview of the science sub-specialties that are used at Axalta such as rheology, color science and spectrometry, and dispersion chemistry. He also led a discussion on the popularity of lighter weight advanced composite materials that improve vehicle fuel efficiency and the formulations that are needed to ensure effective coating performance on such materials.

“The global coatings industry is becoming more environmentally responsible and we can see a transition taking place towards favoring sustainable solutions fueled by government regulations and customer demand,” said Dr. Kordomenos. “Developments in the Chinese market are in keeping with global trends – and sometimes may even lead those trends – and Axalta’s sustainable business model and research tradition is designed to ensure our ability to serve emerging customer needs.”

Professor Li Yongsheng, Vice Dean of ECUST’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, said, “The partnership between a global leader in innovation and sustainable industry such as Axalta and a top educational institution such as our own is valuable for our students and faculty. Understanding the latest industry trends is essential in inspiring the new generation of talent to become the industry pioneers of the future.”

Dr. Lei Qiao, head of Axalta Technical Center in Shanghai, said, “We consider collaboration between industry and academia as an essential component of our R&D plan that will help us our fuel growth by serving our customers. Our innovative technology requires the best research and scientists in the industry, many of whom will graduate from universities like ECUST in China and leading universities in other countries. It’s with this in mind that we share our knowledge on global trends and coating innovations with the leaders and scientists of tomorrow.”