18 | AutoPartsAsia | OCTOBER 2017
Q: What will be the special
formulations that the new centre
will develop?
Sethi: The new centre will develop
and modify products with regard to
our OEM customer line conditions
in India. Such fine-tuning will help
our customers achieve seamless
integration of our products on their
production line. For this purpose,
we have also installed a semi-tech
applicator at our new Technical
Centre.
Q: What is the investment that has
gone in to the setting up of the
technical centre?
Sethi: While we cannot share specific
numbers, we decided to expand our
technology footprint in India to enable
us to respond quickly to customer
needs and do so with a detailed
understanding of
their unique needs
in the market.
While we do
have technology
resources around
the world, a
dedicated resource
in India will position
us well for long-
term growth in the
market.
Q: India is
leapfrogging to
Euro 6 directly
from Euro 4 in
three years. This
is happening
across segments.
What is Axalta’s
contribution
to contain Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOC)?
Sethi: As the market leader in the
refinish segment, we have been
responding to both customer and
regulatory calls for coatings that can
support environmental sustainability
goals and specifically lower VOC
levels. We initially introduced our
waterborne coatings under the
Standohyd brand, and most recently
launched our third generation Cromax
Pro water-based systems.
We have converted approximately 150
body shops in India to water-based
systems. These are the same water-
based, low VOC products available to
the European and the US-based auto
manufacturers. We are ready to offer
water-based coating systems to the
OEM market when the need arises.
Q: Would you be introducing
baked primer system / baked
layer in India, as it gives better
uniformity?Sethi: Most of the OEMs are changing
to high solid 3-wet systems. We have
this technology well established in
other countries and we will also begin
to offer it to our customers in India.
The technology has the advantage
of being able to reduce VOC levels
while still relying on solvent-based
formulas and doesn’t require OEMs to
redesign – or build new – plants that
are designed for water-based systems.Q: Axalta has been working on a
consolidated process that lowers
overall baked temperatures
(perhaps from 285 degrees to 200
degrees C) ultimately conserving
energy? Do you see scope for this
technology in India?Snyder: Axalta has a pipeline of new
technology and product developments
under way. In each case these new
systems are designed to meet a
specific set of market and customer
needs. We commit significant effort to
build the next-generation products that
require less energy and less time. Low
temperature or ambient temperature
flash systems are part of this.A number of our next-generation
products that can be used in our
Harmonised Coating Technologies
systems products are formulated to
cure at much lower temperatures;
some as low as approximately 140
degrees Centigrade.As customers in India evolve in their
demands and upgrade paint shops
and create a need for these kinds of
systems, the technical team in thenew technology centre has access
to global expertise and solutions that
they can tailor and bring to customers
across India.Q: Globally, Axalta focuses on
light vehicles and heavy-duty
vehicles like trucks, rail, bus and
recreational vehicles. How is it in
India now, how will it be in future,
say in the next five years?
Sethi: In India, our primary focus in
the past has been Refinish. We also
have presence in passenger vehicles,
bus and rail segments. As we build
our capability to manufacture different
products with different technologies
needed for both light and heavy duty
vehicles, we will expand our presence
in these segments.Q: In the industrial market you are
the number two global supplier.
What has been
your experience
in India?Sethi: We have
been well received
as a coatings
supplier in the
industrial segment,
supplying brands
such as Voltatex®,
Alesta®, Abcite®
to industrial
OEMs. We also
provide coatings
to the fan industry,
safety locker
manufacturers,
and helmet
manufacturers
among others.Q: What are your
short-term and long-term plans?
Sethi: Axalta is committed to
being a market leader in the
Indian coating industry. We have
consistently invested in enhancing our
manufacturing and service capacities
to achieve sustainable growth and
support our customers’ success. In
addition to our technology centre, we
are also expanding our manufacturing
capabilities to double our production
volumes. Our expanded capacity will
enable us to manufacture the latest
generation waterborne coatings which
can be introduced into the Indian
market in the near future. We are also
continually developing innovative
products to help our customers
improve productivity and energy
efficiency, and meet environmental
sustainability goals through low VOC
emissions.Axalta’s new Technology Centre