Axalta India Launches Next Generation Waterborne Technology

 Axalta India Launches Next Generation Waterborne Technology Cromax^®Pro

Environmentally responsible Cromax Pro’s 

enhanced productivity 

boosts market leadership in India

Mumbai, March, 2014 – Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, today introduced its next generation waterborne basecoat Cromax^® Pro in India. Cromax Pro features advanced waterborne automotive coating technology that enhances productivity and helps to decrease the auto industry’s overall environmental footprint, facilitating the sustainable development of India’s automotive industry. Cromax Pro also increases productivity in the refinish body shop. The launch of Cromax Pro reflects Axalta’s commitment to expand its business in India and demonstrates the company’s desire to continue to provide resources to help its customers improve their business.

As a waterborne coating, Cromax Pro produces lowered emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and satisfies European and North American environmental regulations. Two attributes of Cromax Pro enhance productivity. Cromax Pro uses a wet-on-wet application that can be applied more quickly than products that require a “flash” to dry between coats. The product’s high coverage formulation system requires only one and a half coats for full coverage which translates into faster refinish cycle time in the body shop. This innovative process enables body shops to coat vehicles quickly with excellent results.

“We understand that the world is shifting to embrace a more sustainable industrial model, and we are committed to building on our legacy as coating leaders and advancing our industry’s transformation to offer sustainable solutions,” explained Axalta Chairman and CEO Charles Shaver, who will be in India at the time of the launch.  “Our recent investments in Germany, China, and Brazil to expand our waterborne production are intended to support our OEM customers who wish to add waterborne lines in their paint shops and our refinish customers who seek increased productivity.”

The need for sustainable products that help protect communities and meet international environmental standards accompanies the growth of India’s automobile industry. Sobers Sethi, Axalta Asia Pacific Vice President, explained, “Our new product addresses our customers’ needs – high performance, increasingly productive and water-based coatings. India is one of our priority markets in Asia Pacific and we are constantly seeking new ways to support our customers in the region through local manufacturing and R&D. The introduction of Cromax Pro in India is a demonstration of our intent to develop sustainable solutions that offer our customers productive and environmentally responsible options for their refinish body shops.”

As a high-technology coatings company backed by more than 145 years of product innovation, Axalta aims to deliver exciting colors and solutions to meet the challenges of a changing world in the refinish segment. Cromax Pro comes with a complete tint range and color formulas that are designed to offer excellent color accuracy for the most demanding refinishers. Available in Europe, North America and many countries in Asia, Cromax Pro strives to provide Indian body shops with a productive repair system that reliably delivers the right color on every vehicle, every time. Axalta’s customer-focused philosophy is further exemplified by its cutting-edge color tools, which provide customers with technology that offers fast and easy access to color formulas and perfect color match.

Axalta India has a growing network of over 400 distributors and over 1,200 body-shops supported by offices and regional training centers in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and Bangalore, and local manufacturing capabilities at its Baroda Savli plant. Axalta India has received multiple awards from customers for excellent performance and service commitment over the last decade, highlighting its commitment to leading the industry in service and innovation.     

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