Q&A: A Moment With Axalta's Dave Lazzeri

In February, DuPont’s performance coatings group was acquired by Carlyle Group and renamed Axalta Coating Systems. Powder Coated Tough had the chance to talk with Dave Lazzeri, business director at the new global company. Here is what he had to say about the acquisition.

PCT: Please give us a brief overview of the acquisition by Carlyle Group of DuPont Powder Coating.

Lazzeri: Carlyle acquired not only our Powder Coatings business but our entire Performance Coatings group from DuPont effective February 1, 2013, for nearly $4.9 billion. Our company was renamed Axalta Coating Systems, the only global company that is 100 percent focused on coatings. We serve four primary industry segments globally: automotive, transportation, general industrial, and architectural & decorative customers. Our broad and innovative product portfolio includes both liquid and powder coating systems. We refer to “systems” in our new name because our offering includes not just the products we sell but advanced technologies, best practice manufacturing, environmental and quality leadership, training, application tools, and both technical and business support.

On June 4, we formally launched the Axalta logo and a complete new, visual identity. This identity became an integral part of our 35 manufacturing centers, seven research and development laboratories, 42 training centers, and the 12,000 highly energized people of Axalta worldwide. I invite all your readers to visit us at our new website at axaltacoatingsystmes.com to learn more about the full breadth of our business and of course about our extensive power coating offering, too.

PCT: Please tell us about what the change from Dupont to Axalta Coating Systems means to your customers?

L: Our transformation is much more than just a change in our name and the way we look. The changes in Axalta Coating Systems will be very apparent to our customers in the way we respond to and serve their business. While we have a strong tradition of leadership in the markets we serve, our new beginning will bring a new set of values. Our new brand represents an organization of people who are experienced and passionate about the coatings business, deliver leading edge technologies, are highly steeped in customer support, and backed by a broad portfolio of integrated solutions. Simply stated, customers can expect to see the best of what our rich history in coatings has developed over the past 145 years and a new sense of urgency and passion to solve the toughest customer challenges.

PCT: What are your plans to promote the name change to the industry?

L: Starting on June 4 with a press release and the launch of our new website axaltacoat ingsystems.com, we have active plans to get the message and image out to all of our customers and key prospects. Over the next several months, we’ll have ads and trade show placements, including Powder Coated Tough and the PCI® trade show (Powder Coating 2013 in St. Louis) later this fall. Customers will see our new look in our marketing materials, signage, and a variety of other sundries which will proudly display our new Axalta name. We are also planning a series of trade news articles to make sure we’re explaining not only our new name but what it means to our customers. Our sales teams will be visiting customers to walk them through our new look and ask how we can serve them better than ever before. At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering products and service that will improve customer performance and profitability.

Carlyle is also keen to invest quickly when it makes good business sense. Only 100 days following the close of our acquisition, our Board of Directors committed to a $50MM investment in China where we will expand our capacity to serve the rapidly growing auto manufacturing business there. As part of Axalta, our Powder business is a key component of an integrated business strategy and I have been very encouraged with the support and drive to make our business bigger and better than ever.

PCT: Do you think there will be changes in your product offerings and if so, what changes?

Our Alesta® brand represents the highest quality array of decorative products and technologies including polyesters, epoxies, hybrids, polyurethanes, and acrylics. These technologies also include a wide variety of performance properties to meet our customers’ every need, e.g., architectural durability ranges, premium weathering, antimicrobial, heat resistant, low bake, and segment specific approvals,

Nap-Gard® fusion bonded epoxy systems provide the highest level of corrosion and damage protection for pipelines, valves, rebar, storage tanks, and electrical insulation. Abcite®, our thermoplastic offering, also provides excellent corrosion, damage, and weather protection for architec- tural, playground, infrastructure and water/waste applications. Last but not least, our Powder sales and marketing teams provide sales and service for our CorMax® and ElectroShield™ electrocoat customers. These highly efficient primer products are great companions for our Powder topcoats in the general industrial market segment. In summary, our new beginning as Axalta Coating Systems is exciting for our entire organization and has pumped a high level of energy into serving our valued customers and the entire Powder Coating industry. We’re very happy to be associated with the Powder Coating Institute and can certainly relate to the organizational changes PCI® has managed through. The second half of 2013 brings both of us a great opportunity to advance Powder Coatings and ensure business success for all those we serve.