Axalta announced that its Spies Hecker Permasolid Speed-TEC Fast Cure Low Energy Collision Repair Paint System won a 2025 R&D 100 Award in the Mechanical/Materials category. The company also reported that its Total Cabinet Coating Solution was named a finalist in the same category.

The Speed-TEC FCLE system includes the Speed-TEC Speed Surfacer 5560 and Speed Clear Coat 8820, which are designed to deliver fast curing and reduced energy use in collision repair. Axalta states that the system can cut energy consumption by up to 49% and reduce cycle times by 50% compared with conventional approaches.

“I am incredibly proud of the team of scientists at Axalta who continue to drive purpose-built innovative products and technologies that solve real-world problems for our customers,” said Robert Roop, Ph.D., Axalta chief technology officer. “This recognition from the R&D 100 Awards validates our commitment to developing solutions that create new opportunities for customers to boost productivity, reduce cost and waste and ultimately drive customer satisfaction.”

According to Axalta, the FCLE system supports air drying or short bake cycles and maintains high refinish quality while lowering operating costs and improving throughput. The company also highlighted its Total Cabinet Coating Solution as a finalist. The system includes a sprayable solvent-borne edge primer and topcoat intended to provide the appearance of a two-coat system in one pass and a UV-curable roll coat enamel formulated for color control and viscosity stability.

The R&D 100 Awards program, founded in 1963, honors new technologies developed by companies, academic institutions and research organizations. Winners were recognized at a ceremony held November 20 in Scottsdale, Arizona.