PHILADELPHIA — Axalta celebrated the official opening of its Global Innovation Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The 175,000-foot Global Innovation Center offers specialty labs and office space. Its location in Philadelphia's historic Navy Yard enables collaboration among Axalta employees, business partners and customers throughout the Philadelphia area and beyond.

"Axalta's Global Innovation Center will become the central hub for our global research, product development and technology initiatives where we develop and deliver the most innovative coatings products in the world," said Robert Bryant, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Axalta. "Whether in color technology, polymer and formulation chemistry, or application knowledge, the world-class capabilities and talent at Axalta's Global Innovation Center will fuel new products and deliver the solutions that our customers want to grow their businesses into the future."

At the ceremony, Bryant and Axalta Chief Technology Officer Barry Snyder joined Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, PIDC President John Grady, Liberty Property Trust Senior Vice President and Regional Director John Gattuso, and Axalta employees. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf also provided remarks, heralding Axalta's economic contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with current and future jobs planned for the Global Innovation Center, in addition to those presently provided by the company in Philadelphia, Glen Mills and Exton.

"The City of Philadelphia is known for the innovative spirit that founded our nation. This spirit still permeates today with countless companies choosing our city to put down roots for growth," said Mayor Kenney. "Five years ago, Axalta showed its commitment to Philadelphia by relocating its global headquarters to Center City. Today, they open the doors to the Global Innovation Center, bringing new, highly skilled jobs to Philadelphia. I thank Axalta for their contributions to our region and wish the company many prosperous years at the Navy Yard."

The Navy Yard location offers an attractive workplace for new talent, and the Axalta campus was built with researchers in mind, modeling an academic setting with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces to foster teamwork and creativity.

After the public ribbon cutting ceremony, Axalta hosted more than 100 customers for a first look of the Global Innovation Center with tours of the facility.