AkzoNobel has opened a new Automotive Training Centre in Port Melbourne, Australia, designed to support the evolving needs of the automotive refinishing industry. The centre will be a hub for technical training, innovation and sustainability, offering a modern space for professionals to develop skills and collaborate.

The Automotive Training Centre (ATC) has been created to improve painter efficiency and productivity across the region and will serve customers in Australia and New Zealand. It is equipped with advanced tools, including a virtual reality refinishing simulator that allows technicians to refine their techniques in a digital environment before using materials.

This new ATC is part of the first phase of AkzoNobel’s investment program into its global training centre network. The company is investing €3 million to create new or upgrade existing sites across Europe, Asia, Australia and Thailand this year to upskill painters, bodyshop managers and OEM engineers on coatings and technologies that support a more sustainable future.

The ATCs are being equipped with the latest spray booth technologies and AkzoNobel’s full suite of digital tools created for bodyshops to manage and monitor the high-tech process of vehicle repairs.

Patrick Bourguignon, managing director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, said the program is making strong progress. “We know how important these training hubs are for applicators and bodyshop businesses. If the industry is to attract, retain and upskill talented professionals, they need training in the latest technologies and techniques so that they can see what is possible now and what the future looks like,” he said. “This centre is about more than training — it’s about providing the industry with the tools and knowledge to improve efficiency, sustainability and performance.”

The Automotive Training Centre will also serve as a testing ground for new technologies such as automated paint mixing systems, helping bodyshops improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

In 2026, AkzoNobel will launch its Rethink Program in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, an initiative focused on helping bodyshops improve energy efficiency and sustainability through smarter processes and products. The program will be led from the Port Melbourne facility. The centre will also be used as a venue for industry engagement seminars and webinars.

With the new facility, AkzoNobel is reaffirming its commitment to driving innovation and sustainability globally across the vehicle refinishes industry.

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