The BASF Coatings magazine — 1/2009
CoatingspArTner
BASF energy House:Sustainable building
Color Design Studio:Convincing with colors
Partnership with FaW: Coatings for China’s automotive market
Automotive Solutions Performance Passion Success
BASF offers intelligent solutions worldwide for the
automotive industry. Whether for powertrain and chassis,
environment, interior, exterior, electronics or safety –
top quality and customer-oriented innovations form the
basis of long-term partnerships for mutual success.
www.automotive.basf.com
Powertrain & Chassis SafetyEnvironment Interior Exterior Electronics Safety
Passion for the Automotive Industry
RZ_Anz_VirtualCar_210x280_e_iso_coated_V2.indd 1 12.11.2008 14:36:56 Uhr
Coatings Partner 1/09 3
Juan G. Ximénez-Carrillo Gerber,Group Vice President Automotive OEM Coatings Solutions Europe
Dear readers, as John F. Kennedy once pointed out, the Chinese character for the word
“crisis” consists of two separate elements, meaning “danger” and “opportunity”
respectively. But preparation is key to be able to actually use latent opportunities
when crisis does occur.
Difficult economic conditions create opportunities for strong businesses to
stand apart. In times such as these we need to reveal and simultaneously
enhance our strengths by continuing to build on our customer relationships.
BASF Coatings has been a competent and reliable partner to customers from a
broad array of industries for decades now, active in all of the world’s major mar-
kets. Our long-term strategy is clear: to make our customers more successful
through innovative, tailored solutions, close collaboration, a global presence and
dedicated employees. Our new production site in Russia and takeover of the
joint venture in Turkey are examples showing that we serve customers in these
fast-growing markets with even greater speed and professionalism.
The latest issue of Coatings Partner shows how we work together with our cus-
tomers to implement pioneering developments, like new trends created in the
Color Design Studio, innovative coil coatings for energy-efficient home building
and technological advancements for the Asian markets.
Another change you may have noticed is the new look of our customer
magazine. We hope you enjoy the publication.
Editorial
Using opportunities: Products by BASF Coatings are used to energy-optimize and redevelop residential districts (top), in the develop-ment of energy-efficient houses (middle) or in China’s automobile industry.
Yours sincerely
Juan G. Ximénez-Carrillo Gerber
Contents
4 Coatings Partner 1/09
Short Cuts
6 Ten years in South Africa · Protection and decora-tion · Coil coatings business expanding · Suvinil® wins industry award · Shanghai Training Center · Relius certified for offshore wind turbines
8 Fully automated coating cabin · Ford World Excellence Award · Veritas RS III sportscar · New top manager in the US · Position solidified in Turkey · PACE Award goes to BASF Coatings · Colors for Honda
38 BASF Coatings worldwide Products, markets, locations
Publishing details/Contact
Innovative
10 The future of living BASF Coatings and BASF construct an energy-effi-cient prototype house in England
14 A neighborhood dresses warmly Relius Coatings helps an entire district renovate to become energy-efficient
16 Formula for success 120 years of Glasurit® – a tradition of innovation
18 Colors big and bold The color trends of the future are developed at the BASF Coatings Color Design Studio
21 Chip Tuning R-M® finishes accompany US car and product designer Chip Foose throughout his career
Color researchers: The BASF Coatings Color Design Studio provides new space for inspiration and presentations.
18
Striking architecture: The São Paulo Museum of Art was built around the middle of last century. Now it is painted in Suvinil® colors.
Axle parts: Car parts have to be
coated, even under the hood. That’s why
Mercedes Benz started up a new coating line.
22
36
Coatings Partner 1/09 5
Contents
Cooperative
22 No small thing The coating facility at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kassel is all about cooperation and synergy
24 Opportunities in the Far East Dr. Ramkumar Dhruva, new Director Business Management, about industrial coatings in Asia
26 Cover Story Time for specialists BASF Coatings supports the growth of Chinese automaker FAW
28 Well-mixed Why mint-green BASF Coatings finishes can be seen at construction sites worldwide
29 Restoring elegance and power A 1957 Mercedes Gullwing looking like new
30 New standards General Motors responds to the trend towards compact vehicles – together with its partners
Global
32 Staying close to customers BASF Coatings began production at its own plant in Russia in mid-2008
35 Pioneering spirit BASF Coatings celebrates three anniversaries in South America
36 Mighty red The São Paulo art museum is the most promi- nent in South America, and is now undergoing thorough renovation
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6 Coatings Partner 1/09
Coil coatings business expandingBASF Coatings is consolidating its market leader-ship position through new technologies.
BASF is now the market leader in Russia, the UK, South Africa and German-speaking Europe in the field of coil coatings that are applied to metal coils. The rate of growth also continues to exceed the market average. In Asia, including India in particular, and South America, BASF is posting double-digit growth. The outlook is also good for moving into Australia and Oceania. BASF Coatings will be developing new technologies and invest-ing to widen its lead in coil coatings. This includes, for example, the improved third generation of chromate-free primers for coil coatings, weather-proof plastisol-based topcoat, polyurethane and polyester for façade protection, and new, more efficient coating solutions for white goods like washing machines and
refrigerators. ■
Protection and visual appeal A new BASF Coatings brochure turns the spotlight onto the production and uses of foil coatings.
Foil coatings are used mainly for wood-deco imprinted paper. The resulting coating finish pro- vides decorative protection for furniture, doors and paneling. As the world’s leading provider of foil coatings, BASF Coatings deploys a range of environ- mentally compatible coating technologies and a global distribution network. This 20-page brochure is available in both German and English; to receive a copy contact Pia Haber, Industrial Coatings Solutions Marketing Europe, Tel. +49 2501 14-3304, E-Mail: [email protected] ■
➜ www.basf-coatings.de/en_UK/products/
eci_precoatings.xml
Ten successful yearsBASF Coatings partnering closely with ArcelorMittal in Africa.
BASF Coatings (Pty) Ltd, South Africa, celebrated two anniversaries in October 2008. The company has supplied African nations with coil coatings for ten years now, the same length of time that steelmaker ArcelorMittal and BASF Coatings have been partners in South Africa. At the anniversary celebration, Driaan de la Guerre, General Manager of BASF Coatings South Africa, greeted the many guests, including Pieter Swanepoel, Works Manager Rolling at ArcelorMittal South Africa. Mr. Swanepoel con-gratulated BASF Coatings on its successful achievements over the last ten years, highlighting the high level of mutual trust that characterizes the partnership. ■
Team spirit: BASF Coatings staff outside the gates of the Vanderbijlpark plant near Johannesburg
Architecture with steel: BASF’s coil coatings help architects realize designs.
Short Cuts
Coatings Partner 1/09 7
Color Oscars Suvinil® is named Brazil’s top paint producer.
In 2008, Suvinil, BASF Coat-ings’ decorative paint brand in Latin America, was the winner in the annual industry awards presented by Brazilian trade journal “Paint & Pintura” in the Architectural Coatings category. The Prêmio Paint & Pintura awards are the most prestigious distinction in the Brazilian paint industry, the event being held now for the 12th time. “For Su-vinil, the award means recogni-tion of how we continually invest in our products,” says Francisco Verza, Head of BASF Architec-tural Coatings in South America. Suvinil is focusing increasingly on environmentally compatible tech-nologies as part of its strategy in the expanding Brazilian market, partnering closely with Relius, BASF Coatings’ European archi-tectural coatings brand. ■
International standard: State-of-the-art processing methods are taught at the BASF Coatings Training Center in Shanghai.
Germanischer Lloyd, one of the world’s most prominent certification companies for the maritime industry, inspected and certified five Relius coating systems for offshore wind turbines. Relius Coatings thus be-came the first company to receive such highly respected certification in this area. As a leading producer of industrial and architectural coatings throughout Europe, Relius Coatings offers an entire array of specialized coatings for offshore wind turbines, which not only have to meet strin-gent technical and ecological requirements but also have to withstand extreme weather conditions. By issuing this first-ever certification for coating systems, Germanischer Lloyd has underscored the importance of protecting the supporting structures of offshore wind turbines, which are built for a minimum 20 years’ useful life. ■
Premiere: Relius Coatings was first-ever to receive certification for coatings for offshore wind turbines.
For extreme weatherRelius Coatings certified for offshore wind turbines by Germanischer Lloyd.
Competence The new BASF Coatings training center in Shanghai is ensuring automotive refinishing technicians have the necessary skills.
Growth in the Chinese automobile market is fueling demand for skilled refinishing technicians. BASF Coatings has respond-ed by establishing a new Refinish Com-petence Center (RCC) in Shanghai. The Center provides training for the refinishing personnel of authorized service centers and refinishing partners of major manu-facturers. Training focuses on refinishing major cars brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen and Peugeot-Citroen. Trainees learn about handling high-quality
products and the latest application tech-niques. The four-day training sessions cover all of the essential steps involved in professional paint job repair meeting international standards, from the use of the spray gun up to advanced color shadings. Each year has as many as 600 refinishing personnel receive training at the RCC Shanghai under the super vision of the Center’s Director of Training and BASF Coatings Trainer. ■➜ www.basf.com.cn
➜ www.paintshow.com.br/
paintpintura/pesquisa2007.asp
Short Cuts
8 Coatings Partner 1/09
Big responsibility BASF Coatings receives Ford World Excellence Award.
Environmental and social responsibility is a key element within BASF Coatings’ long-term strategy for success. This commitment was recognized in 2008 when the company received a Ford World Excellence Award in the category Recognition of Achievement. “This distinction for Corporate Responsibility is a great honor for us,” says Ed Guer-rini, BASF’s Global Account Director for Ford. “I have experienced firsthand how committed BASF Corporation employees
are to these ideals, and we are pleased that our customer Ford Motor Company sees this as well.” BASF, one of the world’s leading suppliers of chemical products for the automotive industry, has worked together with the Ford Motor Company for many years. BASF prod-ucts make for better vehicles, from the exterior to the interior to the powertrain and chassis. ■➜ www.ford.com/about-ford/
news-announcements
New top manager Juan Carlos Ordonez has been named Group Vice President, Coatings for BASF in North America.
Juan Carlos Ordonez studied busi-ness administration at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. He joined BASF in 1982, rising through a number of different management positions in North and South America and at cor-porate headquarters in Ludwigshafen. Mr. Ordonez is known particularly as a successful manager of growth and restructuring processes, and has experience in a range of indus-tries, including consumer goods,
pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and coatings. His last posi-tion was as Vice President, Auto-motive Refinish and Industrial Coatings, work-ing at the BASF North America headquarters in Southfield, Michigan. ■
Resurrected Developed in 1949, the BMW Veritas
sports car won a total 29 races. German carmaker Vermot AG
used this vehicle as a model for the design, technology and driving characteristics of its extraordinary Veritas RS III sports car. Thirty individual cars are being produced in monocoque
construction and finished with Glasurit® 90-Line coatings. ■
➜ http://vermot-ag.com
In 2008, BASF Coatings’ Tultitlán plant in Mexico plant began operation of a fully automated spray booth representing an investment of about $1.5 million. First-time quality has improved thanks to this modern technology. Downstream coating processes conducted by the customer are optimized as a result of the enhanced quality of products delivered. In addi tion, the cabin makes it easier to introduce new colors and resolve technical problems. ■
Fully automated New spray booth improves first-time quality.
Investment: Inauguration of the spray booth in BASF Coatings’ Mexican plant.
Exclusive look: The sports car Veritas RS III embodies the fine art of automaking. Glasurit provides the shine.
Short Cuts
Coatings Partner 1/09 9
Position solidifiedJoint venture in Turkey turns into BASF Coatings Ltd.
BASF has signed an agreement with the Turkish company Yasar to buy out Yasar’s 50 percent stake in the joint ven-ture Yasar BASF Automotive Coatings Ltd. The company markets automotive OEM finishes and refinishes in Turkey. “This purchase represents a long-term investment in our business in Turkey. Our position in the Turkish automo-tive market has solidified over the last ten years, during which time production has doubled with more than ten percent annual growth,” says Jürgen Barwich, Director of the Business Center Turkey. Gunther Sthamer, Manag-ing Director of the new company BASF Coatings Ltd in Turkey, adds: “We are now fully integrated into the BASF global network, allowing us to provide an even wider range of quality services to our customers.” Through the joint venture, BASF is already market leader in automotive OEM coatings in Turkey. ■
➜ www.basf-coatings.com
Market place for innovation: BASF’s biggest new develop-ments are being presented as part of the Global Event Project, showcasing the company’s technological know-how in interna-tional cities on every continent. One of the stops in 2008 was Istanbul. The BASF Coatings crew, which met and spoke with a host of decision-makers from Turkish paint and coatings dealer firms and from the international automotive industry at its exhibition booth, was highly satisfied at the event’s results.
With honorsBASF Coatings recognized in PACE Awards.
In 2008, BASF Coatings received an “Honorable Mention” in the Products category at the 14th annual PACE Awards (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) held in Detroit. The PACE Awards are conferred jointly by the U.S. trade journal Automotive News, Microsoft, SAP and the Transportation Research Center in recognition of suppliers’ contributions to automobile manufacturing quality through technologically superior and/or economical products, processes, information technology, materials or services. Within the industry, this recognition is universally considered the ultimate badge for innovation. ■
➜ www.autonews.com/files/08_pace/default.htm
Colors for Honda Exclusive presentation of color tones for the Chinese market to Japanese carmaker.
In August 2008, BASF Coatings conducted its first Color Show for Honda in China, with color designers Chiharu Matsuhara from Tokyo and Vivienne Liu of Shanghai presenting 16 shades specially developed for the Chinese market. In addition, some 90 customers had the opportunity to find out about the latest colors and color trends. “The Color Show met with great inter-est, and we believe its success affirms the quality of our work. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our people who were involved,” said Taichi Okayama, Honda Account Manager in China. The presentation was held at the Huangpu plant in Guangzhou, which will be taking on greater importance for Honda’s internal color design as the future development and production site for the new passenger model LI NIAN. ■
Know-how: Every culture has its own preferred colors. BASF Coatings designers researched trends in China for Honda.
Innovative BASF EnErgy HouSE
10 Coatings Partner 1/09
Green livingreducing Co2 emissions and energy consumption is on everybody’s mind, and ‘green’ building is a particularly promising endeavor in this regard. In great Britain, the university of nottingham and BASF have teamed up to develop a creative energy house that is not only energy-efficient but affordable as well.
Coatings Partner 1/09 11
This is a unique opportunity to experi-
ence energy-saving technologies up
close and become familiar with them,”
says Deborah Adkins, doctoral candidate at
the university of nottingham. She and nina
Hormazábel Poblete, a visiting doctoral
student from Chile, are living in the BASF
Energy House for one year as part of a
project to test out energy-efficient con-
cepts, construction techniques, and tech-
nologies. This little residence is the first
of six prototype ‘Creative Energy Homes’
built on the university of nottingham cam-
pus that employ energy-efficient construc-
tion materials made by the BASF group to
meet the low-energy standard. The project
was initiated by the university of notting-
ham’s prestigious architecture department,
the School of Built Environment, with the
goal of demonstrating a tangible example
of innovative and sustainable living. of-
ficially completed in January 2008, the
BASF Energy House was built under the
requirements that it had to be affordable –
even for first-time homebuyers – and flex-
ible enough to allow duplex and townhouse
versions.
Compact floor planThe house’s environmental parameters
are stringent, with Co2 emissions of close
to zero. “That target and efficiency speci-
fications influenced the design of ›
How does it feel? The two researchers testing the BASF Energy House are especially impressed by the climatic effect of the ‘sunroom’.
12 Coatings Partner 1/09
Innovative BASF EnErgy HouSE
the house,” recalls British architect Der-
ek Trowell, a specialist in green building.
“To reduce costs while remaining energy-
efficient we opted for a compact floor plan
that maximizes passive solar collection
potential.” Accordingly, the north, east,
and west sides are highly insulated and
have small or even no windows. on the
south side, glass wall panes on both the
StrongpartnershipColorcoatTM Urban is the name of the new product developed jointly by BASF Coatings and its customer Corus Group Ltd, the steelmaker that produced the roof of the BASF Energy House. The coil coating is from the successful Plasticeram® line, contain-ing additional pigments important for heat reflection. UV and corrosion re-sistance were also further optimized for Corus’ Colorcoat Urban product. Together Corus and BASF Coatings developed a broad spectrum of color tones, opening up new building proj-ect design possibilities. The roof of the BASF Energy House was done in terracotta so as to fit in visually with the surrounding neighborhood. “The BASF Energy House is a start; we will continue moving forward with roof applications and energy efficiency enhancements,” says Anne Heimes-Scheller, BASF’s Market-ing Manager for Industrial Coatings in Europe. This project showed what we can achieve by combining our own strengths with those of our customers, while additionally joining forces with the larger BASF Group. Several different BASF units contributed an array of innovative construction materials for the BASF Energy House. The BASF Construc-tion Network Team, formed in 2004 as a synergistic bundling of activities for construction industry customers within the BASF Group, contributed to the success of the project.
■ UV-refleCtIng CoatIng
ing needs. “The sunroom area has an
amazingly positive impact on temperature
regulation,” confirms experimental resi-
dent Hormazábel Poblete. “For me, that
is the main energy efficiency feature of the
whole house.” It works hand in hand with
the BASF Energy House’s climate control
system, which utilizes natural ventilation,
facilitated by the high ceilings incorporat-
ed into the architectural design. Another
design priority was achieving effective
heat retention in the building interior.
The planners also made sure there
would be no excessive heat buildup in
the house, which can be a problem es -
first and second floors ensure sufficient
natural light.
The sunroom areaIn connection with this, Trowell came
up with an ingenious design concept: a
parallel wall of ceiling-high glass panes
forming a ‘sunroom’ that can be opened
or closed depending on heating or cool-
Modern-looking light gray: Relius, BASF’s European building coatings brand, provided a colorful, water-resistant plaster, while Coil Coatings supplied façade finishes for lasting protection and an attractive façade appearance.
Corus Colorcoat HPS200® roof and first floor cladding, incorporating BASF coatings and pigments
SIPS first floor and roof using Elastopor® H
ICF using Neopor® Relius® Render system
BlInDTExTTHEmA Innovativ
Coatings Partner 1/09 13
BASF contributed a range of construc-
tion materials for sealing and insulating the
house. Primary heating requirements were
cut significantly, with a biomass heating
system helping out during very cold pe-
riods. A rooftop solar array takes care of
81 percent of hot water heating needs.
Environmental Big BrotherThe two doctoral students are experienc-
ing what day-to-day life is like at home
with these techniques and technologies.
Building automation systems, for ex-
ample, provide not only convenience but
also more effective energy management.
monitoring systems track temperature,
relative humidity, light, solar intake, and
ventilation data. The residents are kept
informed of events via SmS, e-mail, and
Internet. “It is sort of like having an envi-
ronmental Big Brother watching you; our
activities are tracked precisely throughout
the day,” laughs Adkins.
She and her colleague feel quite at
home. But are there any disadvantages?
Both women agree that keeping things
tidy can be a bit of a challenge due to the
limited storage space – a challenge shared
with many conventional homes. ■
Command and control: Residents control ventilation, heating,
and lighting via touchscreen or Internet.
economical twice over: The BASF Energy House is designed to
lower energy costs at an affordable price.
➜ www.house.basf.co.uk
pecially for top-floor rooms. That is why
the BASF Energy House has a steel roof
with a new coil coating made by BASF
Coatings. This allows it to reflect sun-
light, reducing interior heat transfer in
contrast to regular roofs, which absorb
solar heat. The coating makes use of
improved plastisol technology and uV-
reflecting pigments. upper-level rooms
thus retain pleasant temperatures de-
spite the BASF Energy House having no
air-conditioning due to cost and energy
considerations. The roof furthermore is
longer-lasting as it is not subject to such
high temperatures.
Innovativ Blindtexttehma
14 Coatings Partner 1/09
Keeping warm: In addition to insulating the façade, balconies have been separated from the buildings to minimize the amount of heat lost through the walls.
energetic renovation Innovative
A neighborhood dresses warmly‘energetic’ renovation prepares an entire city block in düsseldorf for the future. relius coatings supplies thermal insulation and exterior paints.
It’s like a phoenix rising from the ashes,”
says Frank Seidel, architect and terri-
tory sales director for relius coatings,
standing in front of a large apartment block
painted in bright orange. red lines ac-
centuate the surface, while the thin white
borders provide visual contrast. “this is
nothing at all like the way we found it,” he
laughs, pointing to a graying, once-white
building off in the back still awaiting re-
furbishment. the total renovation of hous-
ing blocks of 500 apartments, built in the
1970s, has brought more than superficial
improvements. “the main objective was
to reduce the buildings’ energy consump-
tion,” says Seidel. Property owner evonik
Wohnen gmbh contracted relius coat-
ings, whose logistics and service quality
won against the competition. to realize
the improvements four of a total six of
phases have thus far been completed.
‘energetic’ renovation involves mod-
ernization and applying effective insulation
to exterior building walls. the first part of
the düsseldorf project involved the instal-
lation of energy-saving heating and plumb-
ing systems. however, most of the work
occurred in the second phase, which in-
volved insulating 40,000 square meters of
façade. the relius v550 thermal insulation
composite system was used, the supplies
for which were sent by the company to the
construction sites almost daily.
A uniform systemthousands of these 100- and 120-milli-
meter polystyrene boards have been de-
livered to the property since 2007, along
with corner tracks, baseboards, mineral
basecoat mortar, putty, mineral plaster
and top coat paints. “all components have
been carefully coordinated to achieve op-
timal results,” says Seidel, pointing out the
importance of utilizing a uniform system
and achieving effective thermal insulation,
“because a system only works if heat can’t
escape through other outlets.” that is why
the planners also installed relius thermal
insulation boards on basement ceilings,
improved the entrance doors, put in dou-
ble-pane windows, and added new unat-
tached balconies and insulated roofs. ➜ www.relius.com
after the real work came the fun part
for relius: redoing the façades. an assort-
ment of bold red and orange tones and
mild shades of gray created by the promi-
nent german color designer Prof. Friedrich
Schmuck was used. “now the apartment
complex has a warmer and more homey
look,” Seidel observes with satisfaction.
to implement this out-of-the-ordinary fa-
çade design, relius created unique for-
mulas for each color tone. Silcosan® F1,
the silicone resin façade coating that was
used, played a key role, allowing highly
nuanced color tones across a broad spec-
trum. “F1 allowed us to realize shades that
are usually unfeasible for a façade,” Seidel
explains. “even small amounts of special
color tones that were required were de-
livered to the site on an ‘on time’ basis”.
all parties involved are satisfied with the
results – including residents of the düs-
seldorf apartment complex, whose quality
of life has improved thanks to lower en-
ergy costs and the buildings’ more attrac-
tive look. ■
New exterior look: Relius Coatings utilized the Silcosan F1 to implement a color scheme developed by the German color designer Prof. Friedrich Schmuck. The paints will retain their vibrant color for many years.
Coatings Partner 1/09 15
16 Coatings Partner 1/09
Innovative Glasurit
The long-term presence of a company
depends on its products. Glasurit’s
120 years in business reflect a story
of unwavering focus on the customer, pio-
neering development, and the art of invest-
ing for the future. initially a regional coating
manufacturer from northern Germany, Gla-
surit has become a globally acknowledged
brand, but retained its widely recognized
parrot mascot created in 1925. the de-
velopment of the first-ever waterborne ve-
hicle refinish, launched in 1992, was a ma-
jor milestone. reliable, easy to work with,
and eco-efficient thanks to low solvent
emissions, the 90-line was a product that
made Glasurit the market leader for this
type of automotive basecoat refinish, as it
remains today.
inventions have always played a key
role in business success. this was the
case for the Hamburg-based merchant
Max Winkelmann, who established a finish
and paint trading company in 1888. soon
after going into business he began in-
house production of the paint color crystal-
white – totally new at that time – and the
anti-corrosion agent Eisenglasurit. the two
The sign of the parrot Glasurit® is celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2008; the brand name was established 110 years ago. today, Glasurit is BasF Coatings’ premium brand in refinish and a leader in innovation, having invented the waterborne automotive basecoat.
Strong brand: Glasurit is synonymous with quality at auto repair shops worldwide.
Coatings Partner 1/09 17
Glasurit Innovative
■ Opel ClaSSICS
Automotive raritiesAutomotive history was on display at the BASF Coatings Open House, held in September at the Münster site. In a joint project, Opel Clas-sics, BASF SE, and BASF Coatings restored a 1908 Opel Doppelphaeton 10/18 and a 1958 Opel Kapitän P 2.5 back to their original state. These rare classics were part of the festivities celebrated by Glasurit® this year, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the unit’s expertise in coatings and paints. In celebration of their
to the booming automotive industry. the
next groundbreaking product arrived in
1964 with the introduction of metallic
paint. a year later followed the develop-
ment of electrophoretic coating. a new era
in the company’s history began in 1965
with the purchase of the Glasurit factories
by BasF.
Continuous developmenttoday, Glasurit is one of the world’s lead-
ing providers of automotive refinishing
systems, and continues to strengthen its
technological position through continuous
research and development. in addition to
the successful 90-line, Glasurit also offers
the 68-line designed especially for the
requirements of commercial vehicles, in-
cluding larger coating surfaces and a more
heavy-duty environment. the range of
coatings is supplemented by the Color Pro
system (CPs), a handy tool for color se-
lection consisting of thousands of sample
strips, which are coated with original paint
and organized by color. an array of ser-
vices rounds out the offering. in Germany,
all Glasurit production has been switched
over to the 90-line in response to Europe-
an VOC regulations. Waterborne coatings
not only save producers and customers
a lot of time, they also save on materials,
considerably economizing coat applica-
tion. such benefits provide excellent sales
prospects for the Glasurit 90-line on inter-
national markets. ■
products arrived on the market at the right
time; huge steamships coated with Winkel-
mann’s paint and anti-corrosive were being
built as the golden age of global shipping
dawned. the brand’s fame was indisput-
able by the time they were used for the per-
sonal yacht of German emperor Wilhelm ii.
in 1898, Winkelmann attached the Gla-
surit name to all products in his increasing-
ly varied assortment, and 1904, construc-
tion was completed of a larger coatings
plant in the town of Münster-Hiltrup. in
1908, the company was converted into a
stock corporation. a spirit varnish factory
was added in 1920 and in 1925 the Glasso-
max paint factory, a symbol of progress and
innovation, was built. the Glasurit Glasso
product enabled the first- ever spray ap-
plication of coatings in German car manu-
facturing. By 1930 Glasurit had become
the largest coatings manufacturer on the
continent; the first synthetic resin coatings
and enamels entered the market in 1932.
after the war, the company benefited
in the 1950s as an established partner
➜ www.glasurit.com
Restored with Glasurit coatings: a 1958 Opel Kapitän and 1908 Opel Doppelphaeton
own big anniversaries – 100 and 50 years respectively since first rolling off the line – the two classic models were restored at the refin-ishing facilities of a Glasurit customer. They were entirely disassembled into parts and care-fully refinished piece by piece by professional staff. It took weeks of work for each part to be restored to its original color. The Opel Doppel-phaeton took 300 hours and required 40 kilos of the Opel standard crème white. Its decora-tive lines were added by hand in red-brown. For the Kapitän, Opel went with Glasurit’s Classic Car Colors concept, service included.
Using the tank lid and other elements, the BASF Coatings lab determined the color tones of the body, which are now called Monaco Blue and Alabaster Gray. The new shine on these antique cars recalls the old days, when the Opel Dop-pelphaeton was a racing contender, winning the 1025 kilometers international Vienna–Trieste–Klagenfurt test circuit in 1909. Opel produced different versions of the successful Kapitän model between 1938 and 1970, which together with the Admiral and Diplomat defined Opel’s premium class.
Change and continuity: The Mandarin, originally used as a symbol for quality in the 1800s, was replaced in 1925 by the colorful parrot.
➜ www.opelclassics.de
18 Coatings Partner 1/09
Innovative Color design studio
ou can sit and ponder over nu-
ances for hours,” says designer
Mark gutjahr. He and his associ-
ates eva Höfli and Katja Pauli spend a
lot of time with BAsF Coatings automo-
tive customers in the conference room of
the Color design studio discussing key
questions. What paint colors go best with
which models? What feelings and as-
sociations do they provoke? What trend
do they represent, or perhaps establish?
“the quest for new paint colors is increas-
ingly challenging,” says Höfli. the range
of available nuances and effects is ex-
panding, with pioneering pigments and
techniques opening up new options that
lead to more complex technical and design
considerations.
Aside from clothing fashions, hardly
any product is more closely linked with
consumer self-image than the automobile.
Having the right color alone can be deci-
sive for buying behavior, which is why fin-
A house full of color Colors speak volumes – especially when it comes to cars. BAsF Coatings has inaugurated a new Color design studio recognizing the special importance of color.
Planet Design: The BASF Color Design Studio is breaking new ground for automotive OEM finishes.
Coatings Partner 1/09 19
Color design studio Innovative
›
ish is one of the principal battlefields in the
cutthroat automotive market.
in a strategic move, BAsF Coatings
opened a new and expanded Color de-
sign studio with its own building, located
near corporate headquarters in Münster.
“our growing team now enjoys ideal work-
ing conditions,” says gutjahr, adding, “it is
the biggest facility of its kind in the coat-
ings industry. the additional space and
bigger rooms allow us to present more
effectively. And the atmosphere of the
facility itself promotes open, productive
communication.”
the modern building offers more than
300 square meters of space, about 180
of which are set aside for presentation.
there is also a conference room, a library
with comfortable seating and a lighting
booth for simulating lighting variations
and observing the optical effects on paint
colors. “You could hardly ask for a bet-
ter environment for presentations, and
for the subsequent creative process in
working with the customer,” Pauli confirms.
especially the garden, just a step away
through the wide sliding glass doors of the
presentation room.
75 new colorseach year the design team develops
more than 20 trendsetting ‘key colors’ for
the automobile industry. Around 75 new
colors are being presented in addition to
the key colors for the north America and
Asia Pacific regions. the designers draw
inspiration from architecture, product de-
sign, fashion, art, consumer preferences
and many other sources and fields. they
study trade journals and design maga-
zines, attend trade shows and art galler-
ies, and meet with trend consultants. “We
love coming up with something new,” says
Höfli, “right now, one of the things we are
working on is a ultra-chromatic finish to
achieve a deep and luminous color effect.”
■ Color trenD PreDICtIon
Europe’s colors Environmental awareness in Europe is a mega-trend that influences car paints, and economic considerations are also playing a heightened role. BASF Coatings designers Eva Höfli, Mark Gutjahr, and Katja Pauli have incorporated these factors into this year’s color trend prediction. Both trends have to do with change within an existing framework. “The days are over when something had to be totally new and revolutionary to be seen as modern and desirable,” says Höfli.
Now it is about evolution instead of revolution. The most popular car colors by far are still silver, black, blue, red, and white, but the details and nuances are changing. New pig-ments can now enrich the usually cool silver color with a warm, almost or-ganic note, and subtle color variations. This expanded range of expression is
part of a third main trend towards delib-erate restraint and elegant understate-ment: “Class should only be revealed upon a second or third glance,” says Pauli. The popularity of soft white in Europe for premium vehicles continues, and blue and red tones are obtaining greater depth, intensity, and richness. Price-sensitive but individualistic buyers are another important segment accord-ing to Gutjahr: “The challenge here is to develop color effects that are easier to realize in production without being boring.”
The color black is undergoing an interesting development: “The black of tomorrow will no longer be the simple solution it is today,” predicts Gutjahr. “It will be able to communicate a never-before-seen spectrum of emotions.” Extremely clear, deep black nuances will soon exist along-side effervescently scintillating or accented black tones. “As odd as it may sound,” says Gutjahr, “it will be a luminous black – even in the dark.”
technical feasibility is a key issue. that
is why we remain in constant dialog with
BAsF Coatings color labs. “it is always
exciting to see advances and new poten-
tial being discovered for technologies that
can turn ideas into reality,” says gutjahr.
the lab’s sophisticated equipment allows
us to reliably predict at an early stage
Inviting: Immediately upon entering, visitors are met with an array of colors.
Innovative Color design studio
20 Coatings Partner 1/09
➜ www.basf-coatings.de (“Design”)
whether a particular finish in development
will be suitable for mass production later
on. if a finish is considered feasible, it is
called a ‘perfect match’.
trend tracking, color creation, and
technical implementation – developing
finish colors is a long and complicated
process. it all starts and ends in the Color
design studio – from initial research to
presentation of the perfect match to the
customer. ■
Presentation: Color tone is essential, having a major impact on the
character of products. Designer Marc Gutjahr (left) presenting new trends.
Inspiration: Developing new color tones takes a lot of feeling, and a lot of research.
From left: Richard Amberger (Marketing Europe BASF Coatings) and designer Katja Pauli; below: designer Eva Höfli.
■ the DesIgners
Mark Gutjahr (35) Mr. Gutjahr attended the Cologne International School of Design, completing a degree as Master of Design (FH). Formerly a freelance design consultant in Cologne, Mark is a member of the bibi*gutjahr design cooperative and a founding member of the design group kombinat. He joined BASF Coatings in 2005.
Eva Höfli (28) A trained gilder, Ms. Höfli studied communicational design at the Dortmund Uni-versity of Applied Sciences, majoring in object and spatial design. She has worked for the Vitra Design Museum, the Center Georges Pompidou in France, and the agency Pichiglas in Barce-lona. She joined BASF Coatings in 2008.
Katja Pauli (36) Trained in drafting and interior architecture, Ms. Pauli studied color design at the Hildesheim University of Applied Science and Art. After her studies she worked as a freelance designer for an architecture firm. She joined BASF Coatings in 2005.
Coatings Partner 1/09 21
CHiP Foose Innovative
Foose first began learning about cars
in his father’s garage at the age of
seven. He painted his first car, a
Porsche 356, at the age of twelve. upon
graduating from the Art Center College of
design in Pasadena, California, he began
turning his passion for cars into a career. in
1998 he and his wife lynne founded Foose
design, an automotive and product design
development company, whose inimitably
distinctive style of “foosifizing” was popu-
larized on the American tV show over-
haulin. Foose and his team restored and
customized a different classic car on every
episode of the show, methodically turning
old cars into works of art by re doing every-
thing from the body to the interior to the
paint job.
Foose has used r-M finish products
ever since first going to business. “Back
then, i talked with a lot of people who knew
all about finishes, like finishing special-
ists and dealers. they all swore by r-M,”
he says. His dad was an r-M user too:
“i must have repainted my bicycle a hun-
dred times,” Foose recalls his first forays
into vehicle customization. His unique,
trademark designs have made him a tuning
celebrity and winner of multiple awards.
Up to a higher levelChip Foose, 44, continually experiments
with new ideas and trends, which is why
BAsF Coatings proved an ideal partner.
“Both BAsF Coatings and i are all about
taking color up to the next level,” he says.
Foose and r-M have thus teamed up to
develop new shades for even more electri-
fying custom finishes, like a special limited-
edition series of finishes recently released
for r-M’s relatively new premium product
line CAriZZMA, now also available as
an environmentally friendly waterborne
basecoat. the series name: “Foose.” ■
Traffic jammin’ Bumper-to-bumper traffic is usu-ally a nightmare, but in Detroit it is a festive occasion when a host of classic cars go on parade as part of the spectacular Woodward Dream Cruise. Every year in August some 40,000 vintage models from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s ranging from beefy road cruisers to flashy sports cars take part up and down Woodward Avenue in the world’s largest single-day automotive event. In 2008, the BASF Coatings team was back on Woodward, greeting hundreds of customers and their families at the BASF Baja Beach Club. The high point was a visit by automotive designer Chip Foose, who thrilled customers at the BASF event in a 90-minute autograph session.
Chip tuningCelebrity automotive designer Chip Foose from California is developing an exclusive line of special paints for r-M®, the automotive refinishing brand of BAsF Coatings.
■ WooDWarD Dream CruIse
➜ www.chipfoose.com
Chip Foose: His company specializes in illustration, graphics, ideation model making, surfacing, and the complete construction of automobiles.
Kooperativ Color design studio europe
22 Coatings partner 1/09
No small thing daimler Ag thinks big when it comes to coating axle parts like tubes, housings and wheel hubs. A completely new coating facility was built at the commercial vehicle plant in Kassel, germany.
hy coat axles elaborately?
“Axles need the same care as the
body,” says Hermann Fellhauer,
engineer at the daimler Ag Center of Com-
petence Coating technology. “it’s about
all-round corrosion protection, even under-
neath the vehicle.” this involves a dual-lay-
er rust inhibitor basecoat and a protective
top coating. the basecoat has to be really
heavy-duty, as even the tiniest cranny left
exposed can allow rust to infiltrate. spray
painting cannot achieve the desired quality
– only cathodic e-coating ensures that parts
are 100% coated. that’s why daimler built
an additional hall to house a new cathodic
e-coating facility.
it should only take about a year for the
facility to start operating, with all parties
involved cooperating closely within a tight
project framework since december 2007.
equipment maker dürr Ag, chemicals sup-
plier Chemetall gmbH, and BAsF Coatings
are on board the project in coordination
with daimler trucks Central planning and
the Mercedes-Benz Kassel plant.
Valuable experience
“it was important for us to get our part-
ners involved in the design stage,” says
Fellhauer. “A lot depends on the mate-
rials subsequently used; these determine
process structures and thus are inherent-
ly linked with system design.” in addi-
tion, these project partners had already
worked with daimler three times before,
having only recently set up a similar facil-
ity at the Hamburg plant. “We derived a
lot of valuable experience from that
project,” adds Holger Krug, team leader
and project Manager Coating in Kassel.
the core element of the coating line in
Kassel is comprised of 15 basins, twelve
of which are for cleaning and chemical
Coatings partner 1/09 23
MerCedes-Benz plAnt KAssel Cooperative
pretreatment of axle components. then
comes the three-stage base coating in
the cathodic e-coating basins, in which
an electrical current causes the positively
charged coating pigments to be attracted
and deposited onto the parts attached
to the cathode. BAsF Coatings specially
optimized the coating system to be de-
ployed. While conforming to the daimler
plant’s stringent environmental specifica-
tions, the system accommodates wider
materials parameters, allowing coating
layer thicknesses of up to 55 micro meters,
necessary for big truck axles. the stan-
dard parameters in vehicle manufacturing
are 22 to 40 micrometers.
Synergistic collaboration
in August 2008, the system started test
operation. if any changes were required to
process parameters, Chemetall, dürr, and
BAsF Coatings experts coordinated what
needed to be done. “in the implementation
phase we cooperated even more closely
together,” says Krug. the advantage for
daimler was that when ever something
came up, there was a group response and
a group solution. the partners had even
cooperated on the project bid to ensure
meeting daimler’s technical and pricing
specifications. As Winfried Baum from
the general contractor dürr Ag, confirms,
“each party benefited from the experi-
ence of the others. this served to adjust
potential problem areas in advance.” this
type of assurance is crucial for a system
planned to process more than one million
axle parts annually. ■
➜ www.werk-kassel.daimler.com
Capacity written large: The Mercedes-Benz coating facility in Kassel is designed for large-scale production. The first wheel hubs have already made it through testing.
Working as a team for a year now (from left): Andrea Labandowski (Chemetall GmbH), José-Manuel Arroyo-Pardo (Mercedes-Benz Kassel, Workplace Safety), Holger Krug (MB Kassel, Coat-ings Team Leader and Project Manager), Winfried Baum (Dürr AG, GU Project Manager), Volker Lindenberg (MB Kassel, Co-Project Manager VBH/KTL), Steffan Hessels and Thomas Kreienbaum (BASF Coatings, Automotive OEM Coatings Solu-tions), Peter Diehl (Dürr AG), Rolf Naujok (MB Kas-sel, Building Technology/Infrastructure), Hermann Fellhauer (Daimler AG, Center of Competence Coating Technology), Jan Schroeder (MB Kassel, Building Technology/Infrastructure).
24 Coatings Partner 1/09
Cooperative AsiA PAcific
The technology trump cardThe Asia Pacific region is a key driver of the global economy. Dr. Ramkumar Dhruva, new BAsf coatings Director of Business Management for Automotive OEM and industrial coatings solutions in Asia Pacific, discusses the opportunities presently emerging in the far East for industrial coatings in particular.
Dr. Dhruva, how would you characterize
the markets in Asia Pacific?
Our region is incredibly dynamic, with
markets that are in some cases vastly
different. The competitive environment
differs from one country to the next, espe-
cially for industrial coatings. However, we
view Asia as one business region and are
represented in both high-growth countries
such as china, india, and the AsEAN
states as well as in mature markets like
Japan and Australia.
What is the position of BASF Coatings
right now?
Asia Pacific industrial coatings operates
in many segments: pre-coatings (coil and
foil) and in attractive markets for post-
coatings that we call “Value-Based Busi-
ness solutions”. Examples for those are
3c coatings (liquid coatings for comput-
ers, cellular phones, and communications)
as well as coatings for wind energy (rotor
blades) and general industry applications.
Japan, china, and india are the top three
markets.
Which are the emerging markets and
segments for BASF Coatings?
We will continue to focus on coil, foil,
and 3c coatings business by aiming at
sustainable development. in addition, we
are entering the wind energy market in
india and china, which are the fourth and
fifth largest markets after Germany, UsA,
and spain. With our innovative technol-
ogy, high-quality products, and global
expertise, we plan to expand our market
position in the Asia Pacific regions.
What does the 3C strategy involve?
Thanks to new products developed in
Japan, BAsf coatings has established
itself as a key partner in the 3c segment.
for example, BAsf’s BELfiNE® product
series has met with a positive response
and has been used in sony’s VAiO note-
book Pcs since the spring. five additional
■ Dr. rAmkumAr DhruvA Ram was born in India in 1968. He received his PhD from the Indian In-stitute of Technology in Madras before starting his career as a laboratory chemist for BASF in Ludwigshafen. Having moved to the position of Prod-uct Development Manager in the area of Adhesives & Construction in 1999, he returned to Bombay as Product Manager for BASF India in 2000. Two years later he was made General Manager for Sales of Functional Poly-mers in India. In 2005, he became Chief Executive of BASF Coatings Pvt. Ltd. Effective April 1, 2008 he was appointed BASF Coatings Director of Business Management for Automotive OEM and Industrial Coatings Solutions for Asia Pacific.
market of the future: Wind turbines are catching on in India and China – many of which are covered in BASF Coatings finishes.
Coatings Partner 1/09 25
AsiA PAcific Cooperative
colors have been developed for the fall
2008 models in close collaboration with
the client. One of our main objectives over
the next few years is to become a recog-
nized player in the chinese 3c segment
by forging closer ties with global players,
and jointly planning the expansion to india
and AsEAN with them.
how do you address the customers?
BAsf coatings regularly participates in
conferences, technology and trade fairs.
These are ideal platforms for an innovator
like BAsf to increase its presence and
to reach industrial customers, end users,
opinion leaders, and decision makers
alike. However, our products are very spe-
cific to our customers and their usages so
that one-on-one communication is always
the fundamental approach.
Which are BASF Coatings’ strengths?
Our strengths are high-utility products,
long-standing experience and technical
service combined with BAsf’s global
competence. We approach our customers
with these key selling points.
What are the benefits of
BASF Coatings’ global organisation?
A key competitive advantage is our ability
to respond to the needs of a wide range
of markets with the adequate technolo-
gies. Even though some products may be
limited to a single market or region, the
need for synergy is on the rise. This is the
case in Asia, where many customers pro-
duce products for export back to Europe
or North America. Another example is
the development of products that are not
only environmentally friendly, but are also
in line with specific customer needs. The
rapid technology transfer within our inter-
national company makes it easier for us to
meet regional customer requirements.
many products, such as cellular
phones, are becoming increasingly
individual. how is BASF Coatings
responding to the changing require-
ments?
innovation is the key to success. if we
can visualize the future, especially from
our customers’ perspective, then we will
be able to shape it accordingly to our
customers’ benefit. BAsf coatings is
in a position to create and implement
new products, colors, and technologies
bene fiting our customers.
You recently moved from India to
Japan. What does this step mean for
you personally?
My family and i are currently settling in
our new home in Japan, a really wonder-
ful country. i am now looking forward to
discovering new aspects of Japan that
cannot normally be seen or experienced
on business trips or vacations. it is a great
experience working for an international
company. This is my second time that i
live abroad, having worked in Germany
for some years. What i really value about
BAsf coatings is the cosmopolitan work-
ing environment and my colleagues from
all over the world.
■ CooPerAtIon WIth SonY
High-tech notebooks – inside and out For the production of its VAIO notebooks Sony is utilizing BELFINE® coating system specially developed by BASF Coatings for electronic devices, as part of a newly con-cluded partnership. The origins of the deal go back to the Tokyo Color Show in April, where BASF’s Japanese subsidiary exhibited trendy new colors and coating systems for 3C products (computer, cellular phone, communication). These innovations and BASF’s global competence in general persuaded Sony to agree to the joint development of finishes for its latest designs. In the end, Sony elected to go with BELFINE coating system. The three-stage concept of primer, basecoat, and clear- coat as well as coat quality and evenness were compelling factors in the decision process. Two VAIO notebooks, launched in fall of 2008, feature BASF Coatings finishes, and these will soon be joined by other Sony products as well.
➜ www.asiapacific.basf.com
26 Coatings Partner 1/09
Cooperative China
The luxury sedans provided to mem
bers of the Chinese government are
called hongqi, meaning ‘red flag’.
China First automobile Group Corporation
(FaW), headquartered in Changchun, has
produced these government vehicles since
1958. Today, hongqi is the Group’s estab
lished luxury brand, and FaW, founded in
1953, is one of China’s biggest carmak
ers. The company’s rise began after the
opening of the Chinese economy in the
1980s, heralding an era of increasing mo
bility in the country. FaW entered into joint
ventures to meet demand, first with Volks
wagen (VW) in 1991, followed by Toyota
in 2002. FaW developed its own Bclass
sedan called the Besturn and is a licensed
manufacturer of the Mazda 6 for the Chi
nese market. Roughly 80 percent of these
vehicles manufactured by the company
received serial finishing from BaSF Coat
ings and four BaSF Coatings engineers
are directly involved in onsite production
during two shifts. The new hongqi models
also feature BaSF Coatings finishes.
FaW and BaSF Coatings first came
into contact seven years ago. The coat
ings manufacturer had just begun sup
plying the FaW/VW plant in Changchun.
The Chinese automobile market was
flourishing, and FaW was investing to
enhance factory productivity. BaSF Coat
ings approached FaW immediately after
learning about the FaW investment plan.
“Quite honestly, we were facing a major
challenge,” remembers Walter Liu, Sales
and Marketing Director at BaSF Shanghai
Coatings. “BaSF Shanghai was only three
years old, so having a second customer
located more than two and a half hours
away by plane confronted our small team
with a big task.”
Real teamworka prompt staffing response saved the sit
uation. Two fallback teams were formed,
supervised by a sales manager. Each
team consisted of one service and one
laboratory technician to take turns in
Changchun on a weekly basis. “We had
real teamwork, allowing us to systemati
cally organize our technical service,” re
calls former lab technician Jack Zou, now
Marketing Manager for BaSF Coatings
asia Pacific. “The trick was to maintain
sufficient continuity through briefings at
the point of handover that the client didn’t
Lookingfor aspecialistKey partnership –BaSF Shanghai Coatings has been cooperating with Chinese automaker FaW since 2000. The outlook is promising.
Close partnership: Wang YuChun, Deputy General
Manager, FAW-Car (center) pre-sents one of the legendary Hongqi
models to his guests. From left: Sales and Marketing Director Walter Liu
(BASF Shanghai Coatings), Regional Marketing Manager Jack Zou (BASF Coatings Asia Pacific), FAW Account
Manager Xia Weiguo (BASF Shanghai Coatings) and Mutsuo Aoki, Group Vice President, Regional Business
Management Coatings Asia Pacific.
Coatings Partner 1/09 27
China Cooperative
pioneering technologies for enhanced ef
ficiency and ecofriendliness. The FaW
paid a visit to the BaSF Coatings tech
nology centers in Japan and Germany to
get direction on both fronts. Thus, tech
nologies like waterborne coatings or inte
grated processes are attractive options.
The outlook is promising for this partner
ship, as Wang YuChun notes: “We benefit
from having the latest finishing technol
ogies at our disposal. We see ourselves
cooperating with BaSF Coatings far down
the road.” ■
line from the 1990s. YuChun: “We again
turned to BaSF Coatings because of the
experience we had had. They are an inter
national firm of equal stature, able to pro
vide professional technical support, espe
cially when it comes to expanding plant
and production capacity.” BaSF Coatings
also won out in competition against the
former coatings manufacturer from Japan
as a finish supplier for serial production of
the Mazda 6.
Pioneering technologiesin 2006, FaW rolled out the Besturn se
dan, designed in italy. Collaboration with
BaSF Coatings was again sought to ex
pand the range of colors for the car. at the
moment, a new car factory with a coating
line is being built. The idea is to employ
Growth: FAW has built two new plants since 2003. BASF Coatings
helped design the coating lines.notice any difference in technical service
quality when the teams swapped places.”
One round of testing followed another,
first with a single vehicle, then for serial
production; first with one finish and then
with several different basecoat/clearcoat
combinations. it wasn’t long until BaSF
Shanghai received the nod to supply a
substantial portion of the serial vehicle
finishes required by FaW.
The Chinese automobile market con
tinues to grow, and FaW keeps on ex
panding. a licensing deal was signed in
2003 for production of the Mazda 6. “it
was a really big moment for us,” says
Wang YuChun, Deputy General Manager
of FaW Car. With volume increasing, pro
duction facilities were in need of upgrad
ing, which included replacing a coating ➜ www.asiapacific.basf.com, www.faw.com
28 Coatings Partner 1/09
Cooperative Italy
oncrete mixers made by le Officine
Riunite – Udine Spa (le ORU) are
utilized at major construction sites
around the world. For some time now, BaSF
Coatings Spa has been providing the mix-
ers’ characteristic mint green and cool gray
colors via the waterborne, two-component
polyurethane-based color coating systems
the company supplies, along with the nec-
essary additives. In addition to the metallic
surfaces of concrete mixers, towers, tanks,
silos, conveyors, and other mixing-related
equipment receive BaSF coatings.
le ORU is Italy’s largest manufactu-
rer of concrete batching plants, concrete
mixers, truck mixers, and pumps and a
leader in many international markets. le
ORU has been part of the multinational
IMER Group since 1999, which manufac-
tures construction machinery and exca-
vation equipment for global distribution.
By incorporating le ORU’s expertise in
concrete, the corporation can now offer
equipment for all phases of construction
with just the right logistics.
Service and teamworkthe two partners came together this
year after a thorough selection process,
centering on the criteria of service and
teamwork. “Both elements were of fun-
damental importance. From analysis and
product development in the laboratory to
Identity: Mint green, the IMER Group’s corporate color, is also their paint color for concrete mixing equipment.
➜ www.oru.it
technical sales support, we followed the
customer step by step during the devel-
opment of our business re lationship,” ex-
plains Gianfranco Corvi, BaSF Coatings’
Sales Manager Postcoatings Europe.
the BaSF coating specialists also ben-
efited in the selection process from being
the leader in wet coating technologies, as
well as by having the capability to support
the customer in all areas of surface pro-
tection. BaSF Coatings currently covers
50 percent of le ORU’s demand for coat-
ings, but sights are set higher: “Industrial
equipment is one of our biggest postcoat-
ing applications,” says luca Cerini, Post-
coatings Marketing Manager for Europe at
BaSF Coatings Italy. “We have the portfo-
lio, the service and the innovational capa-
bility to be the best supplier in this market
and for the IMER Group.” the recent part-
nership with le ORU has generated new
momentum. ■
Mixing it upBaSF Coatings has been supplying industrial coatings to Italy’s leading producer of concrete mixing systems since spring 2008.
Colleagues: Gianfranco Corvi (Sales Mana-ger Postcoatings Europe), Luca Cerini (Post-coatings Marketing Manager Europe) and Valentina Modugno (Postcoatings Marketing Europe) manage IMER Group accounts for the BASF Coatings.
Coatings Partner 1/09 29
MERCEdES GUllWInG Cooperative
Mirror, mirror on the wall, which
is the loveliest car of all? this
is the question posed, in effect,
at the annual Meadow Brook Concours
d’Elegance competition held in Roches-
ter, Michigan, USa. this past august, the
award of Excellence went to a BaSF-
owned 1957 Mercedes 300 Sl with Gull-
wing doors. the award criteria were vehicle
aesthetics, design, and style. the ‘Parade
of Elegance’ took place on the grounds of
Meadow Brook Hall, the former residence
of Matilda dodge Wilson, wife of automo-
tive pioneer John dodge. this year over
12,000 visitors attended to admire some
230 classic cars.
For the Mercedes Sl, the award of
Excellence represented the payoff for
months of hard work, the competition be-
ing the first public showing of the vehicle
following extensive restoration. the Gull-
to the quality of the system and the con-
fidence that these manufacturers have in
Glasurit paint.”
Serial production of the Gullwing
started in 1954, after débuting at the new
york auto Show. the car was nicknamed
“Gullwing” for the distinctive design of
the doors, which open skyward rather
than out to the side, making it look like
a seagull spreading its wings to fly. Mer-
cedes produced 1,400 Gullwings between
1954 and 1957, 80 percent of which were
sold to customers in the US. the vehicle
owned by BaSF was one of 76 produced
in its last year of manufacture, 1957. the
car had a number of different owners and
paintjobs prior to being purchased by
BaSF ten years ago. now that the Gull-
wing has completed participation in the
Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance, the
Mercedes 300 Sl has returned to the lob-
by of the BaSF Coatings north american
headquarters in Southfield, Michigan. ■
➜ www.basfrefinish.com
➜ www.dreamcargarage.com
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing: rare and award-winning classic car owned by BASF Coatings.
wing generated considerable media inter-
est when its restoration was documented
by a tV crew from the north american car
restoration show dream Car Garage. the
company that performed this painstaking
restoration, legendary Motorcar, used the
eco-efficient 90-line product by Glasurit®,
a BaSF Coatings brand.
Recreationthese experts relied on the extensive
Glasurit color archive to re-create an origi-
nal Mercedes paint color from 1957. “the
Glasurit 90-line waterborne basecoat sys-
tem is undoubtedly the best waterborne
system on the market today,” says Peter
Klutt, host of dream Car Garage. “the fact
that it is used in the original production of
ultra-luxury cars such as the Maybach,
the Rolls Royce, and the Bentley testifies
Restoringelegance and powerPeople love Mercedes sports cars. But an antique model restored to its original form is pure joy for the connoisseur.
30 Coatings Partner 1/09
Cooperative New GM PlaNts
New standardsenergy prices and environmental awareness are making small cars attractive. General Motors and BasF are responding jointly.
alue-for-money and gas-saving cars
are now in great demand on the
american markets, and com panies
are also adapting to meet this demand.
two current examples from Mexico and the
Usa show how the automobile industry is
responding to this trend hand-in-hand with
its suppliers.
the demand for affordable cars is
growing particularly fast in south america.
that is why the long-established brand
General Motors (GM) has been producing
the new Chevrolet aveo in Mexico since
June 2008. the cars are primarily intend-
ed for Mexico, Canada, and the south
american export markets. a new plant
has been opened especially for that pur-
pose in san luis Potosí, approx. 400
kilometers northwest of Mexico City.
BasF Coatings supported GM in the
development and construction phase
of the new plant; the investment in the
new factory amounted to a billion Us
dollars for the automobile producer.
30 vehicles can be produced in one
hour there. the plant is thus working at full
capacity only shortly after it was opened.
like Ramos arzipe and silao, san luis
Potosí is a very important GM factory in
Mexico, with considerable development
potential.
BasF Coatings is involved at
three of the four GM plants in
Mexico, making it one of
GM’s preferred sup-
pliers in Mexico.
the coatings producer provides the prim-
er, the colored basecoat, and the protec-
tive clearcoat for production of the aveo in
san luis Potosí. In addition, eleven Coat-
ings employees have been working on
Early involvement: The support BASF Coatings provided to GM extended all the way back to production process design – both in North America and for the new Chevrolet Aveo plant in Mexico (right).
Coatings Partner 1/09 31
New GM PlaNts Cooperative
■ GM TEChWorld 2008
In dialogue with decision makers From May 6 to 8, 2008, BASF took part in GM TechWorld 2008 in the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. The trade fair is an impor-tant opportunity for the BASF Group to present system solutions and innova-tions, and to discuss matters with the experts from GM.Almost 3,000 GM employees visited the BASF booths at the three-day exhibition. BASF exhibited more than 70 technologies from eight business units. Among them the Coatings divi-sion in North America, which presented its innovations in the area of poly-carbonate coatings. Polycarbonate is used as a lightweight replacement for glass in modern vehicles. This coating ensures that this material is UV- and scratch-resistant.Altogether more than fifty managers at General Motors came to the BASF exhibit. „I would like to thank all of you who helped to get this show on the road for your hard work,“ said Joe Schmondiuk, Global Account Direc-tor of BASF for its customer GM. „Our major success this year is the result of a great joint effort.“
Impressive: BASF presented 70 new technologies to the carmaker‘s managers in the course of the GM Techworld event.
site in the production plant since the fac-
tory opened. Hand-in-hand with their GM
colleagues, they ensure that the process
specifications are adhered to.
Rethinking in the USAwhile large automobiles were part of the
“american way of life” up until a few years
ago, now even here the difficult economic
environment is bringing smaller and more
economical models to the forefront. the
automobile manufacturers are responding
with new models, including GM. the new
Chevrolet traverse has been in produc-
tion since september. It is a compact sUV
with low fuel consumption. the produc-
tion plant in spring Hill, tennessee, was
re-equipped for the start of production. as
the coatings supplier, BasF also had to
adapt to the new processes at an early
stage.
the initial preparations
were already made in the
spring of 2007. BasF
Coatings tested the
new processes for
the traverse in the
company‘s own
applications cen-
ter (automotive
Research Center)
in southfield. Here the customer’s pro-
duction environment can be replicated,
enabling trials to be carried out under
real conditions. the aim was to be able
to continue to provide coatings of a con-
sistently high and reliable quality, even
under changing production conditions. In
the next stage, tests were carried out not
only according to the supplier‘s criteria,
but also according to the specifications of
the automotive group. then, groups from
GM and from BasF tested the same pro-
cesses as well. During this period, teams
from both companies spray-painted over
3,000 test panels.
at various points in the year, 24 em-
ployees from BasF Coatings were trained
for touch-up work on the coating line. “In
these training sessions the employees
learned how to prepare the surfaces, or
even how to improve the glossy finish af-
ter repair. these factors support the em-
ployees in the daily process monitoring of
the coating line,” says anthony wooten of
BasF‘s technical service in southfield,
who carried out the training courses. In
the summer before the official start of se-
ries production in spring Hill, over 1,200
car bodies were painted in colors such as
Olympic white, switchblade silver, and
Cyber Gray. thanks to the joint prepara-
tions, series production of the traverse
started on schedule in the first week of
september. ■
Chevrolet Traverse: GM also employs the expertise
of BASF Coatings for the coating of its compact SUV.
Chevrolet Aveo: It exemplifies the trend
toward the small car – GM can produce up to 300
a day in Mexico.
➜ www.basfccmexico.com
➜ www.basf.com/usa, www.gm.com
Staying close to customersBASF Coatings has been a partner of Russian steel producers for ten years now. Partnerships with automobile manufacturers have evolved into an important business as well, leading to the opening of a dedicated plant in that country.
RuSSiA Global
ussian carmaker AvtoVAZ, which
manufactures the Lada at its Togli-
atti plant, was the first customer to
receive shipments of basecoat since pro-
duction kicked off in June 2008. Delivery
from the nearby plant was rapid, which
was indeed the purpose for investing in the
new production facility. BASF Coatings is
now the first global coatings producer to
have a plant in Russia, allowing optimal on-
the-ground response to customer needs.
Designed in a modern, industrial, ar-
chitectural style, the new production site
is located on an industrial estate in the
town of Pavlovski Posad, roughly 60 ki-
lometers east of Moscow. The plant is
one of the most cutting-edge facilities of
its kind in Europe, incorporating tried and
tested processes and production tech-
niques that conform to stringent environ-
mental standards. Having this presence
makes it possible to give customers direct
application technology support and labo-
ratory services.
BASF Coatings will be producing
roughly 6,000 tons annually of automo-
tive OEM finish (base- and clear-coat)
at the Pavlovski Posad plant, with capac-
ity for up to 20,000 tons given sufficient
demand. About 50 employees, spread
across production, the quality control lab,
obtain iSO 9001:2000 certification. “This
gives a clear message to our partners that
they can depend on the quality produc-
tion at Pavlovski Posad,” says Plant Man-
ager Stanislav Zabnev. Besides AvtoVaZ,
customers include the GaZ Group, based
in Nizhny Novgorod, one of Russia’s big-
gest carmakers, the General Motors op-
eration in Togliatti, Ford in St. Petersburg,
and Renault-Avtoframos in Moscow, soon
to be joined by VW in Kaluga and Nissan
and GM in St. Petersburg. The plant also
underwent and passed separate site ap-
proval audits to become a supplier of Nis-
san and Renault.
The prospects for the new plant are
promising, especially since the Russian
market continues to enjoy positive growth
despite the worldwide financial crisis. Rus-
sia is one of the world’s four largest growth
markets, expected to become Europe’s
second biggest national economy. Auto-
mobile manufacturing be longs to Russia’s
growing industries – in the first half of 2008
the number of new car registrations even
exceeded that of Europe’s traditional lead-
er, Germany. “Before long all major au-
Coatings Partner 1/09 33
Pride: The Pavlovski Posad team has shipped its first order of basecoat to its customer AvtoVAZ.
the warehouse, the service center, and
administration, ensure smooth operations
and high quality.
Certified qualityThese efforts are already paying off, as an
extended third-party inspection certified
that the plant meets the exact product
and process requirements of the automo-
tive industry. Having thus passed the DQS
audit for compliance with auto industry
standard, TS 16949, the plant went on to
Up-to-date: Modern production techniques are employed that adhere to high environmental standards.
›
34 Coatings Partner 1/09
Global RuSSiA
tomakers and Asian OEMs will be operat-
ing in Russia, as many already are,” affirms
Juan G. Ximénez-Carrillo Gerber, Head of
Automotive OEM Coating Solutions Eu-
rope at BASF Coatings. “The new plant
puts us in an excellent position to meet
the needs of a growing number of cus-
tomers as a key player in the Russian
automotive market.”
Coil coatingsOur confidence is based upon intimate
familiarity with today’s commercial and
economic environment, and extensive
prior experience in the Russian market.
BASF Coatings has been active here
since the days of perestroika. Alongside
Automotive OEM Coatings Solutions, the
industrial Coatings Solutions unit also has
key relationships in Russia, including the
country’s three largest steel firms, Mag-
nitogorsk Metallkombinat (MMK), Novoli-
petsk iron and Steel Corporation (NLMK)
and Severstal. in 1991, BASF Coatings
helped NLMK ramp up its first coil coat-
ing facility and provided consulting for
the second one, built in Magnitogorsk in
2004. And since 2001, a Pevicoat facility
in Novolipetsk has ensured local custom-
ers their supply of coil coatings with the
same speed and flexibility the Pavlovski
Posad plant will now be able to provide
for automotive OEM coatings. ■
➜ www.basf-coatings.com
■ New aGreemeNt
BASF Coatings finishes and services coming to BelarusBASF Coatings has signed a distri-bution agreement with Belarusian importer and dealer Sagbel. The Minsk-based company will sell BASF Coatings paints, such as cathodic e-coats and liquid coatings, in Belarus. The cooperation will focus on sup-plying the automotive industry and its suppliers. The agreement also provides for market probes, research-ing and examining bids, as well as post-delivery technical service at the customers’ sites. The basecoats can be supplied from the new BASF Coat-ings’ production site in Pavloski Posad, Russia. For Knut Hoffmann, Account Management Automotive Supplier Met-al/Wood Europe, the new business re-lationship constitutes another key ele-ment for opening the growth market of Eastern Europe. “Our presence in
this region with our quality products and the competence of our partner provide us with excellent opportunities to make our customers even more successful,” Hoffmann said. The Eastern European region offers outstanding possibilities for growth, and BASF Coatings is system-atically expanding its presence there. For Sagbel, represented at the official sign-ing by Alexandr Nevmerjitski (General Director), Dmitri Nevmerjitski (Executive Director) and Sergey Bakhrushin (Deputy General Manager), the established part-nership is both a commitment and an incentive. “We will help BASF Coatings to noticeably improve its position on the market in Belarus.”
moving forward: Sagbel and BASF Coatings sign the deal.
ready to go: Coating components don’t have to
wait long in storage until processing.
➜ www.en.sagbel.by
SOuTH AMERiCA Global
Pioneering spiritBASF is celebrating three anniversaries in South America – the founding of the Brazil R&D center 30 years ago, the start of coatings production in Argentina 20 years ago, and the introduction of waterborne finishes for serial car manufacturing in the hemisphere ten years ago.
ASF is an established partner in
South America in the automobile
industry and in construction, thanks
to such pioneering moves as establish-
ing the continent’s first waterborne finish
plant in Demarchi site/Brazil. Since start-
up in 1998, the plant has produced over
eight tons of finish for the automotive in-
dustry, including carmakers like Mercedes-
Benz, Peugeot, and Audi, who all utilize
low-VOC finishes for environmental rea-
sons. “We have accomplished a lot,” says
Marcelo Leonessa, Head of Production
for the Brazil/Argentina region. “Successful
investments, modern production facilities,
high process re liability, and a good team
of personnel: that’s reason enough to cel-
ebrate every day.”
Meanwhile in Tortuguitas, Argentina,
the company is now celebrating 20 years
of coatings and building paint production.
in parallel to the celebration, BASF South
America is building a prototype ‘green-
building’ house, the first ever on the conti-
nent. Construction kicked off at the end of
October 2008 with a cornerstone ceremony
attended by Rui Goerck, Vice President
BASF Coatings in South America.
This 185-square-meter house is a land-
mark project presenting the entire range of
construction products and techniques of-
fered by the regional construction industry
for energy-efficient and pro-environment
building. The project highlights the environ-
mental and economic benefits of thermal
insulation, in connection with ‘green build-
ing’ product solutions and construction
systems offered in the BASF portfolio. The
prototype house is also intended to provide
impetus to legislation for energy-efficient
buildings. The eco-house is scheduled for
completion in 2009.
Focus on researchThe BASF Demarchi Research and Devel-
opment Center, located in São Bernardo
do Campo, Brazil, is celebrating its 30th
birthday. Numerous key innovations were
created here, including the odor-free acryl-
ic paints and water-borne enamels for Su-
vinil®, BASF Coatings’ building paint brand.
The automotive industry has also benefited
■ LeeD CertifiCatoN
Green is more than a color BASF is systematically investing in eco-friendly processes and products – and receiving re-cognition for its efforts. The latest example is Suvinil®, BASF Coatings’ Latin American decorative paint brand. At the FIESP Social and Environmental Responsibility System trade show, held last August in São Paulo, the com-
pany received the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) certification, a globally recognized standard established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Suvinil thus becomes Brazil’s first paint manufacturer able to offer certified products for ‘green’ construction projects. Climate-friendly produc-tion and environmentally friendly ingredients without loss of quality to the consumer played a major role in Suvinil’s entering the circle of LEED-certified manufacturers. “Suvinil paints
from developments such as colored, di-
lutable base coat finishes, and anti-corro-
sion e-coatings. “We are all proud of the
cutting-edge facilities we have built up since
the original groundbreaking ceremony,”
says Color Lab Manager Wilson Carlos de
Souza. “Our researchers have set trends
and created market-dominating products
over the years.” Today the BASF location
operates 26 labs; 19 of which are for re-
search and product development, and
seven for quality control. The Center’s staff
of 130 is dedicated to developing new
products with the same pioneering spirit
as when it all started 30 years ago. ■
already met all of the requirements for environmentally compatible build-
ing, so we didn’t make any changes to obtain certification,” underscores Fran-
cisco Verza, who heads the BASF building paints unit. The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable building. The organization launched the LEED certification program in 2000 as a means of establishing standards for resource-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.
➜ www.basf.com.br
➜ www.basf.com.ar
➜ www.suvinil.com.br, www.usgbc.org
working on innovation: BASF’s Demarchi Research and Development Center in Brazil.
Coatings Partner 1/09 35
B
36 Coatings Partner 1/09
Mighty redThe São Paulo Museum of Art is Brazil’s most prestigious art museum. Suvinil® provided special paint for the recent renovation.
Coatings Partner 1/09 37
BRAZil Global
alking along the long boulevard
of the Avenida Paulista, the strik
ing red façade of the São Paulo
Museum of Art (MASP) catches the eye.
indeed, the museum indeed deserves of
extra attention, as it not only houses latin
America’s most significant art collection
but is itself a monument of Brazilian mod
part of its sponsorship as museum patron.
“There was no question for us that we
would contribute to the renovation,” says
Eugênio luporini Neto, Marketing Manager
for Suvinil. “The preservation of historically
and culturally significant buildings is a key
part of BASF’s social mission in Brazil.”
Major attractionOver the last five years the MASP has un
dergone substantial modernization in the
areas of systems technology and museum
pedagogy, in addition to the renovation of
the building itself. latin America’s best
collection of Western art can now be ex
hibited in an appropriately sophisticated
and contemporary setting, renewing the
attraction of an innovative cultural center
that has always been a major attraction for
tourism. The MASP’s collection features
paintings and sculptures from the 14th
century to the present, including works by
Renoir, Van Gogh, Matisse, Debret, Picas
so, Miró, or Di Cavalcanti. The museum’s
yearround program includes public read
ings, concerts, and lectures, rounded out
by periodic special exhibitions. And the
2,100 square meter space beneath the
hanging museum is once again open to
the public for antique flea markets, open
air concerts, or simply strolling in the
shade of the mighty red pillars. ■
ern architecture. Built between 1956 and
1968, it is a product of the artistic milieu of
its time, when architects such as the Brazil
ian Oscar Niemeyer were designing stately
buildings for the capital city of Brasilia.
The museum design – developed by ital
ian architect lina Bo Bardi, wife of one of
the museum’s two founders – is still one
ofakind. The museum building, an elon
gated box made mostly of glass, appears
more to float than to stand, suspended
by two massive steel frames shaped like
facedown angular brackets. To enter the
museum, visitors must first pass under it
and then climb a flight of stairs. in 1968,
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth ii herself attend
ed the opening ceremony for this extraor
dinary building.
Red MASPThe color boldly highlighting the mighty
steel structure that defines the museum’s
architectural significance is called Red
MASP. This red paint was specially devel
oped by Suvinil for the museum’s renova
tion. Operating under the Suvinil brand,
BASF Coatings has been the market lead
er in Brazil for many years. Red MASP is
a waterbased paint that is environmen
tally compliant, quickdrying, odorfree
and weatherresistant. More than 1,700
liters were applied to the outer façade and
building interior between April and June
of this year. Suvinil provided the paint as
Hanging cube: The Museum of Art in São Paulo is one of Brazil’s foremost works of 20th century modern architecture.
Suvinil: This BASF Coatings brand is the market leader in Brazil.
➜ www.suvinil.com.br
➜ http://masp.uol.com.br
BASF Coatings WorldWide
38 Coatings Partner 2/08
■ CoAtingS SolutionS
AUTOMOTIVE OEM COATINGS In the field of automotive OEM coat-ings, BASF Coatings is one of the top three global leaders. We offer eco-efficient technologies and a broad range of competence in e-coats, primers, basecoats and topcoats. We are a trusted partner with all of the world’s major automobile manufacturers in terms of corrosion protection, color competence, and scratch-resistant coatings. Working in close partnership with our custom-ers is one of the key factors behind our success. Jointly, we develop innovative coating processes, and our applications engineers are highly integrated into our customers’ production lines.
AUTOMOTIVE REFINISH COATINGS In the automotive refinish sector, BASF Coatings develops and markets prod-ucts for a comprehensive portfolio of coating systems. Our specific focus is on eco-efficient waterbased and high-solids coatings with low solvent content. The automotive refinish coatings supplied by BASF Coatings have the approval of most leading automotive manufacturers for use in their authorized bodyshops. The auto-mobile manufactures prefer BASF auto-motive refinish coatings because of their high color accuracy. BASF Coatings uses the Glasurit® and R-M® brands to support its customers with a comprehensive portfolio of refinishing paint systems. The Salcomix® brand also offers a solution for smaller-scale, flexible industrial coating.
Another focus for BASF Coatings is cus-tom built coatings solutions for transport/commercial vehicles. By being the world’s largest chemical company, BASF is able to provide coatings solutions for both the original equipment and aftermarket needs of all commercial vehicle segments.
INDUSTRIAL COATINGS BASF has a strong focus on coil coatings (for application to steel and aluminum bands), foil coatings (for finish foils), and coatings for various applications. They are ranging from use in the furniture and construction industries, to the coating of household appliances, Venetian blinds, ships, and wind turbines.
ARCHITECTURAL COATINGS Under the Suvinil® brand, BASF Coatings has been the market leader in Brazil for many years. Suvinil is one of the world`s most successful architectural coatings brands offering unparalleled quality. Our Suvinil team provides excellent service to the industry, and the production and processing of our Suvinil products are very environmentally-friendly. The integration of the RELIUS Group in 2007, has allowed BASF Coatings in Europe to include construction paints in its already broad portfolio of coat-ings products. The RELIUS product line include façade and interior paints, render systems, as well as floor coatings and ex-ternal wall insulation systems. Varnishes and glazes round out the portfolio.
How do you like the new Coatings Partner? Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected].
We bring color to lifeBASF Coatings is an operating division of BASF – the world’s leading chemical company. Worldwide, we help our customers to be more successful through intelligent system solutions and high-quality products.
imPrint
Publisher: BASF Coatings AG P.O. box 6123, 48136 Münster, Germany Tel. +49 2501 14-3399, Fax +49 2501 14-3750 www.basf-coatings.com
Managing editor: Dr. Martin Rissmann (responsible under press law)
Project manager: Susanne Focken
Contributing Editors: Richard Amberger, Dirk Bremm, Julia Brinker, Beatriz Cesar, Dr. Michael Golek, Anne Heimes-Scheller, Noe Koumo, Susan Jaszkowski, Serena Maretti, Ayumi Mizutani, Jörg Schneider, Nadine Sieren, Chris Wilson
Publishing company: corps. Corporate Publishing Services GmbH, Kasernenstrasse 69, 40213 Düsseldorf, Germany
Managing editors: Wilfried Lülsdorf, Michael Schmid
Project manager: Christiane Reiners
Picture editors: Barbara Brower-Rabinowitsch (managing), Achim Meissner
Art direction & Design: Dirk Bartos, Andreas Kersten, Sandra Sodemann BartosKersten Printmediendesign, Hamburg, Germany
Translation: 24translate GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Pictures: Paul Souders/Getty Images (cover); Vermot AG (page 8 below); Fred Urbanke (pages 3, 14-15); Dirk Vogel (pages 4/5, 22-23); sinopictures/Readfoto (pages 24/25); Sony (page 25); GM Corp. (pages 30-31); N. Emmerson/Robert Harding World Imagery/Corbis (page 32); Ed Viggiani/Getty Images (pages 5, 36/37); all other photos: BASF
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Coatings Partner 2/08 39
WorldWide BASF Coatings
■ mAjor SiteS euroPe:France (Clermont de l‘Oise) germany (Memmingen, Münster, Oldenburg, Schwarz-heide, Würzburg) great Britain (Deeside) italy (Burago di Molgora, Verbania) netherlands (Deurne) russia (Pavloski Posad)Spain (Guadalajara) turkey (Gebze)
AFriCA:South Africa (Vanderbijlpark)
AmeriCA:Argentina (Tortuguitas) Brazil (São Bernardo do Campo, Jaboatão) Canada (Windsor) mexico (Tultitlán) uSA (Belvidere, Greenville, Southfield, Whitehouse)
ASiA PACiFiC:Australia (Wetherill Park / Sydney)China (Shanghai)india (Mangalore) japan (Totsuka, Ako)Philippines (Canlubang / Laguna)
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A passion for coatingsCoatings by BASF protect surfaces and give
them color and luster. For automotive OEM
coatings, automotive refinish coatings, industrial
coatings and decorative paints our customers
rely on our ability to provide intelligent solutions
that will improve their products. Whether it is
research and development or production and
service – you can depend on BASF Coatings
worldwide.
BASF Coatings AG
+49 2501 14-0
www.basf-coatings.com
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Coatings Solutions
The Chemical Company