AKZO NOBEL CAR REFINISHES BV

Their core work

AkzoNobel Car Refinishes is a division of AkzoNobel, one of the world's largest coatings manufacturers, specializing in protective and decorative coatings for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications. In H2020, they focus on developing sustainable, high-performance coatings — particularly anti-corrosion solutions for aircraft structures and lightweight alloys. They bring deep industrial expertise in coating formulation, application processes, and accelerated testing to EU research consortia. Their work bridges materials science and real-world manufacturing, translating lab-scale coating innovations into production-ready solutions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2014–2018) centered on traditional aerospace coatings — contributing industrial coating expertise to Clean Sky airframe projects and launching their own coordinated project on sustainable corrosion protection. From 2020 onward, their focus shifted toward digitalization and AI-driven coating design, joining VIPCOAT's virtual platform for modeling and optimizing active protective coatings. This signals a clear move from purely chemistry-driven R&D toward data-driven, simulation-assisted coating development.

AkzoNobel Car Refinishes is transitioning from traditional coating chemistry toward digitalized, AI-assisted coating design — making them an increasingly valuable partner for projects combining materials science with digital twins or predictive modeling.

How they like to work

Primarily a participant (4 of 5 projects), contributing industrial coating expertise to large research consortia, though they demonstrated leadership capability by coordinating SUSTICOAT (their largest funded project at EUR 1.28M). With 110 unique partners across 17 countries, they operate as a well-connected industrial anchor — the kind of large company that gives consortia credibility and a path to market. Their involvement in Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking projects signals strong ties to the European aerospace supply chain.

Extensive European network spanning 110 unique partners across 17 countries, built through a mix of large Clean Sky 2 aerospace consortia and focused research projects. Their Netherlands base and aerospace orientation suggest strong connections to Western European aerospace and materials research clusters.

What sets them apart

AkzoNobel Car Refinishes brings something rare to EU consortia: the full-scale manufacturing and testing infrastructure of a global coatings leader, combined with genuine R&D engagement. Unlike universities or research institutes that develop coatings at lab scale, they can validate solutions against industrial production requirements and accelerate market adoption. Their recent move into AI-driven coating design positions them uniquely at the intersection of traditional materials chemistry and Industry 4.0 digitalization.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUSTICOAT
  Their only coordinated project and largest funding (EUR 1.28M) — focused on sustainable organic coatings for corrosion protection, demonstrating R&D leadership beyond their usual participant role.
• VIPCOAT
  Represents their strategic pivot toward AI and digital modeling for coating development — a virtual platform combining physics-based simulation, ontologies, and machine learning.
• ALMAGIC
  Targeted green coatings for lightweight aluminium and magnesium alloys — a niche where aerospace and sustainability demands intersect.