BASF opens new Germany lab for automotive refinish coatings

BASF has opened a new laboratory at its site in Münster, Germany for the development of automotive refinish coatings and its ‘Beyond Paint’ portfolio.

The company says this new building is “a huge milestone” for the development and formulation of sustainable product solutions. This includes its waterborne refinish paint portfolio Glasurit 100 Line and R-M AGILIS.

“With the lowest value of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the market, they are the eco-friendliest automotive refinish paint lines available,” said Chris Titmarsh, head of Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions EMEA.

BASF adds that the new lab at its Münster site is part of a series of global technical innovations, which includes the ‘Lean Lab’ that opened in 2018, as well as its plant for the functionalisation of films for various industries.

BASF has a target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It says the new lab is supplied with thermal energy by using the residual heat from the company’s waste incinerator, which is released via underfloor heating. Electricity is also fully generated via wind power.