Manufacturer of automotive OEM, refinish and industrial coatings with a German plant in Wuppertal
Axalta Coating Systems Germany GmbH
Wuppertal · Cologne · Basel (EMEA HQ) · Philadelphia (Global HQ)New on Amplifa
About Axalta
Axalta Coating Systems is a globally active manufacturer of coating systems headquartered in Philadelphia (USA), originating from the company Herberts founded in 1866 in Unterbarmen. The company develops and produces liquid coatings, powder coatings, electrocoat and insulation coatings for the vehicle OEM, refinish, truck and bus sectors as well as industrial applications such as pipelines, rail vehicles, agricultural and construction machinery, electrical steel and wood. In Germany, it has locations in Wuppertal (Christbusch 25) and Cologne; the two Wuppertal plants employ around 2,500 staff on approx. 270,000 m² of floor space. Well-known brands include Standox, Spies Hecker, Cromax, Imron, Alesta and Voltatex. Axalta supplies more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries and operates 50 production facilities, four global technology centers and over 30 laboratories. In 2025/2026 the merger with AkzoNobel was announced (planned name Axanzo).
- Site
- Wuppertal
- Processes
- Painting surface preparation, undercoats, basecoats, clearcoats (refinish), Basecoats, clearcoats, primers, electrocoat, powder coating (Mobility), Industrial liquid coating, Electrocoat (E-Coat), Powder coating (Alesta), Digital Paint Application (NextJet), Electrical insulation coating (Voltatex, electrical machines), Pipeline coating (Nap-Gard powder coating, oil & gas)
- Materials
- Standox (Vehicle Refinishing), Spies Hecker, Cromax (Waterborne Refinish Basecoat), Imron (Polyurethane Enamel), Alesta (Powder Coating), Voltatex (Insulation Coating), Dulux (Alkyd Enamel), Duco (Nitrocellulose Lacquer)
- Certificates
- Global Innovation Center
- Founded
- 1866
- Employees
- approx. 13,000
- Industries
- Automotive refinish paints (Refinish & Aftermarket), Light Vehicle OEM, Commercial Vehicles (trucks, buses, RV, marine, rail), Industrial: electrical systems, oil and gas pipelines, wood, Commercial Vehicles (trucks, buses, RV, powersports, trailers, aviation,
- 01
Development and color research (laboratories, Global Innovation Center)
- 02
Manufacture of the coating systems
- 03
Color management and shade measurement (Irus)
- 04
Application design and process optimization (Axalta Advantage)
- 05
Distribution and training (Refinish Academies)
Products and Technologies
Standox
Brand system for vehicle refinishing with origins in the founding year 1866.
Spies Hecker
Refinish paint brand, among others supplier of the paint finish for Mercedes AMG F1.
Cromax
Waterborne refinish basecoat with improved appearance and reduced VOC levels.
Imron
Polyurethane enamel for commercial vehicle manufacturers since 1970.
Alesta
Powder coating for decorative and functional surfaces, introduced in 1980.
Voltatex
Insulation coating for electrical machines with rapid curing.
AquaEC
Electrocoat system for corrosion protection of body and steel structural parts.
Nap-Gard
Powder coating for oil and gas pipelines.
Locations
Wuppertal
DEAxalta Coating Systems Germany GmbH, Christbusch 25 plant; second plant in Hatzfeld (Märkische Straße/Flanhard), approx.
- Materials
- Liquid coatings, powder coatings
Cologne
DELocation Horbeller Straße 15
Basel
CHEurope Headquarters (EMEA)
Philadelphia
USGlobal Headquarters and Global Innovation Center (175,000 sq ft, Philadelphia Navy Yard)
- Global Innovation Center
Glen Mills
USNorth America Headquarters
Shanghai
CNChina Headquarters; waterborne coating production facility
- Materials
- Waterborne coatings
Singapore
SGAsia Pacific Headquarters (excluding China)
Tlalnepantla de Baz
MXLatin America Headquarters
Guarulhos (SP)
BRAxalta Coating Systems Brazil LTDA
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Painting surface preparation, undercoats, basecoats, clearcoats (refinish)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Plastic |
| Basecoats, clearcoats, primers, electrocoat, powder coating (Mobility)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminum |
| Industrial liquid coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminum, Plastic, Wood |
| Electrocoat (E-Coat)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Powder coating (Alesta)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminum |
| Digital Paint Application (NextJet)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Electrical insulation coating (Voltatex, electrical machines)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel, Copper |
| Pipeline coating (Nap-Gard powder coating, oil & gas)Surface | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Wood coating (Industrial Wood Coatings)Surface | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Weathering, testing and consulting services (Weathering, Testing, Consulting)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Color management, shade measurement and color mixing (Irus: Scan, Match, Mix)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Application design, process improvement, cost and CO2 modeling (Axalta Advantage)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Training and instruction in coating technology (Refinish Academies)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrophotometer | Axalta Acquire Plus EFX / Irus Scan | – | – | – | – |
| Colorimeter | Axalta ColorMaster | – | – | – | – |
| Fully automatic color mixing machine | Axalta Irus Mix | – | – | 2023 | – |
| Digital paint spray technology (Digital Paint) | Axalta / Xaar NextJet | – | – | 2023 | – |
| Pilot reactor | – | 1 | – | – | Coatings Technology Center (CTC), Wilmington, Delaware |
| Mixing machine (Tinting System) | Axalta (predecessor) | – | – | 1935 | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Color Systems
Axalta operates more than 30 laboratories and four global technology centers; color measurement and management are performed digitally via spectrophotometers (Acquire Plus EFX, Irus Scan), ColorMaster colorimeters and the automated mixing system Irus Mix. Weathering, testing and consulting services complement quality assurance.
| Evidence | Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| Global Innovation Center |
History
- 1866
Foundation of Herberts by Otto Louis Herberts in Unterbarmen, production of Standox paint products
- 1882
Foundation of Spies Hecker with initial locations in London and Cologne
- 1924
Merger of Kurt Herberts' paint company with Herberts
- 1955
Introduction of the automotive paint Standox
- 1970
Introduction of Imron polyurethane enamel
- 1980
Market launch of Alesta powder coating
- 1999
Herberts merges with DuPont Automotive Finishes to form DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC)
- 2012
DuPont sells DPC for USD 4.9 billion to The Carlyle Group
- 2013
Axalta Coating Systems established as an independent company
- 2014
IPO on the NYSE (AXTA) on November 12
- 2016
150 years in the coatings business; acquisitions including Dura Coat Products
- 2017
Entry into the industrial wood coatings business through the acquisition of Valspar North America
- 2018
Opening of the Global Innovation Center in Philadelphia (175,000 sq ft)
- 2021
Acquisition of U-POL
- 2023
Introduction of Irus Mix and the digital paint spray technology NextJet (with Xaar)
- 2024
Acquisition of The CoverFlexx Group; opening of the global headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard
- 2025
Announcement of the merger with AkzoNobel (planned name Axanzo, closing expected late 2026/early 2027)