PCI News Now: Self-Repairing Coating, Evonik Closures and Ford’s $1B Paint Shop
The first PCI News Now brings together coatings research, manufacturing investment, supplier changes and an industry recognition in a quick video update.
Need to Know
- University of Queensland researchers reported a self-repairing waterborne polyurethane coating that slowed corrosion more than 600-fold in electrochemical testing.
- Evonik plans to close two smaller German sites in 2027, while Ford plans a $1 billion replacement paint shop at its Kentucky Truck Plant.
- PCI presented its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award to Axalta Chief Technology Officer Dr. Robert K. Roop at CTT Summit.
PCI is launching PCI News Now, a new video series offering a quick look at some of the developments shaping the coatings industry.
In the first episode, researchers at the University of Queensland report progress on a self-repairing waterborne polyurethane coating designed to respond when damage occurs. The team reported corrosion rates more than 600 times slower than many existing high-performance products in electrochemical testing and plans to move the technology into pilot-scale testing.
The episode also looks at changes on the manufacturing side of the industry. Evonik plans to close operations in Hamburg and Bitterfeld in 2027 and transfer production to larger facilities, citing weak demand, margin pressure and global competition. About 90 employees work at the two locations.
Ford, meanwhile, plans to invest $1 billion in a replacement paint shop at its Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville. The company says the project will improve paint quality, manufacturing efficiency and environmental performance, although details about the coatings, pretreatment, application equipment, curing systems and suppliers have not yet been released.
The episode closes at PCI’s Coatings Trends & Technologies Summit, where Axalta Chief Technology Officer Dr. Robert K. Roop received PCI’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to coatings innovation, technical leadership and talent development.
Watch the first episode of PCI News Now above, and follow the links below for more on each story.
These developments span corrosion protection, coatings manufacturing, supplier operations and technical leadership, providing a quick snapshot of the research, investment and business decisions affecting coatings formulators and manufacturers.
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