MOSCOW (MRC) -- Daimler AG has signed an agreement with AkzoNobel Performance Coatings making the company one of the approved suppliers of vehicle refinishes to Daimler dealerships and approved bodyshops worldwide, reported the company on its site.
The contract covers the supply and support of AkzoNobel's Sikkens brand to the company's dealership network including Mercedes-Benz, Smart, and Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles.
"We are delighted to have been approved as a global supplier for one of the world’s leading automotive companies," said Jorg Anders, a Key Account Manager in AkzoNobel's Vehicle Refinishes business. "The deal reflects the industry’s trust in our products and services, our strength in product innovation and color matching, and in particular the range of services and support that we offer our customers."
The approval was achieved after extensive analysis and tests of Sikkens products and a thorough investigation of industrial and business processes run at AkzoNobel, which demonstrated compliance with the highest automotive industry standards.
Daimler said the partnership with AkzoNobel will support the company's growth plans in the worldwide body and paint business.
Simon Parker, Managing Director of AkzoNobel's Vehicle Refinishes business added: "This is a very significant partnership with a leading global manufacturer. We were able to achieve this because of our truly global supply position, along with our strength and depth in innovation, color and peerless customer service."
As MRC wrote previously, in early November, AkzoNobel started operations at its state-of-the-art vehicle refinishes plant in Changzhou, China - the company's 30th manufacturing facility in the country. The new factory adds around 25 million liters of capacity for Sikkens, Lesonal and Prime vehicle refinishes products and strengthens AkzoNobel’s position as one of the leading players in China's vehicle refinishes and commercial vehicle OEM markets, building on its acquisition of Changzhou Prime Automotive Ltd. in 2010.
Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. AkzoNobel currently employs more than 8,000 people in China. Revenues totaled EUR1.6 billion in 2013, with the majority being generated from local demand.
MRC