Liquid and powder coating supplier Axalta Coating Systems added two basecoats to its product line to provide vehicles such as RVs with what the company stated is quality and durability.
Imron Elite ColorPLUS is a new product made specifically to create RV paint schemes, which often require multiple consecutively layered colors to achieve certain designs, said Marko Stukelj, the company’s global product engineering director for commercial vehicles.
Axalta’s second addition, the Imron Elite Direct-to-Plastic basecoat, applies color directly with no scuffing or repainting and a quick drying time. The product provides a smooth application and flake control, Stukelj stated, and is available in solid, metallic, pearlescent and special-effect colors.
“Both of these product extensions are aimed at helping our customers produce world class products while meeting cost, quality and cycle-time targets,” company VP of Commercial Transportation Coatings Hadi Awada said.
An Axalta case study found that the new, glossy-finish ColorPLUS product uses 25 percent to 30 percent less material than competitive products. The company’s RV system was developed with sustainability in mind, Stukelj said, aligning with a trend to reduce paint consumption and total cycle time by 30 percent.
“The Axalta system provides a fully functional, industry-leading technology that helps manufacturers achieve the durability and appearance requirements in the RV market to meet the high expectations of the end consumers,” Stukelj said.
“Formulated with maximum robustness that works well with today’s RV painting process, and coupled with cutting-edge technology, the Axalta RV system delivers a superb color and appearance that is radar- and lidar-compatible,” he said.
Axalta released its annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report in December, which found that automakers produced 81 percent of vehicles in neutral shades such as white, black and silver. The company’s 2021 Global Automotive Color of the Year is “ElectroLight,” a yellow-green hue Axalta forecasts will change the market.
