PHILADELPHIA — Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, recently honored the recipients of its 2020 Supplier Performance Awards spotlighting their perseverance, commitment and continued partnership with Axalta during a challenging year. Awards were given in five categories, including Outstanding Performance, Excelsior Award, Service Award, Innovation Award and the Excellence Award.

Robert Bryant, Axalta's Chief Executive Officer, thanked the award recipients for their extraordinary efforts during unprecedented times. He said, "The global pandemic forced us to get creative in many ways. During the most unique year in the history of our business, you were right there by our side when we asked for your help, and we couldn't be more thankful for your partnership."

The winners of the 2020 Axalta Supplier Performance Awards are:

• Altana AG;
• Citi – Treasury and Trade Solutions;
• Covestro;
• Eastman Chemical Co.;
• GEO Specialty Chemicals Inc.;
• HazMat Environmental Group Inc.;
• Royal DSM;
• Spolchemie; and
• Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.

During the virtual awards ceremony, participants heard from former NASA astronaut, New York Times best-selling author and Columbia University Engineering Professor Mike Massimino. As a veteran astronaut and four-time spacewalker on two missions to the Hubble Space Telescope, including the final Hubble servicing mission, Massimino spoke about the importance of teamwork and innovation in persevering to overcome challenges and being able to fully realize your individual passions.

He explained the devastating impact of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. "We had to find innovative solutions to get us back into space, and we needed a diverse team to make it work," Massimino said. Reflecting back on the experience he said, "It was our team's 'finest hour.' How we reacted to this crisis and how we came together as a team is what made us successful." He concluded his speech by saying, "You find out who you are in tough times. Ask your 'mission control' for help and be 'mission control' for your team."

Barry Snyder, Axalta's Chief Operations and Supply Chain Officer, also expressed gratitude to the suppliers. "As a leading global coatings provider, we are committed to developing collaborative and enduring partnerships with our global suppliers. The recipients of these awards have gone above and beyond to support Axalta and our customers despite a very challenging year. We thank them for their commitment to our business and look forward to working together for years to come."

Previously known as the Axalta Supplier of the Year Awards and rebranded this year as the Axalta Supplier Performance Awards, winners were recognized across multiple categories for the first time. Award recipients were selected by Axalta's global procurement team in collaboration with the company's regional business, operations and technology teams.

Click here to learn more about Axalta's work with its global suppliers.