Upgrades to production, infrastructure and technology have been made at three of AkzoNobel N.V.‘s (Amsterdam) Powder Coatings sites in North America as part of a $60 million investment.
The company’s facilities in Reading, Pennsylvania; Warsaw, Indiana; and Monterrey, Mexico, have been improved to strengthen advanced manufacturing, expand domestic production capabilities and reinforce the regional supply chain for customers.
By increasing capacity, the company will boost local production for advanced powder coating technologies used across a wide range of applications in the automotive, commercial vehicle and industrial markets. The investment will also support next-generation mobility, battery systems, energy storage technologies and other emerging manufacturing markets.
“Manufacturing continues to evolve rapidly, and our customers expect partners who are investing alongside them,” says Jeff Jirak, Managing Director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business and member of the company’s Executive Committee.
“This investment strengthens our North American manufacturing network, expands our advanced production capabilities and reinforces our long-term commitment to helping customers innovate, improve supply chain resilience and bring high-performance products to market.”
The investment has involved the continued transformation of AkzoNobel’s Reading, Pennsylvania, facility, which currently manufactures around 45% of the company’s North American powder coating batches. Improvements at the site have included the addition of three new production lines, advanced bonding technology and automated process controls. At the Warsaw, Indiana, site, capacity has been increased by 30% and the workforce has grown by 10%, while in Monterrey, Mexico, a new acrylics facility has been constructed.
The company is also continuing to invest in workforce development through advanced manufacturing training and technical upskilling focused on operating next-generation manufacturing technologies.