Akzo Nobel completes post-acquisition integration of Powder Coatings and sets platform for continuing growth
Akzo Nobel completes post-acquisition integration of Powder Coatings and sets platform for continuing growth Arnhem, the Netherlands, March 29, 2001 - Akzo Nobel announced today, the successful completion of its worldwide integration programme for powder coatings. The measures the company has taken will increase customer focus, and facilitate faster delivery of its unique powder technologies, products and services to powder coatings users worldwide. Following Akzo Nobel's acquisition of Courtaulds in July 1998, there has been an intensive period of integrating and rationalising two significant international powder coatings businesses involving 25 factories on 5 continents as well as a multiplicity of business and product brands. What has emerged is a much stronger fully integrated unit, a true world leader, operating under a single business brand - Interpon Powder Coatings - and a global business which is better positioned to serve the needs of its diverse range of customers across the world. Rudy van der Meer, Akzo Nobel's Board Member responsible for Coatings said: "Our Powder Coatings business is very much a key to our worldwide plans in Coatings. Powder Coatings is forecast to continue as one of the fastest growing coatings sectors, and our market leadership and global spread , exemplified by our nine factories in the Asia Pacific region, provide a solid platform for continuing growth." Bill McPherson, General Manager of Powder Coatings, explained: "We market two global powder product brands - Interpon for the architectural, automotive, appliance and industrial finishing markets, and Resicoat for the Functional markets of electrical insulation, valves and pipe fittings and steel rebar. A coherent manufacturing and commercial strategy has been developed which focuses of the more effective use of our powder sites across the world to improve flexibility and response time to the benefit of our customers." "Notable achievements of the integration have been the opening of a new 10,000 tonne factory in Turkey; the creation of the most modern powder factory in the world in Sweden manufacturing solely the patented Interpon Express products; and the rationalization of a complex position of 4 factories under 3 different joint ventures into a coherent Chinese business. This means we can now serve our customers better and faster, wherever they are and whatever are their needs." "The timing of completion of our integration fits well with the activities of our global customers as they expand their own international operations", he added. "Through our central Worldwide Powder Group we can swiftly transfer Best Practices in products, technologies, marketing, IT, manufacturing and quality management and replicate on an international basis every one of the benefits we may have succeeded in delivering to our customer's local businesses." Note for the editor Akzo Nobel, based in the Netherlands, serves customers throughout the world with healthcare products, coatings and chemicals. Consolidated sales for 2000 totaled EUR 14 billion (USD 13 billion, GBP 8.5 billion). The Company employs approximately 68,000 people in 75 countries. Financial results for the first quarter of 2001 will be announced on April 25, 2001. Akzo Nobel is the largest global manufacturer of powder coatings and is the world leader in powder technology, with worldwide patents held in key areas of powder product and process technology. The unique Interpon Particle Management Technology has cut applied-costs and brought significant quality benefits to powder users across a wide range of end uses world-wide. Internet:http://www.akzonobel.com http://www.interpon.com http://www.resicoat.com For more information please contact: Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings, Dr. Dick Higgins: Tel + 44 191 401 2480 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/03/29/20010329BIT00720/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/03/29/20010329BIT00720/bit0001.pdf